Become a contribu tor : Wr i t e , e d i t, photograph.
the Queen’s University
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journal
Volume 147, issue 9
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Thursday, October 10, 2019
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Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.
Engineering Society wellness centre shuttered President, employees elaborate on end to 2016 pilot program C arolyn S vonkin S ydney K o R aechel H uizinga Journal Staff
R aechel H uizinga News Editor
See alcohol on page 4
traditional lands of the
since 1873
Student politicians push back against alcohol policy changes Before the public consultation period ended for Queen’s proposed alcohol policy on Tuesday, the University received overwhelming feedback from multiple student governments and faculties opposing some of its revisions. Last updated in 2012, the alcohol policy in its proposed state seeks to usher in significant restrictions to on-campus consumption of alcohol, whether it’s at campus drinking establishments or Orientation week events. While the AMS has had multiple meetings with the alcohol policy subcommittee since taking office in May, the Society submitted a final report to the University on Oct. 8 emphasizing its opposition to several of the changes the policy aims to implement. Included in the report were statistics from a survey the AMS hosted, seeking input from both students and non-students about the proposed revisions. The survey garnered more than 2,000 student and faculty responses. Overwhelmingly, respondents criticized the policy’s proposed restrictions to alcohol consumption at campus bars and during Orientation week. “We found that the results of this survey are consistent with our advocacy to date and reflect our current concerns with the alcohol policy,” AMS President Auston Pierce wrote in a statement to The Journal. Though more than 2,000 students and non-students participated in the survey, varying numbers answered specific survey questions. When asked whether respondents would feel less safe an off-campus establishments, 1,333 of 1,838 agreed, while only 461 respondents said they feel safe both on and off campus, and 44
Situated on the
Federal candidates in descending order based on national polling.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE
Vehicle crashes into Brock Street house, damages estimated at $150,000 At approximately 2:42 p.m. on Tuesday, a vehicle crashed into a house on the corner of Brock and Frontenac St. According to an Emergency Response Activity Report by Platoon Chief David Latour, Kingston Fire & Rescue (KFR) crews and the Tech Rescue Unit were on the scene to deal with the crash, along with the Kingston Police Force (KPF) and an ambulance.
Chief Latour also reports searches of the vehicle, area, and living room of the house by KFR found no people at the scene of the accident. The car was towed from the house and Tech Rescue stabilized the building. No firefighters were injured. Marilyn Johnson, ArtSci ’21, lives across the street from the house the vehicle crashed into. “I heard the swerve and saw
the bang from my window and ran out,” she told The Journal in a written statement. “There were 4-5 guys fleeing the scene.” Johnson said she stayed at the crime scene for approximately an hour to tell her story to officers. KFR estimates damages for the building and vehicle at $150,000. —Carolyn Svonkin
“There were 4-5 guys fleeing the scene,” Marilyn Johnson said about Tuesday’s crash.
The Engineering Wellness Centre closed permanently on Oct. 9 after almost four years of operation due to a lack of funding and support staff. Located in Jackson Hall, the Centre was the result of a 2016 pilot program that aimed to promote mental wellness for engineering students. It closed after a decision to reallocate the service’s resources into other programs. “After careful assessment, it has been determined that the required resources could be better utilized, and support a broader range of engineering students, through other support services and channels,” a statement posted to the Centre’s Facebook page said. The statement referenced embedded counsellors in the engineering faculty and Student Wellness Services as alternative support options for engineering students. “The Engineering Society is disappointed to see the loss of a great mental wellness resource on campus,” Delaney Benoit, Engineering Society president, wrote in a statement to The Journal. “Options for re-establishment of the centre or for an alternative resource for students is currently under investigation by the Engineering Society Director of Social Issues.” Rebecca Bonham-Carter was one of the Centre’s assistant managers from the 2018-19 year. Aside from assisting the head manager in supporting staff, Bonham-Carter was responsible for event planning. In an interview with The Journal, Bonham-Carter said the Faculty of Engineering wanted to take back the room the Centre was operating out of for office space. “That was one thing, just trying to find a space on campus, and that’s still really a struggle for wellness support centres,” she said. Aside from the Centre’s space, See wellness centre on page 4
IN THIS ISSUE: Inside Canada’s wackiest political party, p. 5, Student voices on the federal election, p. 7, Homecoming walks tightrope between tradition and safety, p. 8, Queen’s YouTubers get candid, p. 10. queensjournal.ca
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