Queen's Journal, Volume 147, Issue 2

Page 1

Become a contribu tor : Wr i t e , e d i t, photograph.

the Queen’s University

journal Volume 147, issue 2

Monday July 8, 2019

Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

since 1873

Student Wellness Services introduces new model of care Director of counselling services “confident” new system will provide quicker access to care L uca D annetta Assistant News Editor In response to a significant surge in students seeking care over the past five years, Student Wellness Services (SWS) will introduce a new model for counselling over the summer. “We have listened to your feedback and have made changes that will result in shorter wait times and quicker access to care,” an announcement circulated in a School of Graduate Studies

newsletter last month stated. The new model will introduce half-hour “access appointments” for students who are seeking support for the first time, in which a clinician will focus on learning about the patient’s goals for treatment, meeting immediate needs, and making recommendations for next steps. Next steps may include enrolment in group wellness programs and online learning modules, or helping patients connect with other health care providers in the Kingston community. The announcement indicated these access appointments can be scheduled “as quickly as the same day you call.” In a statement to The Journal, Dr. Rina Gupta, director of counselling

services, confirmed the new model of care is “designed to provide quick access to services, and shorter wait times.” “We are confident students will access care more quickly than under the previous model,” she said. “This model is in place at other institutions in Canada and the US, and students report high levels of satisfaction.” The changes follow feedback detailing long wait times as a primary student concern, reported several times in The Journal over the last two years. Interviewed in the spring of 2018, students seeking care reported long wait times and lack of access to quality care. In some cases, students were told they would have to wait four to six weeks for an appointment. See wait times on page 3

Engineers’ purple dye increases risk of cancer Engineering Society seeking alternatives after Health Canada warning R aechel H uizinga News Editor Every homecoming, first-year engineering students lie in kiddie pools full of purple dye that—according to a recent Health Canada advisory—increases the risk of cancer. Following two safety assessments, Health Canada found exposure to gentian violet, the substance found in the dye engineering students use for ‘purpling’, increases the risk of cancer. The agency issued its warning on June 12 and advised Canadians to cease all use of the chemical given the “seriousness of the risk.” Engineering Society President Delaney Benoit said the Society is aware of Health Canada’s warning against exposure to gentian violet.

“Given the clear health warning issued by the government, the University cannot endorse the use of gentian violet going forward. As a result, the Engineering Society is currently researching alternatives,” Delaney wrote in a statement after declining The Journal’s request for an interview. Health Canada’s individual review of gentian violet was prompted by the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius Commission, which recommended regulatory authorities prevent exposure to gentian violet in food because of its potential to cause cancer. While the World Health study focused on food, Health Canada’s individual assessments reviewed the safety of human non-prescription drugs, veterinary drugs, and medical devices containing gentian violet. Following the safety assessments, the Agency found there’s no safe level of exposure to the dye and that “any exposure to these drug products is a potential cause for concern.” The manufacturer of Gentian Violet Liquid Topical voluntarily discontinued marketing of their products in Canada, and all

licensed products containing the substance have been removed from the market. The safety review also stated that in studies “cases of cancer in animals following oral exposure of gentian violet were noted,” although there have been no reported cases of cancer in humans associated with gentian violet in Canada or internationally. The assessment concluded that most medical devices containing gentian violet do not pose an increased risk of cancer when used for a short period of time as long as they do not come into direct contact with the skin, but engineering students have been known to dye their entire bodies purple during Orientation week and Homecoming. Traditionally, second year engineering students leading incoming frosh during Orientation Week dye themselves purple, and the first-year students follow their lead a couple months later during Homecoming. As a rite of passage, first-year engineering students also dye their leather jackets purple during the exam period in the fall.

GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE

University seeks new residence on campus The University is seriously considering the development of a new residence building on main campus, according to a press release issued last week. The proposed building, which is still in the early planning stage, would be built on University property along the west side of Albert St., just south of Union St. and across from Tindall Field. According to the University, the new residence is needed to accommodate plans for modest enrollment growth. The proposed development would also make space for students from other residences as old building undergo renovations, like the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC) renovation which will displace nearly 100 residence units. The University is working with the city to ensure factors like heritage, neighbourhood integration, and environmental issues are addressed in the plan, as well as respecting the local community and residents. Roughly 50 near-campus neighbours attended a public information session hosted by the University last week. The plan still awaits approval from the University’s Capitals Assets and Finance Committee as well as the Board of Trustees. If approved, construction is anticipated to start in the spring or summer of 2020.

journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

—Luca Dannetta

IN THIS ISSUE: OSAP cuts sting p. 6. Attacks on campus journalism silence students, p. 7. Queen’s rowers take show on the road, p. 11. Abortion rights a question of autonomy, p. 16. queensjournal.ca

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