Volume 44 issue 14

TTC approves U-Commute

It’s time for men to man up

Harmonix Music Club at UTM

Douthwright on discrimination

Where UTM Athletics stands

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

CUPE labour negotiations continue U of T and CUPE 3902 Unit 1 continue to bargain after the labour contract expired on December 31st ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR Contract negotiations will continue between the University of Toronto administration and the labour union CUPE 3902 Unit 1, after the collective agreement expired on December 31st with no new agreement reached.

“We’re still talking to them and we’re still in bargaining, and having very productive discussions and looking at creative solutions to different issues. And I expect that we will continue to talk until we can come to agreement on a range of different topics,” stated Kelly Hannah-Moffat the vice president for human recourses and equity at U of T in an interview with The Medium.

“It’s fairly normal to continue labour negotiations after the expiration of a collective agreement and in this context, with this particular unit, we are having what I would describe as very good discussions and very good conversations and we’re working towards creative solutions,” she continued.

Hannah-Moffat stated that members of Unit 1, which represent all teaching assistants across U of T’s

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

The university and CUPE 3902 Unit 1 are scheduled to continue contract negotiations. three campuses, will continue to work despite the expired agreement until a new agreement is established.

“Things continue and teaching assistants and employees continue to work after the expiration of the collective agreement and we work towards bargaining a new collective

agreement. And that new collective agreement will be set for another period of time, normally three years, sometimes longer,” she continued.

On December 12th, over 89.4 per cent of members belonging to Unit 1 voted “yes” in a strike mandate vote.

This vote would grant the union to le-

gally strike if no agreement has been reached and negotiations have ceased.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going on strike but it puts us in a legal position to call a strike if necessary,” stated Pamela Arancibia, the chair for CUPE 3902 in an interview with The Medium, “We’ve been bargaining up until

the 18th of December. In those meetings, we did see quite a bit of progress, in fact that strike vote is part of the reason it has been much more effective. Things were going quite slowly until we held our strike mandate vote and in that last week of meetings, we weren’t able to come to an agreement on a number of issues.”

According to Arancibia, Unit 1 is bargaining for a number of platform points, both in collaborations with other university unions as part of their 2020 vision, as well as unitspecific goals.

Arancibia outlined that Unit 1 is trying to negotiate for improved health care benefits, including better pregnancy and paternal leave, support for domestic and sexual violence survivors, as well as mental health coverage.

“What we did get before going on holiday was improvement to sexual harassment language. So for example, the university in the past has objected to our members objecting to the investigator of any sexual harassment claims. And what we have been able to gain is the right for our members to raise concerns,” Arancibia said.

CUPE continued on page 2

UTSU appoints two new executives Ammara Wasim and Adrian Huntelar were appointed as UTSU executives following two resignations HANIA QURESHI

The University of Toronto Students’ Union has announced a new vicepresident campus life following the resignation of Stuart Norton on December 12th. The union has also replaced Carina Zhang, who left her position as vice-president university affairs in early September.

Ammara Wasim replaced Norton as the VP campus life on January 1st and Adrian Huntelar took over Zhang’s role as VP university affairs on November 25th.

In an email to The Medium, UTSU’s president Mathias Memmel explained the replacement process. He stated that under Bylaw X section 5, the UTSU is required to fill vacant positions.

According to Bylaw X, which details the procedure of office vacancies: “Division I or II Director vacancies that occur after the nomination

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Norton was one of the UTSU executives to resign from the union’s executive board. period for the fall by-elections shall be replaced by an interim election at the board. The vacancy shall be open

to any member of the Union who is a member of the constituency that the vacancy occurred in.”

Memmel explained that the decision to appoint the VP campus life quickly, compared to the replace-

ment for VP university affairs, was because UTSU needed a new VP campus life in time for UTSU’s Winter Week of Welcome.

Section five part B of Bylaw X also states, “If the vacancy occurs on or after August 1 or once the Fall Session General Elections process has begun, the Executive Committee shall post the vacant position for no less than twenty (20) days, conduct an interview process and select no less than two (2) candidates to send to the board of directors for election.”

Memmel stated that the board suspended this section of the bylaw and shortened the required timeline while the procedure itself remained the same.

The procedure that followed to appoint the VP campus life and VP university affairs began with the board striking a nominating committee.

UTSU continued on page 2

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THE MEDIUM 01.08.2018

CUPE files for conciliation »WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR RESOLUTION?

CUPE continued from cover According to Hannah-Moffat, there is no set deadline to have a new collective agreement established after an initial contract expires so long as both parties continue to negotiate.

“We have very good relationships with our unions on campus and we strive to continue those strong relationships and partnerships. We always aspire to have meaningful conversations and discussions in bargaining,” Hannah-Moffat continued.

Arancibia stated that Unit 1 has filed for a conciliation period meaning that a neutral third party appointed by the provincial government will be aiding in negotiations between the two parties.

According to the U of T bargaining page, conciliation is defined as: “An official appointed by the provincial Minister of Labour (the conciliator) assists the parties in reaching a tentative agreement. The conciliator cannot require the parties to agree on anything, has no decision-making

power and is not a compellable witness in any legal proceeding. Either party may ask the Minister to appoint a conciliator.”

If no collective agreement is reached during the conciliation period, CUPE will seek to establish a strike deadline.

have to have a tentative agreement to bring to our members or we will be in a strike position,” explained Arancibia.

“We hope to reach a negotiated contract. There’s always the possibility that things don’t always pan out, in which case, we would start looking at a potential strike position. That’s something, for the moment, we are not at that point. Right now, what we really want is to see some real progress with the university in conciliation and to set that strike deadline,” Arancibia added.

Previously in 2015, the university and the CUPE bargaining team failed to establish a new contract resulting in a month-long strike across all three U of T campuses. All tutorials, practicals, and courses led by a TA or course instructor belonging to the union were cancelled during the labour disruption.

Bargaining meetings between U of T and Unit 1 are expected to continue as early as this month.

Amatullah Mamajiwala 4th year, Molecular Bio

Jasmine Aujla 1st year, Poli Sci

“What’s the point? People only make it up to forget it the next day.”

“Follow through on my plans.”

Ali Takahashi 2nd year, Stats and Econ

Ethan Bryant 2nd year, Environment

TTC consults on UTSU U-Pass

“Play sports more often, go to the gym, and get better grades.”

“Study more during the day and less at night.”

The TTC has released a proposal for the new “U-Commute”

The page adds, “The parties are not legally allowed to strike or lockout until after they have met with a conciliator and a ‘no board’ report has been issued by the Minister.”

“We will be meeting with a neutral third party with the province to see if we can come to some sort of agreement on some or all of these issues.

One of our next steps is to set a strike deadline. So once we have a meeting with our members, they will set a strike deadline, by which point we

Huntelar discusses goals for new position UTSU continued from cover The members of the committee consisted of current UTSU’s VP external Anne Boucher, the previous VP campus life Stuart Norton, Victoria College’s director Jayde Jones, and Woodsworth College’s director’s Max Xi. After reviewing the applications and interviewing the applicants, the committee forwards at least two applicants to the board of directors for the final decision.

“In the past, [the] Executive Committee has just presented two candidates to the board for approval. The process undertaken was an elective one so that Directors, including those from UTM, could participate in the shortlisting process,” Memmel stated in an email to The Medium.

When asked how the new vicepresidents affect the campaign promises made during last year’s election, Memmel responded, “It would be unfair to hold them to commitments made by their predecessors. We also work collaboratively on most projects, so a project doesn’t cease to exist when the executive responsible resigns.”

Both Norton and Zhang had resigned due to personal reasons and released statements through the UTSU’s social media pages with the union declining to comment further.

In an email to The Medium, Adrian Huntelar, the new VP university affairs, discussed his intent to focus on improving food security on

campus. saying, “It’s too hard to get healthy, affordable food that is accessible to commuter students and to those with dietary restriction.”

Huntelar also stated his intent to help lower ancillary fees and costs such as exam remark and deferral fees as well as establish a bill that outlines student rights on campus.

During UTSU’s AGM, Huntelar advocated against removing the positon of VP university affairs as a method of budget cutting.

He also wants to work towards making the U of T experience more affordable, and to work towards a student bill of rights, which would protect some fundamental considerations that students have the right to expect from the university into a formal document.

During the UTSU Annual General Meeting, Huntelar advocated against the removal of the VP university affairs position, arguing in favour of its importance to the union and to the students. The removal of the position had been proposed as a way to save the union money, which was ultimately rejected.

Ammara Wasim did not respond to The Medium’s request for comment, as of press of time.

CHEN GONG/THE MEDIUM

Several Toronto-based university unions have collaborated on “U-Commute” for Toronto students.

FATIMA WASIF ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

The TTC will begin consultations for a transit pass for Toronto-based university students later this month. The TTC announced in mid-December that they planned to move forward with a student pass program called “U-Commute” proposed by several post-secondary student unions including Ryerson, OCAD, U of T St. George, and George Brown College.

“U-Commute” is an initiative that hopes to institute a transit pass specifically for students studying within Toronto. A plan for the structure and execution of the pass is being drafted by employees at the TTC, which was presented at the scheduled board meeting on December 11th.

According to the project proposal released by the TTC, “Transportation costs can make up a significant portion of a post-secondary student’s budget. Consider the case of a student that commutes to a post-secondary campus in downtown Toronto: the average 8-month tuition and incidental fees are approximately $8,000 per year plus an additional $930 in

Post-Secondary Metropasses for 8 months. Transportation accounts for 10% of the student’s budget. Reducing this cost will help the more than 60% of the post-secondary students that use the TTC.” The report adds that such a transit pass would increase ridership for the TTC as more students would opt to use the expanded transit pass.

Pricing for the pass has not yet been determined but is expected to be a compromise between all the negotiating parties, although the TTC project proposal specifies that any price should be “formulated to keep the TTC in a net neutral financial position” and “calculated based on one blended rate for all institutions, so that the product is offered at a single price to all participating postsecondary institutions.”

“It has to be a price we’re both happy with. We can suggest one price, while they can suggest another,” stated UTSU’s vice president external Anne Boucher, “Still, we’re keeping our students’ budgets in consideration, and students can rest assured that we would not accept anything that would hurt us students.”

Any additional fees occurring af-

ter the pass is implemented will be included as supplementary fees only after a referendum of the St. George student body approves of such a motion Boucher stated.

The transit pass itself will be incorporated within commonly issued PRESTO cards, instead of as a separate card.

According to the TTC’s proposal and report on the project, “A multiyear agreement is required with each post-secondary institution. The UPass can be provided on a per semester basis, all year-round (i.e. September to December, January to April and May to August).”

Although the TTC has rejected any prospects of an overall opt-out option, the UTSU will be looking into providing some form of a choice for students who do not wish to obtain a transit pass, according to Boucher.

The latest TTC report does not provide an estimated timeline of when this new pass would be implemented for students.

A representative for the TTC was unable to respond to The Medium as of press time.

01.08.2018 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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Are you really man enough?

Diving into the realities of masculinity has shown that it is fundamentally flawed Over the break, I had the chance to watch Justin Baldoni’s “We Are Man Enough” series. Baldoni’s mission is to have an open discussion with guests about the notion of masculinity—what it means to be man. So far, he’s released two thought-provoking episodes with one covering the question of why men don’t talk, and the second episode covered vulnerability within men.

It’s a topic that I believe is tough to discuss among many of my guy friends. The idea of what it means to be a man, and masculinity in general, is something I’ve begun to question over the past few years.

The idea of men not expressing their emotions is an interesting one. My cultural background is dominated by the idea of masculine strength. Growing up, I knew that the expectation of me is to get married, have kids, and be the breadwinner for my family. I have to lead, I have to be strong, failure cannot be shown, emotion needs to be bottled in, any emotional turmoil mustn’t be spoken about, and I have to be the tough man of my future family.

Growing up, I don’t think I ever did take these notions of being a man to heart. However, they were definitely engrained in me early on in my life.

Do I blame my parents teaching me on how to be a certain kind of man? Definitely not. That’s a product of their upbringing and how they grew up and thatt was out of my control.

However, I’m in a position now in my life where I can question my place as a man, in a society that forces me to be a specific kind of man.

I’ve begun to venture away from the

traditional notions of manhood to understand how that could be damaging rather than rewarding. From an emotional standpoint, I know indefinitely that hiding away from what I am feeling and avoiding a conversation about something that may be hurting me does more harm than good. Before I really began to open up to friends, I told myself that I would let it pass, that I could move on from it because as a man it didn’t matter how I was feeling or what I was thinking. I would never allow myself the opportunity to be vulnerable with my friends, or even my brother. I do believe that I have, in my life, unconsciously and knowingly tried to just solve my problems on my own with no help. I had to get on with it. That’s what I’ve been exposed to my whole life, and that seemed like the right answer.

One really needs to take time to challenge masculinity. Why are men so engulfed in the idea of being the alpha, or why I need to have the right answer all the time and solve my problems instantly and move on? The idea of being a man and not talking to your fellow guy friends about deeper issues is such a hard thing to do, that we just escape those conversations to discuss more manly things, such as sports. And that to me is a problem. Of course, letting emotions fester inside only breeds an build-up of anger waiting to burst. However, I believe that conforming solely with stereotypical masculine traits only creates an environment of hyper-masculinity.

This is what makes the very notion of masculinity toxic.

Dominance is inherently embedded with the idea of being a

“real man.” Men have become accustomed to being the dominating voice in all situations. Coming from an Arab world, that’s what is intrinsically and extrinsically okay. The man is the dominant person of the world. But I can’t write this editorial and be okay with these ideas that I’ve been taught. I don’t believe that my role in life is to be the breadwinner or the emotionless strong man who will solve their problems with no care for anything else. That isn’t something I can believe because I believe that masculinity is fundamentally a problem.

It’s a problem to how we treat ourselves, how we treat other men, the way we talk and act around women, and how we form relationships in general. I thoroughly believe that the notion of masculinity, or being a man, is something men need to question. We need to sit and analyze ourselves and our behaviours.

If we allow the failed notion of masculinity to continue to be a part of our structures and our behaviours, we allow the failure of humanity and empathy. Why is it that I need to have a lean body to be attractive? Do I need to have a beard to be a man? Do I have to lead teams to success and be the alpha male always? Am I meant to be a breadwinner no matter what? Why do I have to pay for a dinner because that’s how you charm your date? What makes me a man? Is it empathy or is it power? Why am I so privileged as a man?

These are questions that all stem from various discussions of masculinity. However, they’re all derived from one idea of being a man.

This creates a cycle where men are

required to pass on their ideas of masculinity in order to maintain dominance.

I don’t write this editorial with the intent to solve the problem of believing in traditional masculinity.

I write this editorial to open up the discussion of what it truly means to be a man. Masculinity exists in many shapes and forms, and I speak from an experience of masculinity different from someone else’s. I believe that having this discussion about masculinity is important to teach men and boys that they do have the ability to alter their behaviour and actions.

Men, we have a ton of work to do. We need to question our behaviours, our attitudes, and our masculinity. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Dive into what makes you, you. It’s not easy, it’s not pretty, but it allows you to be a human. Question everything.

Understanding our privilege is not enough—we need to challenge it.

We need to stop being afraid of letting down our guard and giving up our power that we have acquired as a result of this privilege.

The sooner you can do that, the sooner you’ll lose your ability to be a man, and gain your empathy to be a human.

YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI

CORRECTION NOTICE The Dec. 3 articles “Dancers getting up close and personal”, “Five days of giving at UTM”, and “Unsteady atmosphere of German politics” have been corrected.

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Come for the music, stay for the allure Harmonix Music Club is doing more than just creating music—it’s unifying the diverse student body KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

Using music as a common denominator, Harmonix Music Club is unique in its objective to unify the demographically diverse UTM student body. The club, formed in 2017, is spearheaded by third-year students Bowen Hou and Alvin Li. As co-presidents, Hou and Li have established an ambitious business plan garnering the support of four sponsors—J.J. Health Clinic, Rehearsal Factory, Renovation Trust, and Long & McQuade—to fund the club’s activities.

In terms of its inception, Li, who is a CCIT and and criminology student, explained that the he had announced HMC’s arrival at UTM’s Mandarin International-student Christian Fellowship Club in the hopes to recruit potential members.

At MICF, Hou, a psychology and management student, became acquainted with Li’s idea.

Hou said, “I saw Alvin’s idea about the music, and I said, ‘You know what, we should take action.’

First, we found a graphic designer.

FACEBOOK.COM/HARMONIXMUSICCLUB/PHOTO

Harmonix Music Club provides weekly tutorials with musical professionals.

Then, [we recruited] some of his friends and some of my friends and we began designing a logo for it.”

In the early days of the club’s formation, Hou and Li stated that the club’s chief goal is to promote inclusivity.

“Wherever you are from, and whoever you are, you may join if you have an interest in music,” Hou

elaborated.

“We have two focuses: We want to provide a place to have fun for students interested in music. But, on the other hand, we want to be professional, as well,” Li added.

To achieve these goals, the club offers weekly tutorial lessons wherein students are provided with lessons taught by musical profes-

sionals who have at least five years of experience in their field. These professionals teach the basics of their field. To find these tutorial leaders, Li said that he first makes an attempt to search for them among the club’s member list. If this search proves unfruitful, the club hires professionals independently from UTM. The lessons typically

last for an hour and a half. So far, HMC has had piano, guitar, and drum lessons.

At these weekly tutorial lessons, instruments are provided for the members by the club’s sponsors.

Impressively, each sponsorship, except Long & McQuade, furnished HMC with two thousand dollars to start the club’s activities. Li talked to Long & McQuade, who expressed a great interest in HMC, and obtained a half-price deal for instrument rental. Sponsors Renovation Trust and J.J. Health clinic are cash sponsors. Rehearsal Factory provides studio rentals. Hou is also the club’s profit associate—which means that he actively looks for the club’s sponsorships.

Furthermore, HMC aids its members in the production of their music by providing an online platform, such as the club’s social media pages, to share their music. DJs and sound mixers are available for production purposes. This semester, HMC aims to release a compilation of their members’ music—with Hou primarily leading the project.

HMC continued on page 6

Loving in the formless shape of water Del Toro’s recent film release follows a silent romance between a sea creature and a cleaning woman MAHMOUD SAROUJI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Shape of Water, Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film, is a cinematic masterpiece that combines a monster and classic love tale into one.

At the crux of it all, this is a story of two beings who forge a relationship without concern for one another’s differences. However, it is these differences that strengthens their bond and elegantly creates a love tale like no other.

The Shape of Water follows the story of Eliza Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman, who lives in a corner apartment right across from her best friend, Giles (Richard Jenkins), who is an advertisement artist struggling to make a living due to the influx of modern photography. The film is set in 1962 Baltimore, where Eliza works in a highsecurity government laboratory as a cleaner. Her life is drastically altered when something new is brought into one of the laboratories that her and Zelda (Octavia Spencer) clean daily. Eliza discovers that within the laboratory is a scaled creature that is being studied and tortured by

DAILYDOT.COM/PHOTO

The Shape of Water discusses the notion of tolerance in a creative and impactful way. the government agent and marine biologist Strickland (Michael Shannon). Throughout the film, Eliza forms a friendship with the scaled creature, and upon her discovery of the creature’s fate, she becomes determined to save it from any more suffering at the hands of Strickland.

On a performative level, the actors dominate the screen and were phenomenal performers. With only

a few weeks prior to the shooting of the film, Sally Hawkins dedicated her time to not only learn American Sign Language, she also had to learn it according to the time period it was in. Her ability to display her sorrow, joy, strength, and vulnerability through her eyes and the movements of her hands did not make me think twice about the accuracy of her performance.

The best performers make you forget that they’re performing, and Hawkins does so beautifully within the film. Her co-star, Spencer, performs with just as much strength as Hawkins does. There is a beautiful relationship that both characters share with one another. Shannon’s menacing and vile approach to Strickland’s character is so well done. Though his character is fright-

ening, you’re exposed to his vulnerable life as a family man, who has to take care of his kids and wife, alongside trying to kill a creature that has done no harm to him.

While traditional classic tales of romance focus on individuals falling for one another and accepting each other’s differences, Del Toro’s film does quite the opposite and focuses on what makes Eliza and the scaled creature the same, while also proving that differences do not matter. This is a common theme throughout the entirety of the film with all of Eliza’s relationships. For example, in her relationship with her best friend, there is quite a large age difference between the two of them. Between Eliza and Zelda, Eliza is a mute white woman, while Zelda is a person of colour, and both these women are understood as “less than” in the America they live in.

With these relationships, Del Toro manages to also subtly suggest to you the common social structures of the time. Rampant racism, sexism, homophobia, and the American dream are all themes Del Toro’s film alludes to.

Water continued on page 7

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THE MEDIUM 01.08.2018

A home for monsters Del Toro’s exhibit explores the beautiful world of monstrosity

REWIND JANINA MALAPITAN

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Del Toro’s exhibit was a remarkable glimpse into his personal collection and home.

MAHMOUD SAROUJI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Amongst all the talk about Guillermo Del Toro’s newest film The Shape of Water, his home and mind have also been on display here in Toronto.

Since September 30, 2017, until just this past Sunday, Del Toro’s collection of paintings, dresses, books, life-like characters from his films, props from his film, photographs, comics, drawings, and many more have been on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

The exhibit Guillermo Del Toro: At Home with Monsters, is a fascinating one that draws you not only into the house the Del Toro lives in, but into his mind as well.

Upon entering the exhibit, the smell of an older, rustic, and historical home is immediately noticed while standing on a red rug with patterns of all kinds that you’d only expect in a haunted house, or in this case, Del Toro’s home. Del Toro welcomes you into his mind and his home on a screen with a basic introduction of what one might expect as they venture through his collection.

The first sculpture you’re hit with is a life-sized version of the Pale Man from the movie Pan’s Labyrinth. The beauty of this sculpture is astounding.

There is so much detail and creativity in the design of the Pale Man that goes unnoticed when viewing the actual film. Nonetheless, a fantastic way to open the exhibit and keep you on your toes as you continue through the rest.

From Crimson Peak, to Pan’s Labyrinth, all the way to Hellboy, many props and costumes from his films were on display. It’s one thing to watch these iconic articles of clothing and tools used in his films, but it’s a whole other experience to see them in real life. Two particular items that struck me the most at the exhibit was the dress for Edith’s dead mother in Crimson Peak and the life-sized Faun from Pan’s Labyrinth. Though definitely horrifying to look at up close in the exhibit, the dress itself is a thing of beauty; the attention to detail, the intricate embedding of the butterflies, the embroidery of insects was astonishing to see up close. The Faun from Pan’s Labryinth was such a beautiful sight to see. To fully stand next to this

creature that came out of Del Toro’s mind was truly an experience like no other. Weirdly enough, I had a small amount of hope that it would come to life so that I could speak to it.

From gigantic pieces, to art smaller than the tip of my finger, every little bit of the exhibit resides in Del Toro’s house.

Though the experience of being up close and personal with many of the props from his films was absolutely wonderful, what was even more of a delight was looking through Del Toro’s collection of paintings and books.

One painting that stuck with me the most was that of a lonely young girl surrounded by a depth of darkness.

Staring into the background for a little while, you begin to notice some shadows that almost hover over this young child. Del Toro doesn’t shy away from exposing the innocent child to the macabre of death, blood, and fear in his films—this painting embodies that theme. Amongst the dark paintings, there were many photographs of funeral announcements, of him and his childhood, and so on. There was this small collection of photographs from the early 1900s of mothers under black sheets to hide themselves as their children, mostly infants, were getting their photograph taken. The intention of this at the time was to solely have a photograph of the child without the mother present in the photo. However, she was covered with a dark sheet in order to keep the baby from moving during the photoshoot. Looking at them in the exhibit though, you can’t help but feel horrified at the fact that it resembles a dark ghoul holding hostage an innocent child. Despite how mortifying they are to look at, the photographs are remarkably beautiful.

A selection of his collection was on display in the exhibit in a make-shift “Rain Room.” The rain room in his home has two screens that constantly play the sound of rain throughout the day. The screens also have a windowlike look to it, to add to the feeling that this room is always being rained on. This is Del Toro’s favourite room.

He uses it to write his films and to read his favourite books by his favourite authors.

A few of his favourite authors include H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Dickens, and Edgar Allan Poe. However, Del Toro’s love for these authors’ books does not end with just their novels. He also collects busts of these authors and has life-sized wax figures of them in his house. Both eerie and beautiful to look at it, you can’t help but wonder how Del Toro goes to get a glass of water at night with these still life-like figures scattered throughout his home.

The final stage of the exhibit is Del Toro’s collection of anything and everything to do with Frankenstein. The very first thing Del Toro has hanging in the foyer of his home is a fivefoot-tall head of Dr. Frankenstein’s man-made creature that has become an icon to many. A Del Toro exhibit would feel empty without the dedication to the famous Frankenstein—it plays well into the idea of Del Toro’s monsters that inspire his personal work.

The exhibit could be talked about for ages. From gigantic pieces, to art smaller than the tip of my finger, every little bit of the exhibit resides in Del Toro’s house and fuels the inspiration of all his creative work. The slogan of the exhibit was that “Inspiration is a Monster.” For Del Toro, I take it to mean that his collection inspires him, drives his creativity, but can also destroy it too, just as the monsters he has both created and studied have done through literature, film, and other art.

Del Toro leaves you in the end with the following quote: “The reason I create monsters and love them is that I think they speak to a very deep, spiritual part of ourselves. It is my most cherished desire that as you leave the exhibition, the monsters follow you home, and that they live with you for the rest of your life.” Del Toro’s collection of monsters left me in awe of his home and his creative mind in the monster world. His beautiful and intricately delicate monsters followed me home, and I have no doubt in my mind that they will stick with me forever.

Guillermo Del Toro: At Home with Monsters ran until January 7.

Sweetie (1989) is the debut feature film from renowned New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion. It tells the story of the odd and superstitious Kay, a quiet twenty-something woman, and her various relationships. In the beginning, she visits a tea-leaf reader on what seems like a whim. During her walk to the woman’s house, we see her black leather shoes skip every crack in the pavement.

Once there, the psychic tells her a man is soon going to enter her life.

That same day, she begins a relationship with Louis, a man who was just engaged that morning to another woman.

“It’s just,” she says haltingly to Louis at their workplace’s parking garage, “I’m destined to be with you.”

The cement post behind them is emblazoned with the number 13.

Abruptly, the film fast forwards 13 months ahead.

A third of the way into the film, the focus shifts from Kay’s relationship with Louis to her relationship with the title character, Sweetie. Sweetie, whose real name is Dawn, is Kay’s mentally-ill sister. When Sweetie breaks into their house while Kay and Louis are out on a date, reserved Kay suddenly erupts into invectives the following morning. It’s a jarring display that made me wonder what exactly their relationship history is like.

The film moves forward to relate not only the troubled past between the sisters, but the unraveling dysfunction of the sisters’ family.

Stylistically and visually, the film is ambitious. Campion asserts a strong experimental vision through framing and angles that are just a little bit off to

warrant attention from even the most casual moviegoer. Many shots shirk the rule-of-thirds to favour fourths, placing the subject close to the edge of a frame or even cutting them off, while the background dominates.

Many shots are also filmed from unconventionally high places, towering over characters as they speak to one another. Finally, the camera is also often askew, tilting the subjects and heightening the feel of anxiety. These unconventional choices make for a slight discomfort in the audience, and push them towards the frame of mind of the superstitious Kay. The dialogue is stilted and the performances are stiff, which adds to the alienating ambiance of the film. Kay takes on a whining tone whenever she speaks, and Louis seems just to take it in apathetic stride. Kay’s mom, who is about to separate from their father, shows little emotion upon her departure.

As she checks her appearance in the mirror, Kay’s mom tells her dad, “It’s only a trial. A month apart.”

He doesn’t respond, so after another check in the mirror, she leaves.

But for me, the highlight of Sweetie is the final act. It is here that Campion succeeds in humanizing one character—the unpredictable Sweetie.

We find out that she was a talented performer as a child, and that time, her mental illness got in the way of her success. The family dysfunction comes to a tragic apex, but with it comes a beautiful elegy for the title character.

If you’re a fan of David Lynch’s technical and visual style and Yorgos Lanthimos’ characters and dialogues, I think you’ll find that Sweetie is a sweet middle ground.

Beyond music HMC continued from page 5 Notably, HMC hosted a four-hour concert on campus for students to showcase original compositions and song covers. The co-presidents stated that a professional music concert conducted on campus is typically a rarity among the music clubs at UTM. So, HMC’s winter concert is a recognizable feat.

To prepare for the concert, Li explained the mechanics behind the rehearsals. “First, we had members practice every Friday. I told the members that we would be having a concert around Christmas time, so that they’d have a goal. [So] that they don’t just [attend the meetings] to have fun. […] Because if you have a goal, then you’d have a passion to participate more.”

During the practice sessions, Hou mentioned a minor difficulty in encouraging the club’s more introverted members to mingle and “create connections.” To remedy this, Hou and Li placed these members into groups to encourage social interaction.

According to Hou and Li, 50 at-

tendees were present at the concert.

Some feedback that the co-presidents received, and are taking into account, is to have professional filming systems. Li said that this included better photography, stage set up, and lighting.

“Where ever you are from, and whoever you are, you may join if you have [a music interest].”

—Bowen Hou At the moment, the club has around seventy participants, and is looking to expand their executive team. Specifically, the co-presidents are searching for at least ten participants to fill positions in their executive and production teams. Hou emphasized that an ideal executive member holds the characteristics of speed and potential.

More long-term goals for HMC include publishing music online, holding a year-end concert, and increasing sponsorship.

01.08.2018 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

Of loving Eliza A photographic resume Water continued from page 5 With these relationships, Del Toro manages to also subtly suggest to you the common social structures of the time. Rampant racism, sexism, homophobia, and the American dream are all themes Del Toro’s film alludes to.

This message of acceptance of one another is definitely the core of the entirety of the film. Del Toro’s genius comes when he decides that the only way to show us how unaccepting we are of each other, no matter how much we might believe we are, was to show love through the eyes of something we’ve never seen before, a fish man. Those who haven’t seen the film may read through this and have the immediate thought about the impossibility of falling in love with a fish.

However, it is purely this intolerance that Del Toro clearly alludes to that is within all of us, no matter how accepting we might believe we are.

Watching the film a second time, a scene that strikes the most is when Giles believes he can express his love to the male waiter at his favourite pie shop. When the waiter freaks out, asks Giles to leave the shop, and immediately proceeds to kick out an AfricanAmerican couple from entering his shop, purely as a result of their skin colour, the emphasis on intolerance of those who are different becomes clear.

Del Toro’s aim is to make you as uncomfortable as possible with the idea of the fish man being a creature of love; to make the audience realize that these fears or intolerances of those different from the majority, are not so different than what we see today.

Eliza’s eventual love for the creature shows you that although this creature is unlike a human, it still has the physique of a human, the desires of a human, and the ability to love as a human. It’s biological nature as a male creature is even identified in a comical scene where Eliza describes how her and the creature managed to mate

with one another. The only difference is his physical appearance and how he interacts. Though at the end of it all, that doesn’t matter, because the film reminds you that irregularities cannot separate one another— differences make no difference in a world where they are routinely brought to light and emphasised. At the end of it all, what we want, who we are, and what we are the same, and that is one of the core themes that Del Toro delivers in his film.

Stylistically and visually, the film is gorgeous. The use of blues, teals, and green is such an important touch to this film that brings out the vulnerability and fluidity of the film. Del Toro is known for his extreme attention to detail, so it did not surprise me when looking closely at the wallpaper of the walls you noticed small fish-like details that brought the world to life.

The flow of the shots and the music tie together to form a film that moves smoothly and freely as you would within water.

There is no shape of water in the end; water is shapeless and only forms a shape that we decide to put it in. The characters of Del Toro’s film have very little care for their immediate differences between one another. Del Toro could have easily made a film to portray his message with human actors entirely. However, the genius of Del Toro is that he needed to shock us, he wanted us to see something completely foreign, make us a little uncomfortable, and deliver a beautiful story to teach us the lesson of tolerance. Del Toro’s The Shape of Water is definitely a favourite and is important in a time where all we do as a society is separate ourselves and have little tolerance to those that are different. Whether fish man or human, our tendency to love, empathize, and be vulnerable to one another, no matter who or what we are, is what the Del Toro hopes you experience outside the viewing of this delicately beautiful film.

MARK AGUIRRE/PHOTO

Fourth-year student Mark Aguirre delves into the intricacies of his photographic journey.

KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Mark Aguirre, a fourth-year art and art history student, doesn’t only strive for excellence inside the classroom, but outside of it as well. With a graduation exhibition coming up and a constant social media presence lingering around, Aguirre is keen on capturing the best form of photography.

Aguirre is specializing in photography—a program that has helped kick-start his interest in the subject even further.

“I’m in the art and art history program, which is a joint program between UTM and Sheridan,” he explains to me, “You pick a stream— drawing, photography, sculpture— and my stream in particular is photography, so we learn a bunch of things about digital [photography] and film. My particular speciality, or what I focus on, is film.”

I wanted to further understand the kind of work he and his peers are focused on bouncing off each other.

I assume that like him, many of his classmates are grateful to be surrounded by people who are preoccupied with the same medium. After all, prominent intellects like Picasso and Matisse formed friendships that fuelled each other’s artistic ideas. Art circles, it seems, have been important throughout history.

However, Aguirre tells me that

although he and his peers may not directly collaborate together, they do work alongside one another. “When you’re surrounded by other creatives, it motivates you to create.”

Aguirre also says that when he gets to take photos of his friends, they’re the ones who inspire him to create what he comes up with.

“I try to evoke an array of human moments and emotions and I get a lot of inspiration from my friends who I take photos of. I usually try to blend reality and imagination,” Aguirre says.

I ask him if any of this matters with the right type of camera. Is there a wrong kind of camera or can a photographer pick up anything and run with it?

“I use an array of cameras,” he explains. “Sometimes they’re more experimental, but one of my main cameras is an R7 67.”

I don’t recognize the name right away, but he reassures me when he says, “If you remember the Windows desktop paper with the hills? That one is filmed with that camera.”

“The iPhone has been getting progressively more advanced. I don’t know, maybe one day it can replace a DSLR—in terms of even in the fashion industry, I use a point-and-shoot occasionally for my photos and so have other fashion photographers.”

Cameras are as good as the people who use them. When he describes the

ideal camera, Aguirre gives props to photographers like American fashion photographer Terry Richard. Mostly known for his Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford shoots.

Aguirre states, “He’s a really wellknown photographer […] and he uses a particular point-and-shoot—the Yashika T4. The prices of the camera went up ever since it became public knowledge that he uses it.”

Although Aguirre may speak highly of one photographer, he says that his attention is not usually captured by any certain artist. It is a collaborative effort in terms of what to see, what to watch, and how to incorporate it artistically. “I’m not really particularly inspired by other photographers per se, but more so like film and cinema, and I channel that into my photography because I’m just inspired by moments and capturing photos that are more cinematic.”

In order to get the right kind of exposure, I know that social media must be an important tool for Aguirre. When I ask if he promotes himself this way, he tells me that he does have an Instagram page and uses it to help support his art.

“I feel like photography now in terms of getting exposure and jobs nowadays has become more integrated with social media in a way,” he says.

“Your Instagram,” he says, “is kind of like your resume now.”

The myriad sides of beloved Dr. Seuss VICTORIA DANESI STAFF WRITER

The whimsical stories of children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, introduced generations to imaginative worlds, while also teaching them the power of reading. Dr. Seuss’ illustrations of his most known works, such as “The Cat in the Hat,” as well as previously unseen work pieces were exhibited at Toronto’s Liss Gallery.

Geisel was an aspiring artist growing up. While attending Dartmouth College, he contributed to the college humour magazine, The Jack-OLantern, where his pen name began.

Geisel was caught drinking with other Dartmouth students during the prohibition era of the 1920s and was banned from contributing to the magazine. Defiant, he would continue to publish under his mother’s maiden name, Seuss.

The exhibition included rough sketches and drafts of Geisel’s books.

The attention to detail and the emphasis he had with colour is high-

MINGDI XIE/THE MEDIUM

Toronto Liss Gallery pays tribute to the works of Dr. Seuss in a new exhibit. lighted in select pieces. Geisel meticulously illustrated and wrote every draft of his books. He would include specific instructions regarding the colour and tones so the printing house could bring his visions to life.

In a preliminary draft of “The Cat in the Hat” that was displayed, Geisel scribbled in the margins the specific percentage of gray scale needed below the characters necktie.

These small details show the mind of an artist at work, ensuring each aspect is true to form.

The drafts and large-scaled illustrations displayed are not original pieces from Geisel, but are authorized reproductions that were done by artists using similar methods.

Original Dr. Seuss drafts and illustrations exist in libraries that are authorized by the Geisel family or in the family’s archive.

Along with the familiar works under the Dr. Seuss pen name, “The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss” collection is the highlight of the exhibition. The collection displays pieces Geisel cre-

ated in private that do not adhere to the traditional style or subject matter he is known for.

Before Geisel died in 1991, he shared with his wife Audrey the wish for her to show the public his private work. Geisel was a more serious artist in his private life and he wanted his fans to see all aspects of his creativity after he passed away.

The reproduced pieces in this collection show a different side of Geisel, but his style is still evident.

In the 1930 painting “Abduction of

the Sabine Women,” Geisel depicts the ordeal of the founding of Rome when Roman men would visit the adjacent Sabines and kidnap women to take as their wives. This harrowing subject matter is paired with Geisel’s well-known style of exaggerated aesthetic of characters with animals peering in and watching the ordeal take place.

The private pieces also display the more complex techniques Geisel had with detailed images of fish swimming upstream in “Joyous Leaping of Uncanned Salmon.” This is far from the simple illustrations that were prominent in his popular book “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”

The juxtaposing collections showcased the private and public creativity of Geisel. It signifies an artist’s ability to go beyond their popular aesthetic and express their creativity in any form.

The child-like wonder and imagination in the exhibition unveils the journey of Geisel and his Dr. Seuss persona.

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01.08.2018

Finding prejudice closer to home?

UTM criminology alumna Janelle Douthwright discusses her research on employment discrimination JESSICA CABRAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

During her undergraduate studies as a criminology student at the University of Toronto Mississauga, 2016 alumna Janelle Douthwright read one research article that paved a new and unexpected path in her education.

Assigned to her by the professor instructing her Sociology of Punishment course, Douthwright recalls being “shocked” by the findings reported in the article titled “The Mark of a Criminal Record.”

Basing her study in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the author of the article, Devah Pager discovered that, after submitting constructed resumes to potential employers, white applicants with criminal records received more call-backs than black applicants with criminal records. With Pager as her inspiration, Douthwright planned to replicate this study for her master’s research project so she could understand the effects that a criminal record may have on individuals seeking employment locally in Toronto.

“Reading that article was actually a turning point to getting my master’s

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Douthwright’s research highlighted discrimination toward an applicant’s race and criminal record. degree. [As an undergrad], I was interested in working and making money, but when I read this article my whole attitude towards school changed, and I recognized that research could be interesting and, in my opinion, really

important in understanding, investigating, and exploring the social problems that I care about,” Douthwright shares with The Medium. “The idea really stems from Pager’s existing research. I was inspired to figure out if

it was true in Toronto and it 100 per cent changed my path in school.”

To begin the data collection process, Douthwright constructed four job applications that included cover letters and equally qualified resumes

under the fictional identities of Khadija Nzeogwu, Tameeka Okwabi, Beth Elliot, and Katie Foster. Purposely, Douthwright explains that she differentiated between the candidates by giving two of them “black sounding names,” and the remaining two “white sounding names.” Within each race, she gave one applicant a criminal record and reflected evidence of that record on both the cover letter and resume. Each candidate had a high school diploma and three years of work experience in the retail and hospitality sector to ensure a similarity across all four applicants.

Douthwright collected online job advertisements for entry-level work in Toronto’s hospitality and retail industry. She randomly assigned 64 jobs to the white applicants and a separate set of 64 jobs to the black applicants to prevent employers from becoming suspicious at receiving four duplicate job applications. After tracking invitations for interviews, Douthwright found a discrepancy in the number of call-backs that highlighted a shocking discrimination toward an applicant’s criminal record and their race.

Hiring continued on page 10

Net neutrality: looking into the past?

After the December 2017 net neutrality repeal, The Medium explores what this means for Canada MARYAM FAISAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

During the Obama administration in 2015, under Democrat regulation, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed net neutrality rules that maintained the internet as an open utility. The New York Times writes in a November 2017 article that the goal of the net neutrality regulations was to “acknowledge the essential role of high speed internet access as a gateway to modern communication, information, entertainment and economic opportunity.” The FCC, however, reversed these regulations in mid-December 2017.

While it will take weeks for consumers to see tangible differences as a result of this repeal, public interest groups in the U.S., such as Public Knowledge and the National Hispanic Media Coalition, have prepared to file lawsuits. Industry titans such as Google and Facebook, as part of the Internet Association trade group, have also said to be considering legal action, where Netflix U.S. tweeted “In

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Reversing net neutrality regulations would deregulate telecommunications and cable industries.

2018, the Internet is united in defense of #NetNeutrality. As for the FCC, we will see you in court,” on Jan 5, 2018.

The term “Net neutrality” was coined by Tom Wu, an associate professor of law at the University of Virginia between 2002-2004, to describe his vision for an internet where all traffic was treated equally by internet providers. According to him, revers-

ing net neutrality regulations would deregulate telecommunications and cable industries.

In simpler terms, the FCC removed the restrictions that prevented broadband providers from blocking websites and charging for higherquality service, such as faster speeds or for specific types of content. The communications commission will

also no longer regulate high-speed internet delivery as if it were open access, leaving access preferences up to the discretion of the service provider.

Professor Gabor Virag from the CCIT and management faculty at UTM states that net neutrality encompasses “non-economic values like freedom of speech, promotion of free media and democracy.” Virag further

explains that the owners of the networks such as Verizon, Rogers, AT&T and Bell argue that the extra traffic is monopolized by just a handful of companies, like Netflix.

In a November 29, 2017 article by Quartz Media titled “The economic case that net neutrality was always fundamentally bad for the internet,” Dan Kopf presents two sides to the economic perspective. Katz, formerly chief economist at the FCC, argues for the benefits of paid prioritization, which is the ability of internet providers to charge companies for faster speeds.

The problem however, that Nicholas Economides, a New York University economist, anticipates, is that eliminating net neutrality will be detrimental for start-up companies.

Start-ups, with relatively equal internet mediated operations, may face barriers while accessing high speed internet with an associated higher cost. By stunting innovation, Economides believes that a larger decrease in U.S. economic growth may also be observed.

Neutral continued on page 10

01.08.2018 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Navigating digital journalism with Sophi UTM Professor Steve Szigeti from the CCIT and DEM faculty discusses the Sophi Heads-Up Display AISHA MALIK STAFF WRITER

Last June, Professor Steve Szigeti from the CCIT and DEM faculty at the University of Toronto Mississauga presented a tool called the Sophi Heads-up Display (HUD) at the 2017 Conference on Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The Sophi HUD is a novel visual analytics tool for news media and was developed for editors at the The Globe and Mail. Reflecting the development in digitally distributed journalism in contrast with traditional print newspapers, the tool was developed as a web analytics software to gain insight on reader preferences and to “overlay relevant data about articles’ performances on The Globe and Mail website.”

Regarding the software’s development process and the motivation behind it, Szigeti shared in an email to The Medium that the project began when he was working at the Visual Analytics Lab at OCAD University. The motivation for the Sophi HUD, according to Szigeti, was the result of their collaboration with The Globe and Mail. He explained, “Research with industrial partners always involves a negotiation between our interests as academic researchers and the research interests of our partners—and the

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The Sophi HUD is a visual analytics tool developed for editors at The Globe and Mail. fit with The Globe and Mail was excellent.”

He continued, “The Globe and Mail was looking for expertise in visualizing data they were collecting on the reading behaviour of users off their digital properties.” These digital properties include their website and mobile apps. Szigeti elaborated that his area of research focuses on better understanding how people use different technologies and to then

design accordingly. To give an example, he described that a “cutting edge visualization of complex data doesn’t make sense if the person viewing the visualization doesn’t understand what they’re looking at and what the data might reveal.” In relation to The Globe and Mail, he said that they are always interested in making it easier for their readers to navigate and find the content that they require.

When asked about how he de-

veloped his interest in researching human computer interaction and media design, the design thinking researcher explained that he started designing websites over 20 years ago, as his background is in graphic design. Szigeti also added, that he began working at Teletoon as their web designer when they first launched. The CCIT and DEM professor said he “spent almost 11 years with a front row seat in the emerging interactive field; from

websites to iTV to mobile applications to social networks.”

Szigeti explained that his interest has always been in designing for users. This meant that he needed to “understand the user.” As Szigeti further described, “This interest led directly to my doctoral research, focusing on how designers share knowledge in order to solve design problems.”

Teaching a course titled “Rhetoric and Media” this semester, Szigeti explained how his research interests will inform his teaching. He plans to use examples from his network outside of academia, and according to Szigeti, the Sophi HUD could potentially be used as an example in one of the lectures. Since the class will deal with oral and visual communication, the Rhetoric and Media instructor plans on using examples that are relevant to current media design. According to Szigeti, since design is communication and Sophi HUD is about ensuring clear communication, it is relevant to the course. Using examples such as the development of Sophi HUD for students interested in exploring media design, Szigeti said, “The Rhetoric and Media course will teach students how to improve their communications skills through writing, reading and thinking.”

A student’s experience with crowdfunding UTM student Marissa Irene Uli describes her experience with her birthday crowdfunding campaign MAHNOOR AYUB FEATURES EDITOR

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines crowdfunding as “the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.”

As a form of crowdsourcing and of alternative finance, Chance Bernett in his June 2016 Forbes article reports an estimated US$34 billion being raised worldwide in 2015 through crowdfunding.

“Crowdfunding can very much be an individual project or done on a larger scale,” says Marissa Irene Uli, a third year geography and CCIT student at UTM. Sharing what she learnt, Marissa says her first experience with crowdfunding came about through her birthday.

“I’m far away from home. I live in Indonesia, Jakarta to be specific,” says Marissa, “And I always wanted to do this thing where people raise money for charity on their birthday rather than a birthday party.” The geography and CCIT student was inspired by one of her friends who visited an orphanage for her birthday. She realized, “[I] wanted to do something for my home country

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Crowdfunding is a project that can be done individually or on a larger scale. and a birthday crowdfunding for a purpose I’m interested in would be a good idea.”

Although similar fundraising concepts can also be executed through mail-order subscriptions, benefit events, and other methods, the term crowdfunding refers to internet-mediated registries such

as GoFundMe. Andrea Ordanini, associate professor of marketing at Bocconi University, describes the modern crowdfunding model in her 2009 article “Crowdfunding: transforming customers into investors through innovative service platforms.” The model is generally based on three types of actors: the

project initiator who proposes the idea and the project to be funded, individuals or groups who support the idea, and a moderating organization, a platform, that brings the parties together to launch the idea.

“I’m very interested in finding out about and getting involved with NGOs just as a hobby, and I

was also thinking about how to connect my birthday fundraiser idea with something I like,” says Marissa, “And one of the things I like is reading, I enjoy books and movies, and so I thought let’s find an NGO that promotes access to these interests.”

After dabbling in teaching English around the villages of Jakarta and Tangerang with her friends, Marissa found the one. “That is where Taman Bacaan Pelangi comes in, which translates to rainbow reading garden,” she revealed.

Taman Bacaan Pelangi is a nonprofit organisation working to establish children’s libraries in remote areas of eastern Indonesia since 2009. Having worked with the NGO previously with packing and sending approximately 100 gift boxes to nearby villages, Marissa approached Taman Bacaan Pelangi’s founder, Nila Tanzil, “I emailed her about my idea hoping she would remember me, and she liked it and I started from there.”

Established in Flores in close collaboration with village leaders, Nila Tanzil, established the first library in Roe, a small village in the foothills of Flores, with just 200 books.

Funding continued on page 10

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THE MEDIUM 01.08.2018

Reaching beyond simple criminology Hiring continued from page 8 “The focus of the project was criminological, but it just so happened to also have a really big racial implication,” the criminology researcher explains. “[The racial discrimination] is a secondary finding of the research.”

According to Douthwright’s results, despite the fact that all four candidates were equally qualified, the two applicants without a criminal record had a 21.1 per cent callback rate compared to the 10.2 per cent call-back rate for the two candidates with criminal records.

The prejudice towards a criminal record is a racial prejudice. Douthwright explains that the call-back rates revealed that “whites fare better in the labor market than equally qualified blacks.” While contrasting the applicants, Douthwright discovered that the white applicant with a criminal record received a total of 12 out of 64 call-backs. Comparatively, the black applicant without a criminal record received seven and the black applicant with a criminal record received only one.

“I definitely didn’t expect that a white applicant with a criminal record would get more call-backs than

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Douthwright discussed reasons behind the “ban the box” movement. a black applicant without one here in Toronto,” Douthwright says.

To combat the discrimination towards applicants with criminal records, Douthwright explains that people often advocate in favour of

the “ban the box” movement. This campaign encourages employers to remove the question on job applications that ask applicants to “check the box” if they have a criminal record. However, she adds that other

studies have shown the negative effects that removing this box has on black individuals without a criminal record. In theory, the box provides an opportunity for black applicants without criminal records to disasso-

ciate themselves from criminal ties.

“Studies show that black people without criminal records are less likely to receive a call-back by companies that don’t have the box on their application than companies that do. Typically, the box is seen as an exclusionary tool (used to exclude people with criminal records in the hiring process), but it also serves as an inclusionary tool for black people without criminal records,” Douthwright says.

Now, Douthwright, a recent graduate from University of Toronto St. George with a master’s degree in criminology and socio-legal studies, has published her research in her paper titled “Employer Discrimination against Applicants with Criminal Records: An Audit Study.” She hopes to attend law school or pursue a Ph.D. in the future.

For students interested in graduate research, Douthwright says, “I think a lot of people are nervous about replicating another study. I would encourage students to let go of that fear and recognize that replication research is very valuable. It’s really interesting to know that these findings could be true in Devah Pager’s study and [also] here in Toronto.”

A story goes a long way Rippling into

the North

Neutral continued from page 8

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Tamaan Bacaan Pelangi began in Flores, Indonesia, and has since then established 63 libraries.

Funding continued from page 9

Today, the NGO’s official website states, “With the help of donors and volunteers, Roe now houses over 3,000 children’s books.” With 63 libraries established, the website also says they have delivered 117,000 books, servicing more than 17,000 children and training more than 574 teachers through capacity building workshops and basic literacy courses.

As the website describes, in each of Tamaan Bacaan pelangi’s libraries, reading activities are regularly conducted, lead by the classroom’s teacher. Through reading activities, the NGO hopes “Children will slowly grow the love of reading.”

Through their capacity building workshops for the local teachers, the NGO hopes to impart the “skills and knowledge needed in nurturing the

habit of reading in their students and promoting literacy in their village.”

To begin your journey into crowdfunding, Marissa recommends exploring websites such as GoFundMe, Indiegogo, and Kickstarter. She says, “I am using generosity because I chose based on how much they charge.”

She began the campaign a month before her birthday, November 25th, and having raised $1,994 USD, the campaign remains active. The international student says it was hard to gain traction at first. “Being an introvert, it was hard to talk to people about it, I eventually told my friends and then they started sharing it. I think because I’m an international student, a lot of my friends are in different countries. And so they shared it with the Instagram filter and the video that I made for the campaign and I was able to get people informed.”

Marissa continues to share with The Medium, “When I first shared the project online, strangers actually donated. After that, it plateaued a bit and I started sharing with my friends and family.” Although contacting people and gaining momentum was time consuming for her, the NGO-enthusiast found allocating time to both to be manageable “the thing with crowdfunding is that people don’t just do it because it’s there, they do it because they’re informed.” Marissa believes people have a higher inclination to donate if there is a personal story or a face associated with a cause. She advises other crowdfunding hopefuls to seek help and feedback from their peers or teachers.

Having been involved with volunteer activities at UTM, Marissa hopes to see similar initiatives here at school.

Socially, there has been uproar against the repeal of net neutrality regulations because that would translate into a systemic barrier in accessing high quality internet for lowincome families. Where social media is perceived as a catalyst in promoting social change over the past few years, open and free access to the internet allows marginalized groups to have a platform for voicing their concerns.

In the context of possible ripples being felt north of the border, Professor Virag says, “[The] Canadian context is probably similar to the U.S., but issues may come up more sharply as Rogers and Bell have bigger market shares in Canada than AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. They are also even bigger empire builders in terms of the content.”

The reason the fight in Canada hasn’t been as vocal, according to a Dec 14, 2017, article in CBC news titled “Why Canada’s net neutrality fight hasn’t been as fierce as the one in the U.S.” has been attributed to the FCC being a more biased and partisan organization than the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Two years ago, during the Obama administration, the FCC ruled internet service providers were Title II common carriers, which regulates them as utilities, as opposed to Title I, which gives providers more control.

There is no distinction between the

two in Canada. Matthew Brage writes for CBC news that in Canada, “Under the Telecommunications Act, internet service providers are treated like utilities, and there are rules around how they can act. There are two key rules in particular: service providers can’t give ‘undue or unreasonable preference’—say, to one application or online service over another—nor can they influence the content being transmitted over their networks.”

“[In Canada] issues may come up more sharply as Rogers and Bell have bigger market shares in Canada than AT&T and Verizon in the US.” Analysts do not believe, however, that this absolves Canada from having clauses and conditions in the Telecommunications Act challenged.

With the act up for review, advocacy organizations like Open Media are concerned that the indirect wording the CRTC’s net neutrality perception relies on could be threatened.

“It doesn’t actually say the words ‘net neutrality’ in it,” Laura Tribe, executive director of Open Media, said of the act.

Open Media says that if any alterations are going to be made, it would be reassuring to see the protections made more direct.

01.08.2018

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UTM athletics: half a year in review With all of the UTM sports teams having success in some way, it is accurate to say 2017 was a good year AMRISH WAGLE S&H ASSOCIATE EDITOR An appraisal of the previous semester is necessary to gauge the past and present state of UTM Athletics, before diving into a brand-new semester. In fact, with UTM’s varsity program still in its relative infancy, the Eagles got a taste of their first semester of varsity basketball for both men and women. UTM’s teams for both volleyball and soccer also strived to make headway within this uncharted territory of varsity leagues.

The RAWC, along with the HCC, organized several events and initiatives to promote a healthier and happier campus throughout the entirety of first semester. The highlight of the semester for UTM Athletics was the outstanding performance of the varsity cross-country team.

The women’s basketball team won three games in total against the Conestoga Condors and Lambton College Lions. Throughout their first semester, this group of players have developed into a team with an undeniable chemistry both on and off the court.

Now with a consolidated form and being thoroughly battle-tested, these players have a whole new semester wide open for them to redefine their presence in varsity.

The men’s basketball team, on the other hand, won their exhibition

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The women’s basketball team was one of UTM’s varsity teams with a taste of success in 2017. game during homecoming, as well as two tournaments where they triumphed in two out of three games in the first tournament and three out of four in their second tournament.

However, these Eagles are still looking for their first league game win and will soon have a chance against the Niagara College Knights on January 12 to apply what they’ve learned and restart with a clean slate.

In the domain of varsity soccer, the men’s team has held up relatively well with three ties and three wins out of eleven games. The women’s team

finished the semester with their first win of the season against the George Brown Huskies at 3-1.

The UTM varsity cross-country team performed phenomenally well with the entire women’s team qualifying to enter nationals and placing fourth in Ontario.

As a UTM medical student, Sophie Glanz placed 5th at nationals and 15th overall as an individual.

Glanz was also awarded OCAA Cross Country Rookie of the Year, as well as added to the first team All Ontario. Another UTM medical stu-

dent, Stephanie Nevison, finished 12th overall in provincials. As for the men’s team, both runners, Kale Heino and Haseeb Malik, placed top 20 in provincials and also achieved a place in nationals to represent UTM for a third year in a row. Heino proceeded to place 23rd in nationals, up almost 26 ranks from last year. This exceptional performance was facilitated by two new recruits, Ayah Abdeldayem and Sam Dumcum, that helped train the runners. These pair of coaches are in fact predecessors to the present cross-country team and former UTM

Eagle cross country athletes.

Switching to the D-league, in quite an interesting mimicry, the volleyball and indoor soccer teams have had identical performances for their first half of the 2017-2018 season. Whereas the women’s volleyball and indoor soccer teams are still looking for their first win of the year, both of the men’s teams have won two out of five games.

For the men’s ice hockey team, out of the five games of the semester, they have tied one against the St. George Blacks and won a game against the St. George Reds. The RAWC and HCC have also hosted several initiatives, such as the MoveU Motivator and the Glice event. The MoveU Motivator was focused on introducing students to the RAWC facilities and engaging them in a friendly reminder of the benefits and enjoyment of staying active, whether that is through sports or various forms of exercise, such as pilates. The Glice event invited students to ice skate on a synthetic ice rink in Gym B, drink delicious hot chocolate, and remember to stay active during the winter. The HCC pursued this effort of promoting healthy choices through a cooking class with UTM dietician, Kimberly Green, concerning healthy, cheap, and useful cooking tips and information.

Other events revolved around mental health, including the YOLO pub night and meet-a-friend café.

Achieving your new year’s resolutions Reaching a certain fitness goal is the main resolution wanting to be met by so many people YASMEEN ALKOKA

As the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2018, a list of New Year’s resolutions seems to suddenly appear. Every year, it is the same resolutions—people want to be more positive, use their time better, eat healthier, and most importantly get fit.

Based on a survey done by Statista, “33 per cent of surveyed Canadians [said] their top resolution for 2017 was to improve personal fitness and nutrition.” That means diets are being started, the gym is becoming crowded, and less donuts are being purchased.

Within the first couple of weeks into the New Year, it is obvious to regular gym users that there are plenty of new faces. Sudden lineups to use the treadmills or weight racks may appear but, according to U.S. News, approximately 80 per cent of resolutions fail by the second week of February. So those lineups will not last for too long. Most of the resolutions that people make are unrealistic in comparison to their previous lifestyle. Setting high expectations will

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In 2017, a third of Canadians said in a survey that their top resolution was to improve their fitness. increase the probability of a goal not being reached.

To avoid a quick failure of this year’s resolutions, start small. We tend to get really motivated and tell ourselves that we will start going to the gym every single day, or even every other day. Instead, maybe start with two to three days a week. Develop a regular routine and set reminders to ensure following through with it.

If you are not a big gym user, try something different. Physical activity can be experienced in a variety of ways. Go to a drop-in Zumba class, take a couple of friends swimming, or just take a long walk around campus. “Getting fit” does not have to be an overnight change in lifestyle. Attempting to jump right into it is what causes people to burn out quickly.

Find out what pace works for you,

and work on maintaining it.

It is important to set realistic goals, and work consistently on achieving them. According to Alive.com, “Healthy practices such as getting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity a day, cannot only improve our overall physical health, but also our cognitive performance.” As a result, exercising can lead to doing

better in school. Having a balance between studies, socializing, and physical activity is ideal for taking care of personal mental health.

One thing to remember for New Year’s resolutions is that they do not have to be done alone. Naturally, many of us have similar lifestyle goals. It is easier to continue working towards these goals when we support each other. Talk to friends and family about what your objectives are, remind yourself consistently of the benefits of the end goal, and allow yourself small rewards for each step of the way.

At UTM Athletics, there is a new women’s only pilot program, Eagles Workout Buddies, launching this month that is “designed for UTM students to easily find like-minded peers to help achieve their fitness goals.”

Sign up using the online form, found on utmeagles.ca and the UTM website.

Start fresh this year. Reaching fitness and health goals requires commitment, and the change is not going to happen overnight. Take it slow and steady, and most importantly, don’t give up.

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«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 01.08.2018

A promising season ahead for soccer The UTM women’s soccer team is hoping to advance to Provincials for the first time in three years VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS AND HEALTH EDITOR

With the UTM women’s soccer team gearing up for their indoor season, head coach Damian Yearwood sat down to discuss what we can expect from the team this upcoming season.

Their outdoor season ended on a high note with the team winning their first outdoor varsity game against the George Brown Huskies. The team is looking to advance to Provincials for the first time since joining the Varsity league. With two practices and two training sessions a week, the girls are working hard to stay fit to meet their goal of advancing to Provincials.

Yearwood explains that the team is largely made up of the same players as last year with a few new additions.

When asked about two team captains, Christina Rico and Danica Post, Yearwood commends them on their dedication and positive attitudes. “They’ve been great. They’re in their last year and they’re getting tired of being in school,” he jokes, “But they’ve been keeping their spirits up and making sure the girls are staying motivated.”

Rico and Post have also paid special attention in making sure the needs of their teammates are met by asking them in a survey what they would like to see differently. The two captains are both graduating players in their fifth year of school, but are still just as motivated and committed to the team as they were in their first year.

With seven players graduating this year, the team will be largely made up of new players next season. Many of the players graduating have been on

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The UTM women’s soccer team is currently preparing for their upcoming indoor season. the team since their first or second years at UTM. They are hungry for a win at their regional tournament this year and want to have a shot at succeeding at provincials. Yearwood explains that last year the team came within a goal of making it to provincials. There were certain tie-breaker rules that kept them from advancing.

As Yearwood puts it, “Some really dubious tie-breaker rules.” This was all done while not having their starting goal keeper. Yearwood explains, “We’ve always done really well against strong teams. We have two strong teams in our pool this year and it’s usually against the weaker teams that we’ve fallen down in the past. I don’t know why but we kind of lower ourselves to their level.” The team has a

total of four tournaments, including regionals.

Based on statistics, the team seems to have a lot more success in indoor than in outdoor. When asked why, Yearwood explains, “There’s less moving pieces, and I think in outdoor, there’s a lot of nuance and tactics and little small adjustments that make a huge difference with so many different players. In indoor, you really have to take responsibility for yourself and for the area of the field.” The indoor fields are much smaller than in outdoor and they require less players on the field. This makes a huge difference with style of play. “You know that when you mess up it’s a big deal. So you know that you have to get back extra hard and help your team,” says

Yearwood.

Yearwood goes on to say that, “Players who are strong in outdoor are still usually strong players indoor.

It’s just a lot more movement so, a lot more responsibility. You’re looking more for players who are versatile because you have to play every position.

I could have defenders up in forward attacking positions and forwards playing midfield and midfielders playing defense. So, it’s really important that everyone does their part.”

As a UTM alumna, Yearwood’s main priority is still the education of his players. Ensuring his players graduate and receive a good education has always been his number one priority.

“Finding success for them is feeling good about what they do. Wanting

to come out every week and every day and train hard and work hard. I take it as failure on my part and on their part, if they’re not committed [and] if they’re not dedicated. It kind of hurts a little bit,” he explains. Success, for him, is not always about winning every game. The varsity program is still very new and has its struggles.

Celebrating the victories, big or small, is what helps the team move forward.

“We had our first win this year and we’ve had past games before where we’ve lost 2-1 to a team that beat us 9-0 and that was a success for us. It was almost like a win. And we’ve had draws that felt like wins.” Ultimately, however, supporting his players is really the only thing Yearwood has concerned himself with. Whether it be emotionally, academically, or as a coach on the field, Yearwood does his best to be there for his players.

Yearwood’s goal for this indoor season is for his team to win a tournament or at least make it to the finals of a tournament—the main goal is still to make it to provincials. This is something the team has been striving towards for the past three years. According to Yearwood, they’ve missed out on a goal each of those years.

“For the graduating players, I want to make them feel like they gave everything they could while they were still here,” he says.

The women’s soccer team has their first friendly tournament next Saturday, January 13th at Centennial College. They are hoping for a win, but this is just the preparation for their real tournament—regionals. UTM is hoping that this is the year the team advances to provincials.

Improving your mind with brain games Engaging in certain strategy games like chess, can help to reduce chances of developing Alzheimer’s LABINA KHALID

Regularly playing a strategy game or solving a puzzle can be beneficial to the brain. It can improve memory, concentration, and critical thinking. It teaches patience and prevents memory loss. Scientists recommend that people play strategy games once every day or at least a couple of times a week to reap the benefits.

Findings suggest that brain games cannot only prevent, but also improve cognitive symptoms related to mental conditions, such as mild traumatic brain injury. Regularly playing such games can even prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Brain games require a certain amount of attention and observation. They are believed to be healthy for the brain just as a good work out is healthy for the body.

Strategy games such as chess improves memory, visualization, attention, creativity, and problem-solving skills. It also helps rehabilitation and therapy. Joseph N. Wdowski believes a chess game exercises the minds of the young and the old. Strategy games or puzzles do not require any physical effort, their sole focus is on the

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Sudoku is one type of puzzle to keep one’s brain active. mind. Chess forces a player to keep track of his opponent’s move and plan ahead. Each chess piece follows a different set of directions, which forces the players to not only memorize the moves but also figure out how to use

them to their own advantage.

Puzzles such as Sudoku and Crosswords keep your brain active, act as a friend when lonely or depressed, prevent memory loss problems, improve nervous system, and open the door

to other puzzles. Dr. Marcel Danesi suggests that such games have high appeal because unlike the problems in our lives, these games have a definite solution. We can work our way to some sort of an end. He believes that

people tend to find a sort of satisfaction in having completed a task, in having reached an end.

Puzzles like Sudoku and Crosswords require the players to pay attention to words and letters that are already in their respective row or column. Both require players to place the correct number or letter, which forces them to observe and plan where the right number or the letter goes.

Strategy games consume time because one cannot immediately reach an end. Players need time to consider and strategize the game. When people incorporate games into their life, they build a routine around it. In this way, it helps enforce time management.

Strategy games can work as breaks from the normal stress of study, work, and other life problems.

Chess, Sudoku, and Crosswords are common strategy games that are the most popular. Other games include Colorku, Sumoku, Pix Mix, Kakuro, Qwirkle, Ken Ken, Taboo, and Shikaku. Individuals are strongly encouraged to try and incorporate one of these strategy games into their lives for a healthy mind and sharper cognitive abilities.