Undergrads call on the University to resume negotiations with PSAC 901
AMS chooses not to endorse petition and calls a Special Assembly to discuss options
A y A A lh A s A ny & J on A th A n R eilly Assistant News Editors
Undergrads are demanding action to end PSAC 901, Unit 1’s, strike as support for an Open Letter surpasses 1,500 signatures.
In an Open Letter released on March 24, undergraduate students are calling on the University to resume negotiations with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, Unit 1, in hopes of ending the strike sooner than later. The letter, addressed to Principal Patrick Deane, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Matthew Evans, and
the Board of Trustees, outlines undergraduate students’ concerns, polishing off their third week without graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs), Research Assistants, and Teaching Fellows (TFs).
In addition to bargaining, the letter asks Queen’s administration to assign Grade Deferred (GD) instead of Credit Received (CR) on transcripts for delayed marks, if delays in negotiations prevent classes from assigning final grades.
“’CR’ is typically given to students with low grades on assignments due to extenuating circumstances, when many of us have been working all term to attain high grades in our courses,” the Letter reads.
The Letter also demands partial refunds of tuition dollars for each week of missed tutorials and that the University return to the bargaining table with a reasonable and fair offer to
graduate students.
“Queen’s boasts about additional grants and opportunities to improve access to education, but ignores its student population receiving poverty wages, and screaming about food and housing insecurity,” the Letter reads.
Eden Natovitch, ArtSci ’26 and author of the Open Letter, highlighted the imortance of a collective voice in supporting graduate student workers as the strike enters its third week, during an interview with The Journal She stressed how CR grading detriments students applying to graduate schools. While a CR doesn’t change a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA), it prevents those hoping to boost their GPA this term from improving their grades.
In a Labour News update on March 26, the University reiterated
its commitment to the academic mission and emphasized that no changes to the academic calendar will be happening, stating students will receive a grade or credits for all courses taken this semester.
The mobilization of students extends beyond just the Open Letter.
In a Zoom undergraduate strategy meeting organized by members of Queen’s Coalition Against Austerity on March 26 at 4:30 p.m., Assistant Professor in Global Development Studies, Ayca Tomac was joined by around 30 faculty members, staff and undergraduate students who discussed ways to encourage the administration to return to the bargaining table.
Participants organized a protest outside of Robert Sutherland Hall ahead of the March 27 Senate meeting at 2:30 p.m. However, in an e-mail from the University Secretariat to Senate attendees, the meeting was moved online due to “concerns regarding the safety and security of attendees.”
The demonstration was moved to Richardson Hall with roughly 100 in attendance and various people speaking to the cause.
“We’ll be out here every day until we get a new contract. Come and join us on the picket line,” PSAC 901 President Morrow said. He began a chant, yelling “The more they try to silence us, the louder we will be.”
Demonstrators pulled out a scroll full of names of undergraduate students who have signed the letter. The scroll was taped to the ground, stretched from the doors of Richardson down to where the sidewalk meets University Ave.
In a news release, the AMS announced a Special Assembly will take place on March 31 at 6 p.m. to discuss how the AMS can support undergraduate students during the strike, with students able to share their perspectives and ask questions. The location will be announced on the AMS Governance Instagram account in the coming days.
strike sees undergrad and faculty support
According to the news release, AMS President Owen Rocchi became aware of the Open Letter on March 26.
“Given that a meeting of the Senate, which has purview over academic matters at Queen’s was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, President Rocchi sought the direction of the AMS Assembly via an e-vote on whether Assembly would like to direct the AMS to fully endorse the petition,” the release said.
Four student leaders voted in favour of supporting the letter, 18 voted against, and 11 abstained. Whether the AMS shouldn’t take a stance was also asked, with 13 in favour, eight opposed, and 12 abstaining. Lastly, the vote asked if AMS Assembly should recognize the urgency of the matters affecting academic student life and direct Rocchi to call a Special Assembly on March 31, seeing 17 in favour, four opposed, and 12 abstaining.
The open letter was released on March 24.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN REILLY
NEWS
Resignation points to greater privacy concerns for student leaders
Aya Alhasany Assistant News Editor
This article mentions harassment and discrimination that may be triggering for some readers. The Peer Support Centre offers peer-based drop-in session and is open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Having once worked to represent the student body, burnout, harassment, and discrimination concerns are being flagged by a former student leader.
Stephanie Sahadeo, ArtSci ’25, assumed the role of AMS Clubs Commissioner on May 1—come Feb. 10, she resigned from her position, leading to Vice-President (University Affairs) Ruth Osunde assuming the position’s duties for the remainder of the term. Sahadeo
Former AMS Clubs Commissioner resigned due to burnout, harassment, and discrimination
spoke with The Journal about her resignation, explaining how public student figures often face criticism that veers into the territory of harassment.
Leading the commission, Sahadeo saw an average of 30 to 90 club cases in a single week while managing over 300 AMS-ratified clubs. Cases included policy compliance concerns, club conflicts, grant applications, and other logistical operations.
Balancing the public demands of the role with her private life as a student was a challenge for Sahadeo.
“We’re in classes with the people that we work for and serve. At the same time, that kind of publicity can be very difficult to deal with,” she explained.
Tasked with maintaining open communication to keep students informed about club policy requirements, among other daily responsibilities, Sahadeo quickly encountered the challenge of managing a high volume of requests.
“It [managing requests] did take quite a toll sometimes, I’ll say. But this is only because I cared so much and I was so personally passionate about everything that I was doing,” she said.
While burnout was a considerable factor in Sahadeo leaving the role, experiencing harassment and racism from fellow students led to her resignation. Early in the winter term, Sahadeo was pushed to the ground offcampus and shouted at with discriminatory comments about her perceived race by a group who knew her name. She chose to not disclose what comments were specifically shouted due to privacy concerns.
“I was reeling for months after that incident. It became a struggle to do anything, especially because [...] it became clear that they did know me by name somehow, and arguably the only way that they would have known that is through my [AMS] employment,” Sahadeo said.
FAS to overhaul Bachelor of Science admissions process in 2027
Prospective science students will now choose between four streams
Jonathan Reilly Assistant News Editor
The Bachelor of Science degree will be seeing a new admission process come 2027.
As part of the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) “FAS 2025” plan, the Faculty will be changing the application process for prospective science students.
FAS 2025 is a combination of five initiatives that prioritize “enriching the student experience and supporting our people.”
The change came after approval by the majority in the March 27 Senate meeting.
Currently, students looking to study science apply under three categories—a broad science category, life sciences, or concurrent education and science.
The new changes will break the broad science application down into four subcategories, each with different admission requirements.
Under the new changes, students using Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) will apply under Biology
and NeuroCognitive Sciences (QSB), Earth and Environmental Sciences (QSE), Physical and Chemical Sciences (QSP), or Mathematics and Statistics (QSM).
In an interview with The Journal, Associate Dean (Academic) Jenn Stephenson explained this change has two broader purposes—for the University to demonstrate what they have to offer and for students to be able to envision themselves as Queen’s students.
“It might not be clear to a student that environmental science is part of science. It might not be clear that psychology is part of science, [or that] geography is part of science,” Stephenson said.
In Ontario, high school course codes have either a “U,” “C,” or “M,” depending on if they’re a University, College, or mixed course. Students applying through OUAC under the science category currently need English 4U, Advanced Functions 4U, Calculus and Vectors 4U, in addition to two of Biology 4U, Chemistry 4U, or Physics 4U, and at least one other 4U or M course.
QSB and QSE both have the same requirements as the current general category, aside from the removal of Advanced Functions 4U, as it’s already a prerequisite for Calculus and Vectors 4U. Those applying to
QSP must take English 4U, Calculus and Vectors 4U, Physics 4U or Chemistry 4U, and the option of any three other courses at the 4U or M level. QSM only requires English 4U, Calculus and Vectors 4U, and four other 4U or M courses.
Stephenson clarified this change won’t prevent students from choosing a major outside of the subsection of science they applied.
“You’re going to be given a little bit of a nudge in a certain direction, but you won’t be locked [into a group of majors],” she said.
FAS is considering pre-enrolling incoming students in mandatory courses related totheirstream.
While the Senate document didn’t outline a specific plan for how this would work, Stephenson confirmed the Faculty is open to the idea.
This admission change won’t impact those applying in the 2026 application cycle.
If you’re interested in contributing to the next volume of The Journal, e-mail the incoming Editors in Chief Sarah and Meg at newjournal.editors@ams.queensu.ca
“I had no idea how to proceed. I was scared to go to class. I was scared to go for a walk in public after work,” she said.
Two weeks after the event, Sahadeo experienced a second incident took place where verbal threats directly threatened her safety.
“I was so scared by this that I quit around a week later,” she said. “I have no confirmation as to whether or not this was related at all to my former position at the AMS. But even on a personal note [...] that’s enough to rattle anybody.”
Sahadeo explained how before resigning, she received support from her colleagues at the AMS, but the Society was unable to address the incidents because they occurred off campus by unknown groups.
“My workplace was extremely supportive of me needing reduced hours for time being, if I needed a couple of days off because I knew I wasn’t having a good mental day, things like that,” she said.
In an interview with The Journal, AMS President Owen Rocchi spoke to the nature of roles within the AMS being demanding and, in some instances, causing burnout and exhaustion. He highlighted the importance of communication for executives to help AMS employees.
“It’s really important as students—it’s the peer to peer-led mentorship. It’s really important to check on one another and listen when we do [check in]. It’s not always easy to be in these roles. We’re extremely privileged to have the autonomy and authority we do as young student leaders. But it’s always the managers and the executive’s job to ensure that they’re listening to their team and always looking for ways to better support their team,” Rocchi said.
The Journal followed up with the Rocchi, seeking comment on how experiences like Sahadeo’s, which led to her resignation, are addressed, and how the AMS ensures the safety and support of its employees both on and off campus. However, AMS Communications Director Katarina Bojic said Rocchi had nothing further to comment on.
Despite the two incidents Sahadeo faced, she remains grateful for her time spent at the AMS and hopes the student body understands why the role underwent turnover.
“I really appreciated my time there, everything I was able to learn [...] Just that feeling of filling someone else’s cup up for once is invaluable, and I will be grateful for the rest of my life that I had the opportunity to do that,” she said.
Admissions to 11 FAS programs suspended
Modular
Degree Framework prompts wide-ranging procedural overhaul
Jonathan Reilly Assistant News Editor
Multiple program admissions have been suspended following the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) Modular Degree Framework implementation.
Following a ruling from Senate on March 27, 11 FAS programs will have their admissions suspended, including economics, general science, and computer science. While the programs will still be offered, they’ll exist under a different structure through the Modular Degree Framework.
Currently, the Department of Economics offers two programs: the Economics Major (ECON) and the Applied Economics Major (APEC). Following the Modular Degree Framework, which
minimizes the required courses only mandating 48 units to major in an arts program instead of 60, and after looking at the general overlap between the two programs, ECON’s requirements will see little change and be labelled as a specialization. APEC will offer a broader educational experience as a major, requiring only 48 units. There will also be a suspension of various minor programs within general science, including biology, chemistry, physics, to align with the new framework model.
The computer science specialization within the School of Computing will be suspended temporarily for two years. In the report to Senate, the rationale for this change was ascribed to the cost to retain the accreditation as a specialization and the number of hours it takes to be reviewed for the accreditation being too high.
According to the report to Senate, admissions to the Bachelor of Music/Music and Digital Media Diploma will be suspended.
The Bachelor of Music/Music
and Digital Media Diploma was a joint program offered by St. Lawrence College and Queen’s. The rationale behind cutting the program was attributed to the recognized lack of interest in the program, with only two students enrolling in 2020 and no students enrolling since then, according to the report presented to Senate. Senators approved all the changes with no discussion on any of the items.
Sahadeo resigned from the AMS on Feb. 10. JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
The changes will come into effect in 2027.
PHOTO BY NELSON CHEN
Second March AMS Assembly sees Clubs Commission overhaul
Assembly honours Women’s History Month with a presentation from Islamic Relief chapter
Lauren Nicol & Jonathan Reilly Assistant News Editor
Budgets, burnout, and a new vision for clubs were at the forefront of the second AMS Assembly of the month.
AMS Assembly met on March 24 in Goodes Hall for approximately two hours before moving into a closed session, where only the 38 Assembly voting members, Assembly Speaker, and Secretary, were able to attend. Assembly met earlier this month for a Special Assembly, called by President Owen Rocchi back in January.
Islamic Relief at Queen’s University (IRQU) began the meeting in recognition of Women’s History Month. IRQU has chapters across Canada to raise awareness about various humanitarian events worldwide, including issues like the civil
Lucas Balog awarded Margaret Hooey Governance Award
Senator encourages students to get involved in student governance
Lauren Nicol Assistant News Editor
Student recognized for contributions to governance at Queen’s
Queen’s Student Senator Lucas Balog, Sci ’26, was acknowledged for his contributions in University governance with the Margaret Hooey Governance Award at the March 27 Senate. Balog was selected unanimously by the award Selection Committee, consisting of the Chair of the Committee, Rector, Chair of the Senate Governance and Nominating Committee, and University Secretary. Students who are in good academic standing, significantly involved in Senate or a Senate committee, and can demonstrate a high level of effectiveness in their work in governance are eligible for the award. Balog will receive approximately $16,500 as part of the recognition.
Established in 2018, the annual Margaret Hooey Governance Award recognizes a student who has contributed to Queen’s governance through their work on Senate or any Senate committee. The award is named after former longtime University Secretary Margaret Hooey, credited with having a large role in Queen’s governance as an advisor to the University’s administration. Balog, a mechatronics and robotics engineering student, started his journey with student governance in high school. In 2023, he was elected as the Engineering Society Student
war in Sudan, and fundraise for social issues. During their presentation, they highlighted their focus on recognizing women’s struggles, both locally and internationally.
“We recognize that instability in countries disproportionately affects women and girls. Therefore, gender-based policy is required for sustainable development,” the IRQU spokesperson said.
In February, IRQU collaborated with other Canadian chapters to host the Rise to Relief event, where they gave out blankets, socks, warm meals, menstrual products, and other necessities to unhoused individuals in Toronto.
ORT Budget
At Special Assembly earlier this month, the AMS brought the orientation budget as a discussion item, requesting $137,500 from assembly for their $400,000 overall budget.
the Clubs Commission for the upcoming year. These changes include a shift in the structure of club ratifications and a reallocation of responsibilities within the commission, as detailed in motions six and nine.
One of the proposed changes involves the club ratification schedule, with AMS-ratified clubs now required to undergo the re-ratification process every two years instead of annually.
Communications & Development Supervisor who manages events, professional development, and marketing, and a Clubs Operations & Finance Supervisor who oversees space allocation and financial edits.
Senator, a position he still holds today. In 2024, he became the chair of the Board Senate Advisory Committee, which establishes relationships between the Senate and the Board of Trustees. The Committee was initially created in 2008 when the University went through a financial crisis but was disbanded when it was resolved. It was brought back in 2017 to facilitate dialogue between the Board of Trustees and Senate to manage the current University deficit.
Originally, Balog considered applying for the award last year but decided to wait until this year because of the approaching deadline to apply. He took the extra year to work on his application and reference letters. He learned he received the award in class, forcing him to contain his excitement, but was still able to text his mom the exciting news.
Through his work, Balog’s main goal has been to help students get involved in governance.
“[Students involved in governance are] there to provide the student perspective,” Balog said in an interview with The Journal. “[Queen’s has] been so strong […] because that student perspective has always been at the table.”
A highlight of Balog’s work in student governance is providing mentorship to first-time Student Senators. He credited last year’s recipient of the award, Emils Matiss, a neuroscience PhD candidate, for teaching him how to navigate working as a Student Senator and mentor.
“I know it can be scary to get involved [in student governance], […] but [student involvement in governance] is the best way that we’re going to push our Universit y into the next century,” Balog said.
ORT Coordinator Ali Haider, HealthSci ’26, briefly spoke to Assembly again about some changes they’ve made to the budget since meeting earlier in the month. The Journal followed up in an e-mail on March 25 for clarification on the changes but didn’t receive a response in time for publication.
Assembly voted unanimously to approve the budget.
Changes to the Clubs Commission
Assembly approved a proposal to the AMS Board of Directors outlining several changes to
Vice-President (University Affairs) Ruth Osunde, whose portfolio directly oversees the Clubs Commission, spoke on both motions, saying she’s seen great support for changing the ratification cycle to every two years from club executives. Stephanie Sahadeo, ArtSci ’25, resigned as clubs commissioner in February, leaving Osunde as acting commissioner, Osunde proposed that all AMS ratified clubs would be randomly divided into two cohorts with each cohort alternating going through the ratification process every year. This means that clubs would only have to go through the ratification process every two years.
Assembly also approved the proposal for the Clubs Commission to undergo structural changes for the 2025-26 academic year, with the current team of five employees being taken away and replaced with three new positions who all report directly to the Club’s Commissioner.
The new positions include a Clubs and Policy Supervisor who is responsible for club ratification and ensuring compliance with AMS policies, a Clubs
With the implementation of these new positions, the AMS will scrap all of the current roles that report into the Clubs Commissioner including the roles of Assistant Commissioner, Clubs Communications Deputy, Club Outreach Deputy, Clubs Communications Assistant, and Clubs Administration Deputy. All but the Club Communications and Outreach Deputies were paid positions.
The Clubs Commission Restructuring Proposal stated the push for changes is coming after a high level of burnout from the prior Club Commissioner and the overall sentiment of AMS clubs feeling unsupported—with the hope being that these changes will address those issues. While Osunde can’t predict the future, she hopes, upon approval, the delegation of tasks will help.
“Everything has been designed in a way where we’re not running into the issue of needing a centralized person to delegate responsibilities out,” Osunde said. At the end of Assembly, members moved into closed session where media was asked to leave due to privacy concerns.
On March 27, AMS President Owen Rocchi called for the second Special Assembly of the semester, which will take place on March 21 and discuss how the Society can support undergraduate students amid the PSAC 901 strike.
Threads of Empowerment helps women achieve financial independence through sewing
‘Every
machine represents a pathway to dignity and choice,’ non-profit founder said
Meghrig Milkon Senior News Editor
Threads of Empowerment aims to foster financial independence for women worldwide, one stitch at a time.
A trip to India in 2022 inspired Azam Mansuri, HealthSci ’25, and his Grade 12 brother, Raihan, to launch Threads of Empowerment. The non-profit organization empowers women in marginalized communities by providing the tools and training necessary for financial independence
.Since its founding, Threads of Empowerment has reached 490 women worldwide, donating 1,700 sewing machines and supplies, and offering training programs to help build sustainable livelihoods.
While the organization has expanded its operations to India,
Pakistan, and Gambia, they’re dedicated to building a training facility in Gambia for women to learn how to grow their skills, Mansuri said.
“I want to emphasize that Threads of Empowerment is about much more than just sewing machines. It’s about changing how communities value and support women. Every machine represents a pathway to dignity and choice,” Mansuri said in a statement to The Journal.
The choice behind making sewing machines directly ties to sewing being a skill rooted in the cultures of the region the organization supports, particularly in India. The sewing machine also ties into India’s historical journey towards independence, symbolized by the thread-spinning wheel on the national flag, according to Mansuri.
Beyond its cultural roots, sewing also has a sentimental value for Mansuri, whose grandmother used it to support his family when she arrived in Canada from India. Seeing her strength and resilience made him understand how a sewing machine can be a tool for empowerment.
“In essence, a sewing machine is more than just a tool or equipment—it stands at the intersection of tradition and economic opportunity, symbolizing hope, independence, and the chance for a better future,” Mansuri added.
Despite early challenges securing funding, Threads of Empowerment gained momentum in mid-2023 after launching a website to showcase success stories and measurable outcomes. The initiative secured approximately $16,000, enabling the organization to expand and partner with local suppliers. Looking forward, Mansuri hopes to expand the organization’s reach through permanent training in sewing, financial literacy, and small business development. The organization is also focused on developing local leadership by training women to become instructors, ensuring sustainability and cultural relevance. Additionally, it plans to diversify income streams to ensure long-term stability through grants and corporate sponsorships.
Continued online at www.queensjournal.ca
Assembly took place on March 24.
PHOTO BY NELSON CHEN
PHOTOS BY ALLIE MOUSTAKIS
PHOTOS BY NELSON CHEN
PHOTOS BY JONATHAN REILLY
FEATURES PSAC
Sarah adamS Features Editor
For three weeks and counting, the strike by more than 2,000 Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs), Research Assistants (RAs), and Fellows has left undergrads who rely on their guidance feeling alone.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, Unit 1, went on strike on March 10, after failing to reach a tentative agreement to renew their Collective Agreement with the University. Ever since, the intersection of University Ave. and Union St. has become a stage for protest, with graduate students’ voices rising in a storm of chants, whistles, and music against the University.
Meanwhile, these chants are echoing through empty classrooms as some professors cancel lectures in solidarity, while many students join the picket lines, standing with graduate workers in their fight for fair treatment.
Alex McDonald, ArtSci ‘26, is experiencing the tangible impacts of the strike, feeling a deep sense of concern, frustration, and anxiety over how the remainder of her semester will be affected.
“My frustration and disappointment during these times is targeted towards the administration who fail to consider the needs of the students who form Queens University,” McDonald said in an interview with The Journal “My biggest concern is the unfair re-weighting of assignments and retroactive restructuring of courses.”
With exams quickly approaching, McDonald, a politics, philosophy, and economics student, is unsure of whether any of her assignments or exams will be graded. She feels great frustration with the situation of chaos it has placed her in.
“As a student who attended every tutorial, it’s unfair that my effort isn’t being recognized. In the coming weeks, I will continue to write essays and study for exams without knowing whether my efforts will be rewarded,” McDonald said. “It’s appalling that the University is willing to throw TAs and students under the bus and I’m deeply concerned and disappointed in the University’s lack of care for students’ well-being and future careers.”
Despite the frustration McDonald faces in the wake of the strike, she finds herself having overwhelming support for
the strike.
“I support the strike 100 per cent. Despite the strike causing uncomfortable uncertainty and stress on students, ultimately, graduate students have the right to a living wage,” McDonald said.
“Graduate students deserve to be appropriately compensated for the work they do, not only to afford to live, but to ensure Queen’s University research and teaching can be held to a high standard,” McDonald said.
Rising frustration among undergraduates over the University’s handling of the strike led one student to write a Undergraduate Open Letter to Queen’s Administration. Eden Natovitch, ArtSci ’26, created the open letter for undergraduate students but didn’t respond to The Journal in time for publication.
The Undergraduate Open Letter expresses undergraduate students concerns about the change in quality of education students have received because of the strike and urges the University to resume negotiations with PSAC 901 immediately. The letter expresses concerns about “unfair reweighting and cancellations of assignments, labs, and tutorials, and pro-rated grades that will disadvantage [students] when applying for graduate and professional programs.”
On March 26, an undergraduate strategy meeting was hosted by the Queen’s Coalition Against Austerity (QCAA) to inform students how they can best pressure Queen’s administration to “get back to the table.”
“There has been a sense of confusion about how undergraduates can support the TAs and pressure the administration, however in recent days I have heard about students taking action in the form of petitions and recruiting parents to email the provost expressing their alarm,” McDonald said.
The impacts and stress of the strike extend beyond students. Professors have also expressed their frustration with the University’s mishandling of the ongoing strike.
An Open Letter from Queen’s Faculty on PSAC 901 Strike has circulated amongst Queen’s professors and faculty members.
The Journal spoke with several signatories to understand why they’re choosing to stand in solidarity with the graduate students on the picket line.
901’s strike is about grad students—but what does this mean for students and faculty caught in the middle?
‘The
University is an ecosystem, when one part of that ecosystem isn’t thriving, we all suffer,’
professor said
The Open Letter expresses feelings of frustration on behalf of the QCAA, where signatories are “dismayed that the University has opted to sacrifice our student’s education rather than bargaining in good faith for a fair agreement with the graduate workers who keep the University running.” The Letter goes into further detail about inadequacy of graduate student’s funding packages, refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations, and the risks current funding presents for attracting future graduate students.
In an interview with The Journal, Fauzia Husain, assistant professor of in the Department of Sociology at Queen’s University, explained she signed the letter because she agrees with its content while also wanting to support graduate students and signal for the University to resolve the dispute.
“I signed because I believe in the accuracy and righteousness of the acts of PSAC 901,” Ayca Tomac, assistant professor in the Department of Global Development Studies, said in an interview with The Journal
Since Tomac’s work involves lecturing large courses, each one is currently on hold due to the absence of TAs.
“The void they have left in the Queen’s community isn’t fillable,” Tomac said.
“Certainly, the strike has affected us all and my main motivation for signing the letter was to ensure that negotiations resume, since at the time that I signed, the parties were not communicating, which hurts us all,” Ryan Martin, associate professor and chair of undergraduate studies in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy, wrote in a statement to The Journal
For Lisa Guenther, a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Queen’s National Scholar, signing the letter was a matter of necessity.
“I literally would be unable to teach my undergraduate courses without TAs,” Guenther said in an interview with The Journal. “Without TAs, I am unable to complete my research, and if I can’t complete my research, then I can’t be an effective teacher.”
For professors, signing the Open Letter is just a small part of their broader displays of support and frustration towards the University.
Since the strike began, Tomac hasn’t been in the classroom. She describes her alternative teaching methods, including holding one class on the picket line, conducting online check-ins, and, in some cases, canceling class entirely, all while showing support for graduate students.
“Students seem extremely anxious, especially those preparing to graduate this year, as the situation has created significant uncertainty and confusion. As a professor, I share in that uncertainty,” Tomac shared.
Guenther has also canceled regular lectures since the strike has begun to show solidarity for graduate students. For Guenther, bringing students to the picket line is an opportunity to reflect what students want the University to be and the importance of the
intellectual labour.
A common concern expressed by most professors was not only about providing students with grades, but also the broader implications the strike poses for students’ learning, both in their undergraduate and graduate careers.
“We talk about what TAs give us, but I was a TA myself. When you teach you learn and we need to see TAs as someone at the University we are responsible to train,” Husain said.
For Tomac, grades are simply one part of the educational process, with feedback serving as a vital pedagogical tool for students to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
“We talk about grades, but feedback. We’re not doing assessments just for the grades. It’s a pedological tool to learn to see why they got things right and wrong and my class is losing the most important leg of the course right now. Students can feel this pressure,” Tomac said.
Norma Möllers, associate professor in the Department of Sociology, said credit standing is a critical concern for undergraduate students wanting to pursue graduate careers.
“The administration is basically trying to get us to apply blanket credit statements to where courses have not been graded which would be detrimental for students. We would prefer to give our students fair grades. Right now, the administration is preventing us from doing so,” Möellers said in an interview with The Journal Guenther’s concern isn’t just about producing credentials, but rather about the direction of Principal Patrick Dean’s “Bicentennial Vision,” which she believes risks turning the University into a technical institution with only a general humanities program.
Undergraduate students show support for PSAC 901 at March 27 rally.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN REILLY
EDITORIALS
Queen’s silent divestment decision speaks volumes
In a time when students most need clear communication, Queen’s continues its pattern of sweeping important matters under the rug.
After a nine-month review from the Principal’s Responsible Investing Committee, the University announced its decision on March 13 to rule against divesting funds from companies operating with or in the State of Israel.
The University owes it to students to bring attention to impactful decisions, given the gravity they have on students and the volume of student advocacy leading up to them. Queen’s failed to deliver.
To announce the conclusions reached by the Board of Trustees, the University released a single report on The Gazette, leaving all other channels of communication, such as the Queen’s Instagram, e-mail, and the school newsetter, empty of this decision. With the term coming to an end and the PSAC 901 strike upending operations across faculties, classrooms, and students’ lives, dialogue about the divestment ruling was bound to get lost. This isn’t coincidental timing—it’s a strategic move that reflects cowardice.
decisions without receiving backlash from students, it’s necessary and something students deserve to be informed about.
Demands for universities to divest from controversial entities have been
appear in solidarity with students.
Meanwhile, already marginalized groups facing food insecurity, homelessness, and racialized attacks are left without genuine support
have urged for Queen’s to cut financial ties with companies associated with Israel.
Students won’t stop holding Queen’s accountable, through their voices and collective advocacy. But these efforts will likely take on far more radical approaches to earn even an ounce of a response from the University. universities resources, platforms, responsibility to inclusive conversations about difficult topics on campus, it’s a shame when they purposefully choose to hide away from this duty and instead, create an uncomfortable environment for all. It cheats the students of their trust, especially those who invested in Queen’s’ pledge of protection and inclusivity.
Issues surrounding divestment on university campuses are known to evoke polarization between the student body and higher administrative bodies of their institutions. While it’s difficult to address contended
We can’t ignore the time they released the report. Queen’s doesn’t do anyone justice by letting the divestment report slip under the radar. By failing to properly address their ruling and announcing it in the midst of a historical strike on campus, Queen’s continues a trend of evading all transparency and communication when it comes to crucial changes.
Transparency and communication from high-level administration isn’t dwindling—it’s gone out the window and replaced by performative efforts to
University isn’t confined to one place
My transcript is a little more complicated than most, but I’m grateful for it.
Arriving at Queen’s as a transfer student in my second year, and having spent a semester abroad in Spain in my third year, my university records are jumbled, but that’s made my education all the more rounded. My education is a mosaic of different perspectives, and I’m a better student, and person, for it.
I began my university career in my hometown, at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, where I was enrolled in a double degree, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in anthropology and political science.
In my law classes, I learned about the principles of common law, but also the equally important Indigenous principles of Tikanga Māori—critical to evolving New Zealand law. With my professors employing the Socratic method, I learned to be alert and engaged.
Despite my fear, I thrived. It was thrilling to solve a problem on the spot, and it felt good being immersed in such a rigorous learning environment.
Arriving at Queen’s, I was ready to major in English since I couldn’t continue my law studies in the same way—thank you LSAT—but studying here came with many shocks.
I realized how much I loved my degree. Studying under the spectacular English Department at Queen’s, with professors who really care, I finally set free all the nerdy tendencies about books and literature I’d spent keeping to myself.
At first, the scale of Queen’s was overwhelming. The age of the campus,
the size of the student body, and the vast experience of my professors broadened my perspective on what university life could be like.
My friends from home joked that my life looked like an American college movie. People were engaged on campus, joining clubs, having house parties, and throwing footballs like I saw on screen. Life at Queen’s taught me university wasn’t just a place you go to and from each day, but an entire ecosystem I was an important part of.
My semester abroad at Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain pushed me out of my comfort zone in unexpected ways. Funded and run by Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church with a strong religious ethos, exchange was a new experience for me. Students were treated like adults and expected to act in turn. Wearing sweatpants to class would have you sent home.
Here, I was forced to learn Spanish, and fast. Daily Spanish lessons among my English courses were tough, but important. Through sheer practice and a whole lot of embarrassment, my abysmal Spanish saw massive improvements.
I took courses like “the business of wine and gastronomy in Northern Spain” which taught me experiencing culture is as integral to education as reading and writing. Class excursions to local restaurants, wineries and truffle-hunting dogs showed me a side to Pamplona that would’ve remained hidden had I let learning remain limited to within classroom walls.
Every experience, home and away, has added to the rich bank of learning that’s set me up for the rest of my life.
The University’s allowed to make mistakes and disappoint students. There’ll always be division among institutions and their members. It’s a fact of the university ecosystem. But what it can’t afford to lose is the healthy dialogue needed to address these differences—and this time, Queen’s missed a valuable opportunity to have an important conversation with its students.
—Journal Editorial Board
They have made my degree unique and broadened my perspective, preparing me for life in the “real world.” University is all about experiencing different perspectives, and it’s an opportunity I’ll always be grateful for.
Madison is a fourth-year English student and The Journal’s Senior Arts & Culture Editor.
We need a reality check from influencer marketing
Influencer marketing blurs the line between genuine recommendations and sales tactics. Buying into ads fuelled by overconsumption and unrealistic expectations subtly undermines our sense of selfworth, distorting our ability to distinguish between authenticity and illusion.
Think of the last time you were mindlessly scrolling TikTok or Instagram Reels at 3 a.m. and came across the perfect pair of pants. You searched for the link and saved it for later, only to forget about it entirely.
Madison Taylor Senior Arts and Culture Editor
Cassidy Comeau Senior Video Editor
ILLUSTRATION BY ELLA THOMAS
PHOTO BY NELSON CHEN
PHOTO BY ALLIE MOUSTAKIS
OPINIONS
Queen’s administration is failing the class of 2025
The University owes it to the Class of 2025 to get back to the bargaining table
Layla Artzy Staff Writer
We started at Queen’s in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2021. Now, as we approach the end of our undergraduate careers, we find ourselves trying to graduate during the first academic strike at Queen’s in 183 years.
For the Class of 2025, uncertainty and instability have defined our time at this institution. The administration’s refusal to negotiate with the 2,000 graduate student workers who are part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 901, Unit 1, is now making our final months at Queen’s just as precarious as our first.
I wholeheartedly support the PSAC 901 workers in their strike. Graduate students, whose labour is foundational to both the University and undergraduate learning, deserve a livable wage. The University’s continued refusal to bargain isn’t only deeply disappointing—it also reveals a broader disregard for the well-being of its graduate workers and, by extension, its undergraduate students.
Queen’s administration owes it to the Class of 2025 to return to the bargaining table in good faith.
I arrived here in 2021 as a first-year undergraduate student when the Queen’s experience was heavily compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our cohort missed out on a traditional orientation, a rite of passage that helps students build community and navigate the challenges of university life. At the end of our first semester, we were sent home early due to rising COVID-19 cases. Most of our second semester unfolded remotely because of the Omicron outbreak, cutting us off from meaningful engagement
with professors, peers, and campus life.
While the disruption caused by COVID-19 was outside the University’s control, the fallout for students was significant.
Academically and socially, our experience was fragmented. We lost the in-person interaction that many of us had been looking forward to for years, especially after ending high school online. When we finally returned to campus in second and third year, we had the opportunity to participate more fully in university life—joining clubs, attending classes in person, and forming connections with peers and faculty. These years allowed us to reclaim some semblance of a normal university experience. But just as we’re about to graduate, the uncertainty has re-emerged.
Many of us are now facing the possibility of graduating without receiving final grades. In social circles and online spaces, conversations revolve around how this strike might affect our futures. We’re navigating unanswered questions and anxieties about whether our academic records will reflect our hard work.
This is especially concerning for those pursuing further education, who are expected to submit complete transcripts with final grades. The prospect of receiving placeholder marks like CR (credit) or GD (grade deferred) places us in a vulnerable position when applying to competitive graduate or professional programs.
The Class of 2025 has devoted four years of hard work to earn our degrees. Yet, we now face the possibility that our efforts may not be properly recognized or validated due to the University’s inaction.
Queen’s is fully aware that our cohort already lost essential years of in-person learning to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current situation compounds those losses, not because of public health necessity, but because the administration refuses to meet the basic demands of its own academic workers.
It's becoming more apparent that the administration is indifferent to student concerns. Their unwillingness to provide graduate workers with fair wages—particularly wages that reflect inflation and cost-ofliving increases demonstrates a troubling set of priorities. By continuing to delay negotiations, they’re signaling that the academic and personal well-being of both graduate and undergraduate students isn't a priority.
The undergraduate academic experience is deeply intertwined with the contributions of graduate studentworkers. Teaching Fellows, Teaching Assistants, and Research Assistants, are often our first point of contact for course content and academic support. They lead tutorials, mark our assignments, and offer mentorship. When the administration fails to support graduate students, it’s also compromising the quality and continuity of undergraduate education. The two cannot be separated.
As members of the Class of 2025, we’re now finishing our final semester remotely, with little or no in-person class time. This abrupt return to online education without the infrastructure, planning, or intentionality that characterized earlier pandemic semesters—feels unsettlingly familiar. For many of us, this situation mirrors the way we ended high school and began university: online, disconnected, and uncertain about the future.
If the strike continues into the coming weeks, the University has stated that CR and GD grades may be assigned. A CR grade indicates that a student has passed a course but doesn’t show the grade earned. Typically, CR grades are used in exceptional personal circumstances and aren’t standard for an entire graduating class. A GD is used when grades are delayed.
For graduating students applying to graduate or professional programs, it’s
A
group project we can’t afford to flop
Niki Boytchuk-Hale Staff Writer
Can you picture yourself in 16 years? Where do you live? What job do you have? Did you travel the world? Do you have a family? What are your values and priorities?
Queen’s is trying to figure that out for themselves right now with it's 2041 Bicentennial Vision. And it’s more than just where we want to be in 2041, but how we want to get there.
uncertain if the use of these designations can complicate applications, delay decisions, or, in some cases, jeopardize opportunities altogether. Years of effort, consistent performance, and academic success are reduced to a placeholder mark—not because of our own choices, but due to administrative indifference.
We enrolled at Queen’s expecting to attend one of Canada’s leading academic institutions. That expectation came with the belief that our education would be valued and our futures protected.
Yet, Queen’s is failing us by remaining apathetic to the ongoing situation. A degree from Queen’s University is supposed to mean something—what does it mean if half of the Class of 2025 have CR or GDs on their transcripts?
Queen’s should be invested in promoting its students’ achievements. The skills, efforts, and accomplishments of the Class of 2025 deserve to be reflected in our transcripts. The University should strive to ensure that our successes are visible to the world. The current approach, however, suggests a disregard for what students need to move forward with confidence and opportunity.
I expected more from Queen’s. Fair wages for graduate workers and proper grading for undergraduates are the bare minimum. If a top-ranked institution cannot meet those basic obligations, then something is deeply wrong. The Class of 2025 deserves the quality education we were promised— especially after enduring years of pandemic-related disruption. We cannot afford to lose even more due to administrative neglect.
It's time for students to make our voices heard. We must stand in solidarity with PSAC workers. Showing up to the picket line, e-mailing the administration, and signing Open Letters are all actions that matter. We have power as students, and we must use it to demand a university that supports its workers, protects its students, and upholds its commitments to education and equity.
This is an urgent conversation as post-secondary institutions across Ontario have been hit with the reality that their operations aren't compatible with government underfunding, cuts and a prolonged freeze to tuition, and severe restrictions on international student permits. Many of these concerns have been articulately communicated by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Colleges Ontario, and Council of Ontario Universities in an Open Letter to Minters Quinn and Bethlenfalvy.
Our new vision is being crafted at a rapid speed to provide what I see, as hope for and a clearer direction to the future as we enter our bicentennial.
The Principal is seeking input from anyone and everyone who cares about Queen’s. But so far, the number of students who have contributed is nowhere near representational of our campus. I sincerely hope as the consultation process winds down in the next month, more students voice their ideas about the future of Queen’s.
This moment requires creative thinking—whether you're on your way to your first degree, have a Fine Arts degree like me, or an iron ring on your pinky finger—this is necessary. Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns about the dangers of a single story, and without ample contributions, there will be a power imbalance in the story we're writing for ourselves and we risk a Queen’s will not reflect the energy and curiosity of its current and future students
One of the things that keeps me awake at night—and gets me up in the morning, is a worry that as we all feel the constraints of our situation more than ever, we will shrink ourselves. That the intimidating influences of current threats to post-secondary funding will be limiting factors of our vision for the future. Now is not the time to shrink our programs, imaginations—or the stories we are sharing and hearing.
For the record, I still don’t know what my life will look like in a year from now, let alone 16. I’ll make plans, but I know there will be circumstances beyond my control that will change them—for better and for worse.
We might not be the people to see the vision through the finish line, but someone needs to start it. Help us meet our mission with audacity.
At your service, Niki
The Class of 2025 deserves better.
PHOTO BY NAY CHI HTWE
Kingston named Canada’s fishing capital
The city’s fishing industry contributes to the local economy through tourism
Jaya Sigurdson Business, Science, & Technology Editor
As Lake Ontario thaws, Kingstonians can cast their lines once again in Canada’s prime fishing hotspot.
Recently crowned Canada’s fishing capital by Fishing Booker in January 2025, Kingston is once again drawing new and increased attraction from anglers thanks to its thriving fishing scene. In 2019, Fishing Booker ranked Kingston in the top seven fishing towns for families. Founded in 2013, Fishing Booker is the largest online platform for booking fishing trips in the word.
Beyond its reputation as a scenic waterfront city, Kingston’s fishing industry plays a vital role in driving
the local economy through tourism. From guided charters and bait-and-tackle shops such as Bronson & Bronson, to accommodations and restaurants like Wharf & Feather, the fishing industry supports businesses on a broad spectrum.
“Our goal is to make fishing accessible to everyone by allowing them to easily find and book trips that suit their needs,” Vanja Polovina, SEO outreach specialist at Fishing Booker said in an interview
with The Journal
“We at Fishing Booker rank locations based on various factors. [The main factors are] the quality of fishing variety of fish, accessibility surroundings, and recreational opportunities,” Polovina said.
Kingston sits on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario and the beginning of the St. Lawrence River, with several other nearby lakes fostering a high quantity of diverse fish. Kingston’s waters are home to a wide variety of fish,
including perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, lake trout, pike, walleye, and carp, offering anglers a diverse fishing experience.
But Kingston’s accessibility and recreational opportunities set it apart from more rural runner-up cities such as St. Andrews, N.B.
“Kingston is easily accessible […] with roads leading to the lake numerous entry points,” Polovina said. “From exploring the city’s rich history to enjoying the beautiful landscapes the combination of quality [the variety] makes Kingston, I guess I could say, the angling capital in Canada which lives up to its historical significance as the country’s first capital in the 1840’s”.
The tourism fishing reels in suggests fishing isn’t just a pastime—but an economic driver.
In general, fishing tourism boosts the local economy by generating income across several industries. Visitors spend money not only on transportation in and
out of Kingston, but also on accommodations, food, and activities during their stay.
“According to Tourism Kingston, outdoor recreational activities, including fishing, bring a significant number of tourists annually which support local businesses like bait-and-tackle shops, restaurants, hotels, and more,” Polovina said. “Fishing events and tournaments also tract anglers which further boost the local spending and drawing attention to the city as a year-round destination.”
World famous fishing destinations like Montauk, New York, and Gulf Shores, Alabama, have successfully leveraged their fishing reputations to boost their economic growth, Polovina said.
“Kingston could also adopt similar approach by hosting larger events, tournaments, creating partnerships and marketing its unique combination on fishing together with its cultural experiences to attract […] more diverse range of tourists.”
Students brace for economic uncertainty amid tariff threats
Cross-border relations are hitting students where it hurts—their wallets
Cloey Aconley
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
A new round of tariffs is expected to hit Canada on April 2.
With the tariffs being implemented in just under a week, students are not exempt from the fear, anxiety, and questions of Canadian identity that plague the country following Donald Trump’s campaign and presidency. The new round of tariffs are in response to the Liberal Government’s 25 per cent tariffs, estimating to increase current rates by a minimum of 4.59 percentage points. The increase has the potential to diminish Canadian gross domestic product by two to four percentage points.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Economist Stephen Tapp reported the United States tariffs threaten to push Canada’s economy into a recession by the middle of 2025. Students are sharing worries about the economy they’ll be graduating into.
“I fear I might just be stuck in a never-ending cycle of owing everyone money and not being able to do what I love with my money, so that’s definitely scary,” Jordyn Schneppenheim,
ArtSci ’27, said in an interview with The Journal
The first round of tariffs came on Feb. 1, when Trump, the newly re-elected US President, signed an executive order placing a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada. This prompted economic concerns and questions about the strength of the Canadian export market. Canada responded by placing a similar 25 per cent tariff on $155 billion of American goods, including steel, aluminum, and alcohol.
“If [Trump] is cutting off ties with us and that’s what’s going to crash our market, that concerns me,” Brynn Jenkins, Sci ’28, said.
This isn’t Trump’s first run around the block with implementing tariffs. During his previous presidency, Trump imposed tariffs on thousands
of products valued at around $380 billion. These tariffs were estimated to have reduced gross domestic product by 0.2 per cent, and employment by 142,000 jobs.
With the daily expenses that come with living away from home for the first time, many university students are tightening their budgets in anticipation of economic hardships ahead.
“I feel an increased need to be more intentional with the way I’m spending money, especially grocery shopping,” Maxie Grant, ArtSci ’25, shared.
Food prices are likely to be the first to increase, especially perishable goods that can only be stored for a short amount of time. With increased manufacturing costs, even goods produced in Canada are projected to
sustain a price increase.
The incentive to shop Canadian has been inspiring for some.
“I feel there is an assembly between Canadians which is something I feel hasn’t been seen too often over the past several years. Seeing the commercials about choosing Canadian and supporting one another has been quite touching and makes me proud to be Canadian,” Caidyn Murray, ArtSci ’26, told The Journal.
Not only are students searching for Canadian products, but there’s an awareness that trade between the two countries has been a foundational element of our economy.
“So much that we don’t even realize is from the US is in our grocery stores and on our shelves, but also so much
energy the US uses is Canadian as well, and the different markets have always gone back and forth. I’m recognizing how much we impact each other now that we’re not trading seamlessly,” Grant added.
Trump’s first presidency in 2018 included tariffs on targeted industries, whereas the 2025 tariffs are an across-the-board threat.
Trump had previously evoked sections 232 and 301 of trade statuses, allowing the president to impose tariffs on the grounds of national security. Contrastingly, the latest rounds of tariffs were pushed through via executive order, giving the president broad powers with few checks.
Even with a sense of Canadian pride, students still worry about the economically uncertain future.
“As an economics student, I feel it’s been harder for me to be certain enough about how firms and consumers will respond to these changes. There are so many outcomes I can think of that it makes it hard to be happy with the decisions I’ve made and confident about my future decisions,” Murray said.
As students brace for the impact of increased tariffs, their growing financial anxieties solidify a shared sentiment of shopping Canadian.
Kingston’s Confederation Basin Marina .
PHOTO BY NELSON CHEN
A new round of tariffs is expected to hit Canada on April 2.
GRAPHIC BY NATALIE VIEBROCK
Men’s Hockey’s strong season comes to a close
Gaels lose 2-4 to the Saskatchewan Huskies in U SPORTS quarterfinals
Aidan Michaelov Senior Sports Editor
Despite a strong season, the Gaels have some unfinished business.
After shutting out the Toronto Varsity Blues 4-0 on March 15 to clinch a spot in the U SPORTS National Championships, the Men’s Hockey team fell short of a national title in the quarterfinals on March 21 against the Saskatchewan Huskies, losing 2-4 in Ottawa, Ont.
While the result wasn’t what the Gaels had hoped for, Captain Jack Duff, Sci ’26, said the team’s high level of confidence never wavered throughout the season—especially heading into the OUA playoffs.
“We’ve been confident all year. We won 22 games this year, and we knew going into U of T that we were gonna win that game. It’s just that the mindset never changed. […] We had full confidence in our group, we’ve been doing it all year,” Duff said in an interview with The Journal
Though they outshot the Huskies 38-19, the Gaels couldn’t score at the same rate as their opponent, losing 2-4 in a hard-fought game.
Liam Tanner, Kin ’28, opened the scoring just under two minutes into the game, but the Huskies answered with a powerplay goal five minutes later. The Gaels responded with a powerplay goal of their own three minutes later, courtesy of OUA First Team All-Star Nolan Hutcheson, ArtSci ’25.
Unfortunately, it was the last goal the team scored this season, as they gave up three unanswered goals and fell 2-4 in regulation.
The loss came down to a
combination of penalty kill struggles and missed opportunities on offence, said Duff.
“I think our issue was our penalty kill. We let in two, and the third one was right off the kill. I think that was a big aspect of what happened to our game. It got us tired, and then on the offensive side of things, I think we were just throwing pucks out, and we weren’t trying to put it in,” Duff said.
Head Coach Brett Gibson echoed Duff’s disappointment, but emphasized the team stayed true to its identity.
“I felt we played to our identity really strong. It’s who we are; we get on pucks, we have first touches, and we create a lot of offence from that, making teams defend it at great lengths. It was an uncharacteristic night,” Gibson said.
Speaking to the blue collar identity he’s long worked to instill in the program, Gibson feels he’s truly coming close to
accomplishing his goals with this team.
“When I say blue collar, I think we are blue collar. We don’t have the amenities that other schools have. We don’t have the arena, we don’t have the resources, but we have each other,” Gibson said.
“Blue collar can be put in many different ways, but to me, it’s just about going on the ice and out working teams on a nightly basis. That’s blue collar, and the things we do away from the rink and at practice that no one knows about are karma, and that’s what our program is all about.”
For Duff and many other players on the team, the early end of their season left many unsatisfied. While nothing is certain yet, Duff feels as though he’ll be back, citing unfinished business.
“I have unfinished business. I obviously wasn’t very excited about how the season went. I think we could’ve done better
in nationals and even the OUA. There’s unfinished business for me and a few other guys on the team,” he said.
While the team left nationals empty-handed, Gibson saw this year as a huge step forward for the program.
“When you get to the Elite Eight, you’re playing against the best teams in the country. They [the Huskies] were ranked two and I felt like we outplayed them for the majority of that hockey game, the only place we didn’t was on the scoreboard,” Gibson said. “If you look at what we did throughout the playoffs and throughout the regular season, statistically it’ll go down as probably the best year at Queen’s in hockey history.”
With much of the roster set to return and unfinished business on the table, the Gaels are already looking ahead. The loss may have stung, but it also lit a fire—one that promises to carry over into next season.
Hannah Duchesneau named back-to-back OUA Player of the Year
Women’s Volleyball star closes career at the top of her game
Aidan Michaelov Senior Sports Editor
After another standout season in the tri-colour, Hannah Duchesneau, ArtSci ’25, has once again proven she’s among the nation’s best women’s volleyball players.
The fifth-year outside hitter was named to the U SPORTS All-Canadian team and earned OUA Player of the Year honours for the second straight season—further cementing her legacy as one of the most decorated athletes in Queen’s Volleyball history.
Duchesneau joined the team in the 2020-21 season. After being named to the OUA All-Rookie Team in 2021-22, she thrived in the program, amassing 766 kills throughout her five-year tenure with the Gaels. This season, she drove the Gaels’ offensive strategy, ranking eighth in the OUA in
“Shanice is actually someone I’ve always looked up to, whether that was in the court aspect or her beach volleyball career.”
While no contracts have been signed yet, Duchesneau plans to play overseas in Europe next year. As she’s ready to leave her university career behind, Duchesneau’s excited about what’s next to come.
“I’m ready to be done with exams,” she said, laughing, “but I definitely know that in the first couple months going to play pro, I’m going to get bored of not really using my brain too much. I’m excited to see what more I can grow and learn not only about myself, but about being in a different area or the connections I can create.” she said.
Duchesneau closes an important chapter of her life. With her dedication to the sport, joined with her strong morals, and desire to keep on learning, there’s little doubt she’ll find success at the professional level.
JOURNAL
The Gaels recorded one of their best seasons to date.
ARTS & CULTURE
Reflections on fond, and sometimes strange memories from days by the water. GRAPHIC BY
Warm days at the watering hole are near
When the sun comes out, you’ll find students at the pier
Layla Artzy Staff Writer
As the weather begins to get warmer, I can’t help but think about the upcoming spring days by the pier.
The Gord Downie Memorial Pier is a quintessential part of the Queen’s experience. Not every university student in Canada is able to say they can see Lake Ontario from the window of their first-year dorm or pass it on their daily walk to class.
On warm days, the pier—which is typically a ghost town throughout the winter—suddenly turns into a mega-party. When the sun comes out, Queen’s students gather en masse and the lively student atmosphere on those rare sunny days can’t be recreated anywhere else.
Sure, some go to to swim or cool off on hot days, but there’s more to it than that. The pier has its own culture, and its own set—or lack thereof—of rules. It’s a vibe that tries to emulate that of the University of Miami, but it’s definitely the knock-off version. From sunrise to sundown, everyone is in bathing suits, loud music is bumping, volleyballs are being passed around, and people are day drinking. Of course, you can swim or tan, but
you can also buy a snack from the food truck, play frisbee with a stranger, build a sandcastle—you name it. Nothing is off limits at the pier.
The chaos is truly insane. In the oasis of grass, sand and concrete, all social norms go out the door. You’ll see your situationship throwing a football obnoxiously close to someone’s face, or your first-year can mate attempting a failed voyage on an inflatable raft.
You’ll definitely see someone actively getting sunburnt during a beer-induced nap, and if you’re lucky, you’ll hear insane lore from the group sitting next to you, in conversations that probably should’ve stayed in the privacy of their home.
Don’t try relaxing in the sand and reading a book, because you won’t be able to hear yourself think over aspiring DJs testing out their new tracks. It’s like the pier is an alternate universe where bikinis are the only acceptable form of clothing and being shoulder-to-shoulder with your peers replaces class.
Despite the craziness, it’s also really wholesome. I’ve seen dogs go for swims, friends jumping into the lake hand and hand, spike ball tournaments, full-blown three-course meal picnics, you name it. Everyone at the pier is so full of joy—happiness and good vibes radiate, and seasonal depression goes out the door.
The place represents something simple and good: warm summer days, open skies, and time spent with loved ones. I’ll look
Japanese Breakfast’s new alBum wears sadness like a comforting cloak
Michelle Zauner churns lyrics that know how to tug on the heartstrings
Eva Sheahan
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
Michelle Zauner’s writing is like an
back on those days with the fondest of memories. Every sunburn I’ve gotten there tells a different story of my years as a Queen’s student.
I think the joy of the pier has something to do with how bleak Kingston winters are. After months of snowstorms, freezing winds, and slipping on ice, come spring, students will take any opportunity they can to get some much-needed vitamin D.
Maybe having been cooped up all winter is what makes people act out at the pier—they get bold. Spontaneous conversations that would’ve been left unsaid somehow seem to emerge in a haze of sunscreen, sand, and beer.
It’s nice to finally get a chance to socialize somewhere outdoors and get a change of scenery after months spent indoors. I’m no different—I can say with confidence that days by the pier have been some of my best memories throughout university. To have laughed, cried, and cannonballed all in one place is really special.
Sentimental stuff aside, I do stand hard in my belief that DJ booths at the pier are a crime. Pack it up and spin your stuff at Dollar Beers instead.
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) is classic Japanese Breakfast with its ethereal, dreamy tone, but it’s also classic Zauner. The lyrics capture her typical introspective style and her nuanced understanding of sadness and grief as an integral part of being human.
The return of Japanese Breakfast is a triumph for sad women everywhere.
Theo Fest is a triumph of student storytelling and collaboration
Student-led theatre festival transforms
Theological Hall
Natalie Viebrock
Postscript Editor
Theo Fest isn’t your average theatre festival—or class project.
Students from DRAM 439: Advanced Theatre and Performance Creation will transform Theological Hall from March 28 to 29 with Theo Fest, a student-led festival featuring 12 brand-new performances developed over the past academic year.
Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Kelsey Jacobson, the 12 students—Iulia Rus, ConEd ’26, Charlie Hensel, ArtSci ’25, Grace Delamere, ArtSci ’25, Jonas Jacobson, ArtSci ’25, Aiden Robert Bruce, ArtSci ’25, Skyler James, ArtSci ’25, Rachel Rusonik, ConEd ’26, Sam Firlotte, ArtSci ’25, Jake Henderson, ArtSci ’25, Kelvin Chun, ArtSci ’25, Victoria Marmulak, ArtSci ’25, and Avery Boucher, ConEd ’26 have produced, marketed, designed, written, and executed their own individual performances. Both individual show and full-festival tickets are available on the Queen’s Events website.
The festival features a rotating schedule of short plays and performances, allowing audiences to experience a diverse range of theatre. The performances take place in spaces across the Theological Hall building—a pillar of the DAN School—from professor’s offices to the accessible washroom.
Theo Fest has been in the works since the September of last semester. The first 12 weeks of the course were dedicated to “pure experimentation,” Henderson said in an interview with The Journal.
Henderson explained that the class worked on scratch performances—short solo performances with no guidelines—based on vague prompts, presenting various mini pieces of theatre to their classmates and receiving feedback. The class embraced a philosophy of “successful failure”—the idea that performances shouldn’t be overthought but simply created.
Each play in the festival brings its own unique element. “Confessions 3:28-29,” performed by Boucher, takes place in the Theological Hall Chapel, while “Survival
of the Fittest,” performed by Rus, accompanied by a rat puppet, critiques the ethics of pest control.
For those who have spent time in Theological Hall or attended any theatre performance on campus in the last couple of years, the 12 students involved in Theo Fest will be familiar faces. As integral parts of the DAN School community, they’ve dedicated much of their undergraduate years to honing their performance and production skills. For graduating students, Theo Fest serves as the culmination of their journey, showcasing their artistic growth.
“It’s a really neat way to say to the students, ‘you’ve been here for four years—show us what you’ve learned,’” Jacobson said in an interview with The Journal.
Theo Fest is a testament to the power of collaboration and the value of the DAN School. While speaking with The Journal, the 12 students emphasized how the course has provided them with professional development opportunities and artistic growth.
Reflecting on the classroom experience, Rus stressed the value of the dynamic course delivery: “the form of [continuous] feedback that we were trained to use with each other was really helpful […] I’ve been using it as a TA for DRAM 100,” Rus said. Beyond performance, Theo Fest honours the impact of the Theological Hall building itself, which features many classroom spaces, offices of DAN School professors, and a few theatre spaces—like the beloved Rotunda Theatre classroom and Convocation Hall. The building has housed years of classes, productions, and learning for DAN School students.
“It’s a meaningful space, I think, to a lot of the students. This is where so much of drama happens,” Jacobson said.
For audiences, Theo Fest is an invitation to experience theatre in its most raw and imaginative form. Whether you’re a longtime supporter of student theatre or simply curious about what’s going on in that building tucked between Clark Hall and Nixon Field, this festival promises bold storytelling, daring performances, and an unfiltered look at the next generation of theatre-makers. Don’t miss your chance to witness the energy and innovation of Theo Fest—mark your calendars and see the magic unfold.
intimate conversation.
Japanese Breakfast’s fourth album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), which came out on March 21, marks lead singer and songwriter, Michelle Zauner’s return to the public sphere after the success of her memoir, Crying in H Mart, and Japanese Breakfast’s third album, Jubilee (2021).
Zauner began writing the album in 2022 while on tour. True to her author facets, Zauner threw herself into gothic literature and books she considered to be a part of the incel—subculture of misogynistic men who blame women for their celibacy—canon to capture the “eerie” vibes of the album.
Continued online at www.queensjournal.ca
NATALIE VIEBROCK
SUPPLIED BY GRACE DELAMERE
Theo Fest runs from March 28 to 29.
Elon Musk’s time at Queen’s is little to write home about
Still, professors and politicians can’t help but bring it up
Cloey Aconley
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
A student at Queen’s from 1989 to 1991, Elon Musk, Comm ’94, is now one of the faces in a tariff war threatening to send Canada’s economy into a recession.
Having attended Queen’s for his first and second year before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, Musk is considered a Queen’s alumnus, but not a graduate. While this technicality has been a talking point for students and faculty, Musk’s brief time at the University is a small part in his far-reaching and controversial career.
Given Musk’s role as Donald Trump’s advisor and leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, his silence on racism and sexual harassment allegations at Tesla, as well as the plethora of controversial social media posts, many in the Queen’s community are reluctant to claim Musk’s alumni status.
Musk’s short-lived experience at Queen’s is little more than a footnote in a 4,000 word Wikipedia page, yet his name continues to surface in conversations that many would rather leave in the past. The reality is, Musk is far more invested in Mars than in Canada, and it’s time people started acting that way.
Despite the general distaste for his political and economic actions on campus, Musk’s time at Queen’s has been highlighted by Queen’s Alumni Review, praised by faculty online, and utilized in political discourse by Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Musk, however, has said little publicly about his time at Queen’s. If anything, he’s spoken negatively about higher education, criticizing the postsecondary model.
Undeterred by his unobservable enthusiasm about his time at the institution, Musk was praised on LinkedIn as a “generational talent” by Smith School of Business Professor Jim Hamilton. Hamilton’s post was prefaced as being “in the interest of dialogue and understanding,” seemingly unaware that no one wants to talk about the supposed protégé, who only briefly attended Queen’s.
With a net worth of over
Queen’s Musical Theatre brings ‘Heathers’ to the stage
$300 billion USD, Musk is far removed from the social and economic landscape in Kingston and at Queen’s. While he spends billions attempting to colonize Mars, the University is grappling with a $35.7 million budget deficit.
Further, Musk has little love to give to Canada, likening former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Hitler on X.
Controversial on social media, and politically poised against Canada, commending Musk doesn’t appear to be the most productive use of online dialogue. Especially considering he nor his 220 million followers on X are likely to notice or care.
Back in 2015, students campaigned excitedly to see Musk return to Queen’s.
Considering his current role in politics and controversial policies across his various companies, many would now much rather forget he ever attended.
Queen’s as an institution has done little to acknowledge Musk’s time here, with just one 2013 feature in the Alumni Review. And perhaps that’s for the best—his two years at Queen’s is nothing more than a fun fact and should remain as such.
At the opposite end of the political spectrum, Premier Doug Ford took offense at Musk’s association with Trump, arguing that Musk was personally attacking the province that gave him the opportunity to attend Queen’s. But considering Musk’s privileged upbringing—as a child math prodigy and son of a model and engineer—it’s unlikely Ontario was the determining factor in his admission to Queen’s.
Ultimately, utilizing a brief two years spent in Canada as political ammunition is a weak defence in the face of a potential $300 billion in tariff revenue.
While Musk’s name continues to resurface in political debates and is highlighted as an accolade of the university, the reality is that his connection to Queen’s is insignificant at best. While professors and politicians attempt to leverage a brief two years in Canada, Musk himself is so far removed from the reality of Queen’s that fixating on his time here does little to advance meaningful discourse.
Whether he’s praised or criticized, one thing is abundantly clear—Musk has moved on, and Queen’s should too.
‘Heathers’ will run at the Baby Grand Theatre from April 10 to 17.
A Queen’s twist on a fan favourite
Madison Taylor Senior Arts & Culture Editor
Queen’s Musical Theatre has their hands on a cult classic.
This winter, Queen’s Musical Theatre (QMT) brings Heathers to the stage, putting their own twist on the familiar favourite. Showing at the Kingston Grand Theatre in the Baby Grand Theatre, it runs from April 10 to 17. With an ensemble cast of 19 students, Alexa Jacoby, ArtSci ’25, plays the lead role of Veronica.
The Journal spoke with director Sarena Abramson, ArtSci ’25, and choreographer Allie Sieben, Artsci ’25, to learn more about the upcoming musical.
After the release of the 1989 film Heathers, the musical was created in 2010, adapted for the stage by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy. The show follows Veronica, a new student at Westerburg High School, as the social hierarchy at her new school takes a sinister turn. With dark themes, the show flips the classic ’80s high-school drama and turns it on its head—this definitely isn’t The Breakfast Club (1985).
It’s a stark shift from their fall production, Sunday in the Park with George.
Recently performing a prod-run—a full run-through for
the production crew—the cast and crew are excited to see their months of hard work take shape.
“We’re beyond excited,” Sieben said in an interview with The Journal. “Getting to see it all come together as one cohesive show is one of the most beautiful things to me,” Abramson added.
Despite the show’s high school setting, Abramson believes its themes apply to a university crowd as well.
“It’s a cult classic, it’s a theatre kid classic, and I think for a lot of people, despite some of the darker themes of the show, it feels like home in a way, and I think that’s really awesome to be able to bring that to the Queens community,” Abramson shared.
The show allows moments for all 19 cast members to have their time in the spotlight, with every member having a solo line. Behind the scenes, over 100 students are working on the production in different capacities, including as the live band on stage.
It wasn’t easy to narrow down the many auditionees into the final cast.
“The audition slots filled up in seconds,” Sieben said. “Getting to see so many people who love theatre come out and be vulnerable and share their talent and their passion with us was so inspiring and amazing,” she added.
In the last few weeks before opening night, the team has been working hard to bring the show together.
“It’s a labour of everyone’s love,
Queer Prom reimagines a tradition through a lens of pride and belonging
Grant Hall set to transform into a cosmic realm of stars and dreams
Eva Sheahan
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
Students can reach for the stars at
this year’s Queer Prom.
The AMS Social Issues Commission’s (SIC) iconic Queer Prom is returning to Grant Hall on March 29, and this year’s theme, Celestial Soirée, promises a night glittering with an otherworldly atmosphere. The event begins at 6 p.m., and features a three-course dinner catered by Barn and Country.
SUPPLIED BY JORDAN MEDULAN
and a mosaic of all of these people’s time and energy,” Abramson said. With the closure of the Rotunda Theatre for productions like QMT’s shows, they’ve pivoted to the Baby Grand. However, it’s one the team has taken in stride.
“We’ve been so fortunate to be taken in by the Baby Grand,” Abramson said. “We unfortunately this year were not able to use the Rotunda Theatre in Theological Hall, which we have used consistently in the past, and came in this year expecting to use, and that didn’t happen.”
Sieben and Abramson expressed the importance of problem solving, and the creativity of their team, overcoming the challenge of space.
The group is putting their own spin on the famed musical, with Sieben taking dance inspiration from references like Flashdance (1983), Madonna, Paula Abdul, and Michael Jackson in her choreography.
While adding their own creative flourishes to the musical, both director and choreographer emphasized the importance of incorporating their actors’ feedback. “That character is in their body, and it’s not in my body. If they feel something, then I want that feedback, and want to be able to be flexible and make that change,” Abramson said.
The show’s run is one the team is eagerly anticipating and hope the audience will find meaningful.
“I think theatre is meant to both teach and entertain, and I think the show is capable of both of
those things,” Abramson said.
But the dancing is what Queer Prom is all about and this year, they’re bringing heat and representation to the stage with DJ Tiger (Spincat) and Drag performer, Tyffanie Morgan. The event is being brought to life through the SIC’s Queer Initiatives Lead, Social Issues Commissioner (Internal), Jana Amer, HealthSci ’26, and Commissioner (External), Ali Al-Safadi, ArtSci ’26.
Continued online at www.queensjournal.ca
Musk attended Queen’s from 1989 to 1991. GRAPHIC BY NATALIE VIEBROCK
All together, here in Kingston, one last time
Lilly Coote Staff Writer
The girl moving into my Albert St. bedroom is buying all my furniture. I bundled it together for a bargain deal—my bed, desk, chair, and dresser—all for a few hundred dollars. It’s what I did almost three years ago, when my housemates all drew straws for rooms, and I ended up on the top floor with slanted ceilings.
As I count down my final days in Kingston, I watch it all begin again—new faces moving into my house, new names on the lease, but the same familiar rhythm.
Fourth year has been bittersweet in nature, a constant push and pull of holding on and letting go. I remember painting the picnic table blue outside on the lawn at the beginning of September. I was still tan, blonde, hopeful, and freckled. With no real assignments yet, I brainstormed a to-do list for my last few months in Kingston.
My friends and I called it a “Yes year”—we would say Yes to everything. And so, I have. Or at least, I’ve tried to. I wanted to say Yes to every Stage Rage, remembering how it used to be the place to go on Thursday nights. But now it’s packed with second years—because, of course, that’s where I went in second year, too. Instead, I turn to laid-back favourites like Brass, where my friend’s boyfriend is a bouncer, my classmates work behind the bar, and the guy from my first-year intramural team hosts trivia.
The trials and tribulations of first-year dining hall food options and fake ID stress feel so distant now that I’m old. Well, maybe I’m not old. But I’m definitely older.
Now, I feel a quiet sense of urgency with everything I do. I intentionally take the shortcut by my crush’s house, a quiet habit of curiosity, and can’t help but wonder how this will translate to a bigger city.
For four years, I’ve let proximity do the heavy lifting in my love life, justifying my hesitation to make the first move as playing the long game. But now, it’s Game Seven. The long game is running out of time.
for high-stakes playoffs and career-ending championship games.
The Ski and Snowboard Club elections are finally happening, and I watch the turnover unfold in front of my eyes as I edit my transition manual in the slivers of time between final assignments and graduation-themed formals.
It’s finally time to hand over the group chats, the endless e-mails, and the allconsuming joy and stress that comes with this kind of responsibility. As I watch the younger executives step into
behind. But that day isn’t quite here yet—there’s still a few more meetings to run and questions to answer. And so, for now, I’ll hold on for just a little longer.
***
The first warm days of March feel like a drug. Sitting on my porch outside allows for a rotation of people to stop by throughout the day, all enjoying the weather.
I remind myself how much I’m going to miss this, living in a university
what we’ve always done. We snickered as we pulled away, still amused that after all these years, we’ve never been caught. ***
I’m happy to report I followed through on my promise, and this year has absolutely been a “Yes year.”
But a “Yes year” isn’t just about my own choices—instead it’s a mindset, one that defines so many of our experiences in fourth year: it’s saying Yes to trying the
she worked tirelessly into the night; you chatted with her by the door as she rushed to and from the lab to finish up her research; you tell her you’re proud of her—because you genuinely, overwhelmingly are. You wonder if you should have done a thesis, but it’s too late for that now.
Intramural championships have turned into the Olympics.
The yellow t-shirt, once just a sign of casual victory, is now the most coveted item on campus. Injuries and weekly commitments are set aside
new roles, I feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction as they take their place at the head of the table just like I did a year ago. I see pieces of myself in each of them—the same excitement, the same nervous energy, and the same desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
And then there’s us—the ones who built this, who brought the club back to life nearly three years ago. We sent those first e-mails and paid those first deposits, standing beside each other wondering if anyone would even show up. It’s safe to say the club has grown into something far bigger than any of us could have ever imagined.
Soon, we’ll stand beside each other one last time and take a good look at what we’re about to leave
town with friends whose lives intersect in ways that feel impossible anywhere else. And I remind myself how much I’m not going to miss this, too—when meeting someone new uncovers a web of connections, ex-situationships, and unsolicited warnings.
On Tuesday night, it was my final turn to take out the garbage. I paraded through the house to grab trash bags from bathrooms and recycling sprinkled on each floor. I gagged at the compost, broke down shipping boxes, and schlepped it all out to the sidewalk one last time.
I begged my first-year floormate, turned housemate, turned best friend, to load the extra trash bags into the back of my car. We drove over and tossed them into the dump behind Harkness Hall because it’s
Cambodian restaurant that your friend won’t shut up about, and Yes to last minute tickets for Tuesday Dollar Beers. It’s saying Yes to an appointment at Student Wellness, because you know first-hand what it’s like to waste an entire day in the hellish waiting rooms at KGH and Hotel Dieu.
It’s saying Yes to a sleepover at your friend’s place, even though you can see your own house from her front porch, just because sharing a bed makes you both feel a little less lonely. It’s saying Yes to the next step, the big internship, and the uncertainty of it all.
It’s saying Yes and showing up to your housemate’s poster presentation, watching her stand beside the project she’s dedicated the last year to. You brought her fresh banana bread from the kitchen to her desk while
Four years of seemingly endless work is coming to an end, and it feels as if school’s been put on the back burner. Opting for tanning on the roof with Aperol Spritzes is easier than going to your elective these days. Casual conversations have evolved to fit the times—no longer about summer jobs and travel plans, but instead, “what the hell are you doing after this?”
My friend texts me mid-class that he has another law school offer, this time with a huge scholarship, and I smile at him from across the lecture hall. He’ll grow up to wear fancy suits and handle high-profile cases. But to me, he’ll always be the guy who strutted down the runway at the Project Red charity fashion show with hearts drawn around his nipples.
Conversations of longdistance and plans for meetups in the fall float around in the air, but it all feels impossible to wrap my head around. These are the people I see every day. I run into them at CoGro and walk with them to Campus One Stop. I sit next to them at the library, sleep on their beer-stained couches, and reluctantly drive them to and from the Megabus station.
I have my last haircut booked at my favourite salon on Princess St. Two more concerts at The Mansion, and three shifts left at work. I should probably book one final dentist appointment while I still have AMS insurance and figure out what to play on my last radio show at CFRC.
I’m packing up my room now, deciding what I’ll leave behind for the girl inheriting the space from me. The desk lamp I never really liked, the plastic shoe rack that’s seen better days, the surplus of hangers in my closet—she can have those for free. These are the things that will be easy to leave behind.
As for now, I’ll continue to shove my stuff into boxes and keep asking my friends if they’ll stick around until May 1, when all our leases run out. And they have to say Yes. Yes, to lingering for a little longer than we should in the houses we’ve turned into homes.
They have to say Yes because this is our “Yes year.”
Want to write a postscript? E-mail journal_postscript@ams.queensu.ca
ILLUSTRATION BY LILLY COOTE
Lilly writes her final chapter at Queen’s.