THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 56 ISSUE 18 JANUARY 13, 2016
Candida Union p tes for Studen r to emer esident begin ts’ ge Campus
, page 3
WILL HUANG/PHOTO EDITOR
2 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
VOCAL CORD
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The Cord
Bag O’ Crime
THE CORD WINS TWO NATIONAL AWARDS
Where do you purchase your course material?
Location: 152 Albert St. Waterloo Reported: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 @ 9:07 a.m. SCS attended a vacant garage located at a residential property owned by the university for a report of a break and enter. The garage door had been forced open and it appeared that a homeless person had been living inside the deteriorated building. The garbage inside was cleaned by the grounds department and the building boarded up securely by carpenters. There are no suspects at this time.
“The Bookstore.” –Alicyn Wildeboer, firstyear music
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PHOTO EDITOR
“From other people on the Accepted at Laurier page on Facebook.”
CordNews
@cordwlusp
Congratulations to Photo Editor Will Huang and Creative Director Lena Yang, who won the first ever Flash File 2 competition. Huang also won Student Photojournalist of the Year. The Cord was a finalist for Best Website and Best in Social Media.
–Usman Aaron, secondyear business
Location: Nils Willison Hall Reported: Friday, January 8, 2016 @ 9:44 p.m. SCS officers attended to the basement of the student residence in response to a complaint of a number of males being loud and disrespectful towards Residence Life staff. They had all been drinking alcohol involved in a ‘beer pong’ game. Three were identified as guests (nonstudents) and two Laurier students. The matter is being addressed by Residence Life staff.
Dear Life –Shane Darichuk, thirdyear psychology
Dear WLUSU Presidential Candidate, I’m glad to see that you’re enjoying your week participating in Winter Carnival, it’s a great image. Honestly. Is irresponsible debauchery a point you touch on in your platform? Sincerely, Let’s just buy first years kegs during O-Week
“From the Bookstore.”
Dear Life, Why does Winter Carnival exist? Herds of teams being obnoxious and inconsiderate is overwhelming. Also, didn’t know that binge drinking and referencing sexual harassment on t-shirts is what Laurier stood for… Sincerely, There’s more to your 20s than keg stands and flip cup
“Online data bases and the Bookstore.”
–Breton Moorhouse, firstyear economics
Dear Life, I just spent a week learning how working my ass off is the only way to gain respect and get a job. Yet some people don’t realize it. Sincerely, Respect goes a long way.
“Combination of the Bookstore, online or from the Library.”
All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.
–Kimberly Dolan, first-year masters of music therapy Compiled by Maddy Cutts Photos by Jessica Dik NEXT ISSUE: JANUARY 20, 2016
LOCAL NEWS EDITOR Erika Ymana eymana@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Will Huang whuang@thecord.ca
CORD STAFF
FEATURES EDITOR Bethany Bowles bbowles@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Brian Phillips bphillips@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shelby Blackley sblackley@thecord.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Zach Guitor zguitor@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Maddy Cutts mcutts@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lena Yang lyang@thecord.ca
OPINION EDITOR Mitchell Consky mconsky@thecord.ca
LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jessica Dik jdik@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Awolade jawolade@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Drew Yates dyates@thecord.ca
SENIOR COPY EDITOR Caitlyn Sageman csageman@thecord.ca
MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus mmarsellus@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh fhsieh@thecord.ca
CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin kseverin@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros apatsiaouros@thecord.ca
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Kira Gelbard kgelbard@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE:
Rebecca Allison Mira Busscher Samantha Chow Hayley Colussi Ryan Culley Nicole Gatchene Safina Husein Faraz Iftekharuddin Daniel Johnson Alexandra Juraschka Brigitte Kloww Heather McLeod Daniella Okezie Christian Paron Emma Richards Aliaa Sidawi Fatima Soomro
Leaving a Laurier legacy by Drew Yates
EDITOR’S CHOICE ONLINE: Cord Weekly Update by Brian Phillips
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 6,000 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.
PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster
freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “A leech in my brain.” - Creative Director Joshua Awolade when Arts & Life Editor Zach Guitor said we should put emojis in every headline
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
Campus
• 3 CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN kseverin@thecord.ca
ELECTIONS
Introducing: Tyler & Tyler With elections around the corner, the Students’ Union is hoping to increase voter turnout in 2016 “I realized that my passions really do lie with enhancing the student experience.”
“The thing that initially enticed me to it was the ability to help students find the tools they want to succeed and avodcate on.”
–Tyler Van Herzele
–Tyler Murdock
MADDY CUTTS LEAD REPORTER
Talk has begun over the upcoming Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union elections, with two potential presidential candidates already having confirmed their intention to run. The two known candidates at the moment are Tyler Van Herzele, a concurrent education student on Laurier’s Brantford campus, and Tyler Murdock, a kinesiology major on the Waterloo campus. Elections for Students’ Union president and board of directors are held annually in February, a tradition which has allowed candidates ample opportunity to reflect on the position long before their nomination packages are submitted. “It’s something that has been on the back of my mind for a number of years. Every time elections rolled
around, it was like, this is something similar to my interests, and I would say at the end of last year, reflecting back on the four years volunteering with the Students’ Union and elsewhere on the university, I realized that my passions really do lie with enhancing the student experience,” said Van Herzele. “In my last year, what better role is there to help students get involved, to enhance that experience and to advocate on behalf of them? There isn’t one.” The potential for the role of president in regards to student life and experience enhancement has proven itself desirable across the candidate pool thus far. “The thing that initially enticed me to it was the ability to help students find the tools they want to succeed and advocate on what would make the student experience better, and kind of go down that road, because
that’s stuff that I really love to do,” said Murdock. Though the election is an annual event, this year’s election will include the social media campaign #LaurierVotes to encourage students to get involved in the politics at Laurier and in the hopes that some of October’s spike in turnout will be reflected come February. “Since the Students’ Union did such a great job with #LaurierVotes for the federal election, I think hopefully they’ll be able to catch some momentum off of that,” said Murdock. “Last year it was a quarter of the university out to vote; that’s not a great representation of how the student body feels, and I think president of the entire [student] body, that is something you look for obviously,” said Van Herzele. “My big thing is to push voting in general. I want every
student to have their voice heard, and that’s what voting does.” In addition to student turnout at the polls, hope remains that more nomination packages will be submitted for the presidential run, as well as board of directors, board of governors and Senate. “I really hope a lot of people come out to run for these positions. Not to create a larger pool per se, but it’s always good to have the person with the right experiences in those jobs, and with a limited pool you’re not always going to get that,” said Van Herzele. Nomination packages for all positions must be submitted by January 18. Campaigning will officially begin after the all candidates meeting held on the same day, with voting taking place on February 3 and 4. Results will be announced February 4 at Wilf’s.
UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS
SAC hears from community members KAITLYN SEVERIN CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR
Student, staff and faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University as well as local community members were invited to speak in front of the special advisory committee for the statue project on January 12. During the meeting, presenters were solely focused on the fate of the controversial Prime Minister Statue Project. Nine presenters, including Jonathan Finn, the chair of communication studies, voiced their reasons for whether or not the university should continue to host the statues. Of the nine presenters, only one was in favour of the project. In November, Laurier president and vice-chancellor Max Blouw created the special advisory committee to review several varied opinions associated with the statues project and make a recommendation on how the university should move forward. Members include representatives of Senate, board of governors and the Diversity and Equity Office, among others. David McMurray, vice-president of student affairs, introduced the purpose of the presentations and said SAC is hoping to achieve a recommendation by February.
“We explained at our first meeting that if it was necessary to hear from more community members or if we just couldn’t reach a conclusion as a group, to provide recommendations that we’ll keep going if we need to,” said Olivia Matthews, Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union president and member of SAC. “I think people are a little burnt out from the statue debate, but I’m really glad that people had the opportunity to come,” said Matthews. Over the course of two hours, presenters were allowed to ask questions and read letters from faculties and students. Presentations ranged from a series of topics, including the prime ministers’ history with the aboriginal community and what the project would represent for Laurier students, staff and faculty. During the presentations, Matthews applauded the presenters for bringing the “behind-the-scenes” work from faculties and organizations, particularly the Diversity and Equity Office, into light. “It was great to hear from some of the faculties who have actually taken the time to do their research, so it’s not just opinion-based anymore it’s research-based as well.” “I think it’s always valuable to be
able to have that sharing and to hear people from different parts of campus,” said Ian Muller, president of the Graduate Students’ Association and also a member of SAC. Muller said there’s a defined process in terms of additional presentations the committee has to hear. “I think we want to make sure we hear the bulked weight of all input before we give any indication as to where things might be headed.” Matthews noted the committee has received numerous emails about the statues which will be taken into account by those who didn’t get the chance to present. “One of the messages I had submitted to the committee deals with all the meetings I had with students so that their voices aren’t left out of the conversation,” she said. Although the majority of presentations were directed towards a certain perspective, Matthews believes every perspective should be taken into account when deciding on a recommendation. “We’re not sure of what the decision will be, but it’s great to hear from the community members and even though there was one outstanding for the project, those words have to be taken into account.”
JESSICA DIK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Nine inidividuals presented to members of the Special Advisory Committee.
4 • AD
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
Local
• 5 LOCAL NEWS EDITOR ERIKA YMANA eymana@thecord.ca
WATERLOO POLICE
PTSD is a main priority for WRPS ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR
Waterloo Regional Police chief Bryan Larkin is in the process of making changes to the management of mental health. Specifically, he is looking to implement ways that can effectively handle occupational stress before it evolves into an uncontrollable issue. Programs will be put in place to train coping and resiliency in police officers. The “big focus” will be on Road to Mental Readiness, which is a program that will offer a significant amount of training, education, awareness and peer support. This program will teach officers and civilians to recognize signs of mental illness, how to manage stress and will help in creating a workplace strategy that will ensure healthy practices. Three psychologists were also contracted to help implement these changes. Many of the resources are focused on the outcome, said Larkin. But more attention should be given to the stressful stages before the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, so officers do not have to come to the inevitable end of having
“We recruit and hire normal people and we ask them to do an abnormal job.”
-Bryan Larkin, Waterloo Regional Police Chief
PTSD due to the inability to cope. Two of the ways this can be done is through shifting resources and having great conversations. “There is still stigma around having these discussions for many different reasons because there’s still stigma in the community,” said Larkin. With the launch of Road to Mental Readiness, senior and mid-level leaders have been properly trained and will work to start educating lower-level staff as well as WRPS’ front line. Larkin hopes all civilians in high-risk areas and 911 communicators will be trained. Another program launched by WRPS is Wellness Matters, which will bring meaningful discussion about health into the workplace. This pro-
gram will integrate all types of health — physical, mental and emotional — and will work to make sure officers are healthy in all aspects of their lives. Peer support and psychology referrals are big factors in changing the dynamic in the workplace. WRPS’ safeguarding program will review its processes regarding baseline psychological assessment. The safeguarding program prepares officers who will be transferred to specialized areas or cases dealing with significant and traumatic experiences. “Last term was a challenging year. We had three police shootings in the region and those put a lot of significant added pressure internally,” said Larkin. As for police officers who have been mentally and emotionally affected, Larkin said each case is different as individuals will receive varying treatment plans from their physician about how they should proceed. “There is no cookie-cutter approach because everybody deals with it differently. At the end of the day the goal is to get people healthy and [figure out] how we can support them and make sure they continue to thrive as a police officer and a
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Larkin working to eliminate mental health stigmas in the workplace.
member of our service,” he said. A bill is currently under review, and if passed, it will acknowledge PTSD as a workplace-related illness. Larkin said he would also like to see some legislation that would address awareness and prevention. “I think we need to invest upfront. When somebody has a form of diagnosis, how do we stop that and how do we manage it.” Larkin said what he hopes to achieve is “utopian” but necessary.
He hopes to achieve a healthy and happy workplace. “We recruit and hire normal people and we ask them to do an abnormal job. So the timing was right. I had a very clear mandate from the police services to launch this and we made it happen,” said Larkin. “It will take some time to implement all these pieces because we live in a superhero profession but once in a while we need to recognize that police officers are human.”
START-UPS
Waterloo continues to flourish in tech University and community resources available for students interested in million dollar industry ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR
The end of 2015 marked a year of growth for Waterloo’s start-up community, which was ranked by Inc. magazine as the top emerging startup ecosystem to watch in 2016. As the home of the smartphone and the touchscreen display, Waterloo now houses thousands of startup companies and is raising around $650 million in investments. In addition, Inc. mentioned 864
of the employers that Silicon Valley employs are recruited out of the engineering programs at University of Waterloo. There are a number of opportunities available to students who are interested in growing their own business in tech. The engineering programs at UW offer co-operative education, which allow students to experience first-hand the necessary hard work to get an idea off the ground. Other than co-op, University of Waterloo also offers an entrepre-
neurship program, Velocity, to guide students by offering funding and space to finish their work. Waterloo’s own start-up incubator, Communitech, continues to house start-ups from students and recent graduates yearly. Wilfrid Laurier University offers the same program, Laurier LaunchPad, which offers support, mentorship and resources to promising start-up ideas. Cole Jones, WLU alumnus, started Local Line in his third year and used
Laurier LaunchPad for guidance. Local Line is a company that enables the sourcing of ingredients to local farms, distributors and wholesalers. Jones said the LaunchPad allowed him and his co-founder to test the idea as the program gives a methodology of what it’s really like to build a business. The general theme of the program is customer discovery or customer validation. “It operates under a general premise that you have an idea, and you think it’s good, but it’s probably shit.
So you should go and validate it with as many potential customers and base suppliers as you possibly can,” Jones explained. For students interested in working in the tech or start-up field, Jones explained building a business is easy, but building a company is hard. The best way to start is to start small. “Figuring out what you can do to add some type of value to the world in exchange for money — that’s not super difficult but that is the best way to get started.”
6 • LOCAL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
STUDY
PROTEST
Don’t always rely on the Internet, study says SAFINA HUSEIN STAFF WRITER
A recent study conducted at the University of Waterloo proposed that the Internet may influence the decisions we make, the behaviours we exhibit and more. Evan Risko, cognitive research area head at the University of Waterloo and lead author of the study, explained there has been a lot of recent reserch focused on how many individuals consider the Internet as their own knowledge. “[The studies] talked about how people who have access to the Internet say that they know more, or feel like they can give better explanations,” said Risko. Working from the ideas which stemmed from these recent reports, Risko and a team of researchers at UW coordinated a study. The aim of the study was to instigate how the Internet, as an external tool, influences individuals’ beliefs and the decisions they make about what they know. The study consisted of two conditions in which participants were placed. One condition had access to a computer while the second did not and individuals were forced to solely rely solely on their own knowledge. Approximately 100 UW under-
graduate students participated in the study. Each participant was asked a series of general knowledge questions. The research team was most interested in how likely the participants were to say they knew an answer. Risko explained the study mimicked a common scenario which most people experience — using the Internet to search for knowledge or answers which one does not already inhibit. The participants had to state whether they knew the answer or not. For some questions, the answer had to be based upon their existing knowledge. In contrast, other questions were asked to participants who were allowed to access the Internet in case they did not know the answer. In general, it was evident participants within the Internet access condition said they did not know the answer, in comparison to the condition in which previous knowledge was the only reinforcement. The results may suggest participants who knew they could rely upon the Internet and its accurate knowledge became less confident and certain of their existing knowledge. Jake Bernstein, first-year film studies student at Wilfrid Laurier
University, said the findings in this study are definitely relatable. “I personally will use the Internet to fact check everything, even if I’m 100 per cent sure that I know the answer. We rely too much on the Internet, but when you have everything you will ever need to know in your pocket, it’s kind of hard not to.” Kaitlyn Skelly, third-year student in speech communication and peace and conflict studies at University of Waterloo, said individuals should be mindful of dependency on technology. “It’s so easy to be able to pick up your phone and Google something. I think ultimately it’s better to make yourself think,” she said. “If participants could look up the answers they didn’t know they became more likely to say they didn’t know the answer to those kind of general knowledge questions,” said Risko. For almost a year, the research team at UW has been interested in how each individual is effected by external tools such as the human body, various environments, writing memories down when remembered, among others. “It’s been kind of a natural extension to move into the internet now, which is one of the tools we use to think with often,” Risko said.
JESSICA DIK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Oil pipeline deemed racist
UW student Rachel Thevenard ran Line 9’s 800k pipeline for aboriginals ERIKA YMANA LOCAL NEWS EDITOR
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CAMBRIDGE
KITCHENER
WATERLOO
27 Water Street North Cambridge, ON N1R 3B2 519.623.2211
6–51 Ardelt Avenue Kitchener, ON N2C 2S9 519.742.3500
103–340 Hagey Boulevard Waterloo, ON N2L 6R6 519.772.3050
There are currently upwards of 300,000 barrels of oil per day flowing from Sarnia to Montreal through a 40-year-old pipeline called Line 9. Rachel Thevenard, 22-year old student at the University of Waterloo, just finished running this route to protest Enbridge’s failure to consult First Nations for developments affecting their land. Enbridge, an energy delivery company based in Calgary, will reverse its flow and was approved to transport crude oil and bitumen. Hearing about the pipeline five years ago, Thevenard thought the project was “ridiculous” as the pipeline was responsible for 35 oil spills in 99 villages that went unreported for years. Thevenard said the inspiration behind the run centred on the idea of what is deemed “natural.” “My body is a natural instrument and I can use it to run. The tarsands are unnatural, pipelines are not necessary, trains are not necessary, takers are not necessary,” she said. Thevenard began her run on December 4 in Sarnia, stopped on December 13 in Toronto and finished in Montreal on January 6. With almost no experience in running marathons, Thevenard trained by running five kilometres then would train up to 15 kilometres and eventually was able to complete 25 to 50 kilometres a day. Thevenard experienced some physical challenges while on the run such as blisters and sore muscles. These called for also warranted mental strength, but she concluded that the experience was rewarding. Chippewas, First Nations of Sarnia, supported Thevenard during her run and offered a support vehicle and places to stay on the route. The run was in part also a fundraiser. Other First Nations also offered support and were welcoming as she entered their territories with permission. “I would really like to see that more in the future, occupiers actually asking permission to be here,” she said. While this pipeline has had a notorious impact on the environment, the greater issue at hand, according
to Thevenard, is the development of the pipeline without consent from nearby Aboriginal Peoples. Other issues and extraction projects are also in the process, which she calls “environmental racism” as hazardous projects have the potential to harm groups of people to access rare natural resources. “It’s just environmental racism. It’s horrible to see, and awful to witness. It’s very scary to see that there could be a spill or an explosion at any time and Enbridge may not tell anybody to evacuate.” While the environmental damages caused by the pipeline have been exposed, Thevenard believes there aren’t appropriate safety measures in place that work well with municipalities. Enbridge promises to be diligent and responsible, but Thevenard believes the company to be “untrustworthy” based on past experiences. For example, she cited the 2010 oil spill in Kalamazoo, in which the company reportedly took 18 hours to close the valve. These incidences can be avoided if the company detects a spill, said Thevenard, and if they are able to shut off a valve in a timely manner. In response to the run, Enbridge released a statement stating they respect individuals who express their views peacefully, but feel that collaboration is necessary to push meaningful change. Thevenard said meaningful discussion was not held if First Nations did not give any consent for development. “Why hasn’t Enbridge meaningfully discussed with First Nations? There is no consent from First Nations,” she said. She adds that the ultimate goal is to raise enough awareness to stop Line 9. “This is not Europeans’ land. This is stolen land. But we have to give it back.” Knowledge about the treaties is necessary in order to fully understand the issue at hand. Thevenard said treaties are still valid and must be respected. “Indigenous lands must be recognized, and people never signed over their right to clean air, water and land. They never signed over their right to life in those treaties.”
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
Arts & Life MUSICAL THEATRE
• 7 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ZACH GUITOR zguitor@thecord.ca
The comeback kids Laurier Musical Theatre returns with their production of 9 to 5 after a disappointing cancellation last season ZACH GUITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
2016 — a year of retribution for Laurier Musical Theatre. Just last year, the club had to cancel their production of Tommy after a shipping mishap with their script provider. Despite all the trouble, Laurier Musical Theatre returns in full force with their production of 9 to 5, set to debut at the Theatre Auditorium at Wilfrid Laurier University on January 21. LMT was lucky to have Hayley McLennan there to pick up the pieces. McLennan, now in her fourth year at Laurier, has been involved with Laurier Musical Theatre since her first year and held presidency of the club during last year’s cancellation. She has returned in 2016 as the producer of 9 to 5 — a vital role that has her overseeing all aspects of production. 9 to 5, based on the film of the same name, follows the story of three female secretaries who are fed up with their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss. After dwelling on their revenge fantasies, the women hatch a plan to dethrone the tyrant. The play features scenes of outlandish fantasies, hilarious banter and music by Dolly Parton. McLennan chose the play because it would allow the strong female talent of Laurier Musical Theatre to “truly shine,” while still allowing male cast members to take on substantial roles. “Being in theatre since I was 10, I know that a lot of shows are written with a heavy dependency on male
characters … the truth of the fact is there aren’t as many men as there are women interested in doing theatre,” said McLennan. “We weren’t stressed about having to change the gender of a character, or put somebody in a vocal range they’re not comfortable with.” McLennan’s goal with this musical, and overall with musical theatre, is to find different ways to convey every day societal issues through a traditional medium — something some may consider outdated.
“There are theatre kids hiding around every corner and we just want to find each other ...”
-Hayley McLennan, producer of 9 to 5
“It’s a different way to tell a story, every single story has a great medium,” said McLennan. “Changing mediums changes the story … 9 to 5 is based on a movie, but with theatre you’re able to play up the kitschy side of it, and have those tongue-in-cheek moments where you’re breaking that fourth wall.” And if that’s still not enough to get students out to support the arts at Laurier, 9 to 5 features a four-part, drug-fuelled fantasy dance sequence that ensues after the three protagonists smoke a joint together. That’s
right everybody, marijuana. But boiling 9 to 5 down to a weed gag and a few catchy tunes would do it a disservice. The musical is very much about female empowerment, said McLennan. Feminism may feel like the hot button topic of the millennium, but 9 to 5 affirms women have been striving for equality through mainstream mediums for decades. McLennan said modern feminism was a top consideration while determining the direction of their production. She and other contributors feared the contents of the musical would be misconstrued as “man-hating,” and thus made an effort to present the female characters’ actions as gender equalizing. “[Perceptions of ‘man-hating’] was the one thing I wanted to avoid because that is not my personal philosophy and that is not what I wanted this show to be,” said McLennan. “It’s like a fun, little feminist jaunt.” Laurier Musical Theatre doesn’t merely fill a niche, but rather stands as a necessity. McLennan explained that while departments like the music faculty at Laurier provide excellent support for those studying music, students in other disciplines are still hungry for a creative outlet. It is up to clubs and associations to provide an outlet — but above all else — a quality experience. “There are theatre kids hiding around every corner and we just want to find each other so it’s not weird when we burst out into Les Mis[érables],” said McLennan. “We just need the opportunity.”
PHOTOS BY ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PHOTO EDITOR
EXPLORE WR
Great places are out there Students unfairly overlook communities outside of the university bubble — too bad they’re totally missing out
ZACH GUITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
It’s as easy as taking the 7-route bus, better yet the 200 iXpress. Hell, it’s a 20-minute bike ride if you’re anywhere close to campus. If you’re stuck inside for the night, mulling over the stale amenities of uptown Waterloo, consider looking over your shoulder to the vibrant and growing downtown Kitchener. I understand a stigma persists — the fear of unfamiliar territory. Leaving the secure bubble around the Wilfrid Laurier University campus may seem daunting, but the riches of Kitchener are worth the trek. Just last week I stepped into an unassuming restaurant, tucked away on the second floor of a comparably unassuming pub. “The Guanaquita Restaurant” read the smidgen of a sign. What was anticipated to be a pleasant yet forgettable experience wound up opening my eyes to our charismatic, neighbouring city.
Have you ever eaten a pupusa? It’s a traditional El Salvadoran dish, and the folks at The Guanaquita know how to sling a solid one. They fall somewhere between a pancake and a quesadilla — seemingly barren and plain from the outside — yet oozing with a delectable cheese, meat and spice filling. Evidently, after the spiritual experience that was the pupusa, I needed to see more. The following day I stepped into Kinkaku Izakaya, a casual Japanese restaurant on the downtown strip that serves up an excellent all-you-can-eat menu. Rather than your sloppily wrapped dishes you’d find at sushi joints around campus, Kinkaku has an evident dedication to quality cuisine. In addition to succulent restaurants, Kitchener is home to the beautiful Victoria Park. Although it lacks a petting zoo — as the one found in Waterloo Park — Victoria Park certainly offers a more scenic view. An elegant river winds through the greenery and cobblestone, creating an inviting atmosphere perfect for a comfortable stroll or relaxing picnic during the summer. Looking beyond Kitchener, there is the historic Cambridge, along
with townships including North Dumfries, New Hamburg and St. Jacobs. Although these communities aren’t as accessible, they each offer a experience that is deserving of a visit. With a group of friends and a carshare, exploring the Waterloo Region isn’t as daunting as you may think. Students are reluctant to leave the safe, university bubble for a handful of reasons, including time restraints and apathy, but there is one barrier — a limiting mindset — that can be easily overcome. The whole “Laurier is my home” mindset certainly contributes to the feeling that Kitchener and other townships are outside of the scope and inaccessible. Laurier may offer some exciting opportunities, but consider widening your “home” lens beyond the bounds of campus and surrounding amenities. Because my home is not Laurier. My home is the beautiful region in which you’ll find amazing restaurants, solid cafés, beautiful parks, townships, cities, communities and yes, Laurier. Laurier is still part of my home. But it is merely a guest room within a rich and bountiful home. But I’m still paying the same rent as you.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
It’s cold and snowing, but you should give Waterloo Region a fair chance.
8 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
SEX-ED
OSCARS
Shaking up award season
Who the hell is getting nominated?
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Breaking STIgmas BETHANY BOWLES FEATURES EDITOR
Certain unpleasant situations signal the end of adolescence. Your mom won’t take time off if you have the flu and if you get a parking ticket, you’re going to have to pay for it yourself. Being an adult can be shitty, but there are some things you just have to face and deal with. One of these responsibilities we’d all rather avoid is routine testing for sexually transmitted infections. As much as you don’t want to believe it, STIs are startlingly common yet no one wants to talk or think about them. The only way to slow the spread of STIs is to get tested — and get tested often. STIs are still stigmatized as gross and dirty, so for most people, picking up the phone and booking an appointment can be humiliating and awkward. Unfortunately, the pleasures of sex can also come with some burdens. To protect yourself and your partner(s), regular testing is an important duty. Karen Ostrander, director of the Student Wellness Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University explained the importance of regular STI testing for sexually active people.
“It’s something that we do all the time,” said Ostrander. “So it’s not unusual [for health care workers]; it’s almost routine.” “If people are having symptoms [such as] … abnormal discharge or discomfort when you’re going to the bathroom — those are things that we can see you at an on call basis because there’s something going on.” Most people figure as long as they don’t have genital warts or blisters, or it doesn’t burn when they pee, they’re in the clear. This, however, couldn’t be more false. A lot of STIs don’t show any symptoms, which is why routine testing is so vital. “A lot of people [who have chlamydia], about three quarters of people, have no symptoms at all,” Ostrander said. “The challenge with chlamydia is that certainly it’s a bacterial infection — it can be treated with antibiotics — but if it goes undetected for long periods of time, it can impact your fertility.” Herpes is also an STI that can sometimes show no symptoms. Ostrander explained that people with genital herpes could go long periods of time without an outbreak, while still being contagious. Ostrander also asserted if you are
not in a monogamous relationship, testing should be more frequent. Another misconception is how testing is actually done. Many people are afraid that getting tested for STIs could be uncomfortable or even painful. “The process itself, after you’ve given a little history and had a conversation with the doctor, is that the doctor will order some tests,” Ostrander clarified. “For chlamydia and gonorrhea now there’s a urine test, so that makes things a lot simpler and a lot easier.” “There’s also some blood work that can be done … for HIV testing, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.” Altogether, getting tested for STIs is not that horrifying. Because so many infections don’t show symptoms, there is no way of knowing if you’ve come into contact with an infection or not. The only way to really protect yourself — and others — is to routinely get tested. “You can book an appointment at the Student Wellness Centre either by dropping in or calling,” Ostrander said. “For the appointment itself, you will meet with a physician and the doctor will ask fairly personal questions. That isn’t about making any judgments, but to evaluate the risk.”
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The awards season for Hollywood has a consistent pattern year to year. One or two small independent films get some buzz early in the year, like Whiplash did last year, with the message from critics, “Don’t forget these come September.” In September at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals, the real awards season begins. A few films, like Argo in 2012 or 12 Years a Slave in 2013, pick up some big steam right out of the gate and by the time the Golden Globe nominations are released in early December, most pundits have a good idea what the Oscar nominations will look like in the following month. Last year, the only late release that wasn’t a sure thing was American Sniper and the year before that, Philomena took the surprise slot. But besides the odd surprise nominee, the critics and guild awards normally pare the list down to a dozen films that could be nominated for best picture at the Oscars. In 2010, when the Oscars began to allow more than five nominations for best picture, the top eight categories — picture, director, both screenplays and the four acting awards — began to see a shrinking pool of films nominated. Before the jump, there were always upwards of 11 films nominated for awards without a best picture nomination. In the six years since the jump, only once has there been more than 10, while 2013 saw a record low of three. The Oscars for 2015 could very well be a different year. Rather than a dozen films named as potential best picture nominees, the major precursor awards have nominated 20 different films as the best of the year with another 20 films in the discussion for acting and writing awards. There is wide disagreement over what the nominations are going to look like this year — an exciting notion for those of us who wake up early on nomination morning to see the live broadcast. So what should you look out for this Thursday when the nominations are released? First and foremost, did the film
of the summer Mad Max Fury Road (one of The Cord’s favourite films of 2015 as seen in the feature “2015 in review”) get any nominations? One of the biggest criticisms of the Oscars is their perceived snobbery — ignoring blockbuster entertainment for snooty prestige pictures. Fury Road, as well as crowd pleasers like Creed and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is a legitimate contender this year and momentum favours it picking up big nominations.Secondly, will the smaller critical favourites show up anywhere in such a crowded field? Ex Machina and Sicario both re-
Rather than a dozen films named as potential best picture nominees, the major precursor awards have nominated 20 ...
ceived a lot of critical attention during their releases, but were widely considered passé. They both started popping up with nominations for acting and cinematography, finally seeing a big push with a best picture nomination at the Producer’s Guild Awards. They both have the potential to spoil in a few categories this year and there will be a lot of complaining if they get passed over on nomination morning. Finally, after the large social media campaign around #OscarSoWhite last year, expect one film or performance to show up unexpectedly in a big way. It could be Straight Outta Compton in best picture, Creed in best actor or director, the highlighted performances of Will Smith in Concussion, Mya Taylor in Tangerine or Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation. All have their champions — I’m partial to Creed myself — and with a swelling call for more recognition of the diversity in Hollywood, any of these deserving candidates could get thrust to a nomination in spite of lacking precursor support. If it happens, there will be arguments about tokenism. If it doesn’t happen, the new hashtag will deservedly be #OscarStillSoWhite. Either way it’s going to be an interesting year at the Oscars.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
Editorial
• 9 OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca
Internet dependency is overpowering our confidence A study conducted by the University of Waterloo determined our unassisted ability to think while excluding technological resources such as the Internet. They tested a group of 96 participants with “general knowledge” questions to determine their confidence in their own thinking. The results found when participants had access to the web, they were five per cent more likely to say they didn’t know the answer, but also felt like they knew less compared to those participants answering questions without access to the web. Participants with Internet access may not have wanted to admit knowing the answer from fear of being wrong. However they had the Internet to confirm it without the risk of being wrong. This study highlights problems in the technologically dependent world we live in. Such dependency takes away the trust in our own abilities. Students may have new levels of knowledge accessibility, but the Internet is becoming our operating mind. Technological resources are “thinking” for us. People are no longer accustomed to saying “I don’t know,” because in their hands they carry access to everything there is to know. Young students are limited with their lack of mental math exercise, preferring to use calculators instead. Historical facts are no longer memorized; they are Googled. Trivia is a
game where phones are constantly hidden underneath the table. Even studying for exams with textbooks or required readings that have not been read is as simple as skimming through uploaded summaries. We are defenseless against the power we hold. Our brains and our computers have merged into one force of thought, one source of intellect, one library of words, images and statistics that keep us trapped in a system with no escape. We are prisoners to immediate information. It is making us lazy and reliant on an outside source rather than our own abilities. It is important to look at this study in a reflective sense. We must reflect on ourselves and how we react to knowledge. We are becoming less confident in ourselves when we should be using our access to information to learn, not to rely on. The artificial intelligence we work with daily opens up wider understandings to our world. We may not depend on our minds to do simple mental math, but we can have advanced equations calculated just as as quick, if not quicker. If we are getting dumber, we are simultaneously acquiring more knowledge than ever before. We can forever know the answers to chemistry’s most complex equations without having to memorize a single element on the periodic table. The irony of our dependent knowledge loads on every screen.
Support for workplace illness step in the right direction JOSHUA AWOLADE/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
A few check marks on a medical document does not always determine the psychological implications of PTSD or other psychological complications. Disregarding mental illness in a workplace can be just as problematic as ignoring broken bones or other external injuries. It prohibits an individual from effectively doing their job and it’s important to provide support to these individuals that put their life on the line. Every workplace should be ready to react to mental illness and refuse to sweep such issues under the rug. No matter how tough police may be, even heroes can be hurt. It’s a step to move away from the stigmas surrounding PTSD and mental health while putting the well-being of police and emergency responders at the forefront. It’s important the proper support — physical and mental — is put in place as well as appropriate training to recognize symptoms and help in a tangible way.
School, work and multiple social institutions are starting to implement policies on how to assist individuals with mental illnesses. But what happens in environments where mental stress is just “another part of the job?” In an article by the CBC, Waterloo Regional Police chief Bryan Larkin said there should be more preventative measures taken for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder — a common problem in any trigger-oriented occupation. According to legislation, officers are not granted medical leave for mental illness without it being medically proven through tests and official assessment. According to the article, a new policy will be brought forward that allows law-enforcement officers to take medical leave without having to prove their illness. This is an imperative policy for any workplace disposition. Mental illness is not an easily understood problem.
These unsigned editorials are based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-inChief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources. The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.
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Holding in an outburst The ‘explosive’ consequences of locking up emotions
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS PHOTO EDITOR
Tick, tick, tick, tick. That’s the sound of your inner clockwork. Those ticks are the hands on an alarm clock that lingers inside you. Do you hear it? If you answered yes, I suggest you get yourself checked out because hearing ticks inside of you sounds pretty fucked up. But, whether or not you do actually hear them, you can believe there most certainly is a mental time bomb programmed inside you. It’s been there the whole time. What will set it off? What will diffuse the explosive? The pressures of our life never seem to end. Everyday is a challenge. You’ve heard it before: “the more you bite off, the harder it is to chew.” But sometimes pressures are unavoidable, inevitably piling on top of you and making you feel like you’re about to burst. The important thing to remember is it’s completely fine to have a dramatic moment where you just blow up. As much as we know we aren’t perfect, we still constantly strive for perfection. We try to be invincible and we think we are weak if we let others know how we feel or to speak up when we are bothered by things. It often feels like the world is judging us and we often prefer to keep our mouths shut and our feelings locked up.
What type of explosion am I referring to? It may manifest in the form of an angry email, an unexpected phone call, sobbing, a display of frantic yelling or maybe all of the above. You may come off a little crazy, but hey, that’s life. It’s embarrassing to admit you have moments like this but I certainly think there’s more value in having such eruptions than people like to think. It seems like weakness or be considered unhealthy, which it partly is, but sometimes that kind of emotional release is necessary. They are a blessing and a curse. I just recently had a meltdown in front of my friends in a public area. I lost track of my surroundings and it just spilled out. I don’t like to cry, I honestly don’t, but I found myself with my back against the wall, drowning in my own emotions. Obviously I didn’t have instant relief and feel great after, but sometimes it just needs to come out, especially when you don’t diffuse all the tension that has built up in a timely manner. The real trick is just that, though. Everything in life is a rush with little time to slow down. No time to let up or be vulnerable, so we push everything aside and refrain from dealing with it until it sneaks back up on you. In reality though there are better ways than having such an explosion of emotion. We know the solutions we need to take forth to diffuse our stress, yet because we are stuck in our everyday routine we just temporarily push everything aside even when we know
It’s fine to be vulnerable and it’s fine to accept you aren’t perfect. Taking time to reflect on things may really help.
we shouldn’t. Why? Because it’s easy. We should not be letting little things build up until a large outburst occurs. It’s fine to be vulnerable and it’s fine to accept you aren’t perfect. Taking time to reflect on things may really help. Everyone reading this article right now, take note. As much as I would like to say I am writing this strictly for your benefit, that isn’t the case. It’s for me too. Writing things down and putting your thoughts out there can help release your stress. Writing down your thoughts like I’m doing here or talking to someone is a way to release any tension building inside you. When I blow up, some of my friends may even get caught in the crossfire. It honestly helps knowing people are supportive and it usually takes someone talking to me about it to fully calm me down. It’s probably a better solution to take the time to speak up if something is bothering you, have little regrets and stop letting little irritations pile up until they become what defines you.
10 •
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016 OPINION EDITOR MITCHELL CONSKY mconsky@thecord.ca
Active learning not so effective NICOLE GATCHENE STAFF WRITER
Carpeted floors, round tables and walls covered with smart boards. Welcome to the latest thing in innovative learning: interactive classrooms. Since 2012, three have been built in the Dr. Alvin Woods Building and more could be on the way. In a time of pedagogy upheaval, we need to ask ourselves if interactive classrooms are improving or damaging the quality of student education. At installation cost of $250,000, there has been high praise for these new classrooms that emphasize group work and discussion. Mercedes Rowinsky, professor and associate dean of student affairs and projects in the faculty of arts, told CBC that in interactive classrooms students learned Spanish quicker than in traditional classrooms. News stations have praised the versatility of these rooms and suggest learning is more enjoyable in them. I do not doubt there are benefits to teaching courses in interactive classrooms, but as students we need to be critical of their intellectual costs. In exchange for interactive learning, we sacrifice our biggest resource: faculty expertise. In interactive classrooms, students teach each other the content and professors merely guide them through course material. Often, lectures are halved to give extra time to student discussion, group work and presentations. Perhaps classes are more enjoyable, but they are also less informative. In October 2014, English professor Eleanor Ty told The Cord while she thought interactive classrooms enhanced student-teacher dynamics, they were not as useful for heavy lecture-based courses. As university students, we have society’s intellectual elite at our
fingertips. These individuals have PhDs with immeasurable amounts of knowledge and experience. In theory, we could learn just as much from readings, but it doesn’t replace the human touch associated with lectures. The invaluable knowledge provided through lectures is being taken away by interactive classrooms. Currently, I’m enroled in three third-year politics courses which take place in an interactive learning classroom. Initially I was excited to take these courses, but that enthusiasm has since faded. In all three cases, content-heavy courses are being changed to meet the demands associated with interactive classrooms. This term, my professors will be lecturing less. This is upsetting because my learning depends on lectures. Yes, there are readings, but readings are supplementary. Yes, my peers can teach me but they do not know the content as well as professors do. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, maybe readings and peers will teach me all I need to know. And yet, universities insist on employing PhDs to teach courses both in lecture halls and online. Therefore, professor knowledge is not completely dead. Perhaps interactive classes are a good learning hybrid, a combination of traditional and online teachingBut why do I still feel so ripped off by interactive classrooms? Because my education is taken less seriously, courses are light on content and assignments are not as reputable. When courses are in interactive classrooms, there are no exams and often, fewer and/or shorter written assignments. My grade becomes more dependent on group work and class participation. Depending on your learning preferences, interactive classes may be easier or harder for you, but they challenge the value of your education. Already, university degrees are being called the new “high school diploma” because everyone seems to have one. Today,
Book store blues FARAZ IFTEKHARUDDIN OPINION COLUMNIST
JESSICA DIK/FILE PHOTO
Interactive classrooms are not always the best learning style for students.
university degrees seem less meaningful than they were a generation ago. What remains consistent however, was the rigorous teaching style, proving that while more people may have university degrees, they still demonstrate a higher level of intellectual competency. Lectures, exams and essays proved your degree still meant something because completing those traditional forms of evaluation were really hard to do. Interactive classes now challenge the value of university degrees because they lessen the brutalities that have become associated with university education. Consequently, my education is questioned and therefore my personal ability as well. When my arts degree already makes my employability questionable, it is made worse by an unrecognizable form of learning attributed to
My grade becomes more dependent on group work and class participation.
interactive classrooms. I’ve painted a nasty picture of the troubles caused by interactive classrooms and maybe they are not as terrible as I have made them out to be. But the unquestionable praise for interactive classrooms must be analyzed and altered with skepticism so that learning as a whole is improved.
Letter to the Editor Affording tuition costs There is a common misconception the average student in Ontario is able to pay for their education by working hard before they go away to school. One could argue if a student worked full-time over the four-month summer at the current minimum wage, they could just make enough to cover the bare cost of tuition. But the reality is students are not just covering tuition; they are paying for rent, food, transit and a slew of other costs associated with “being a person” that even the industrious, hardworking student described above can’t cover without being in the red. According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, in 1990 the after-tax income of a middle-income family was $48,000 and the average one-year tuition in Ontario was $2,500. In 2011, the same family was making an average of $54,000 and tuition had risen to $6,500. You certainly can agree these numbers aren’t rising proportionally. Middle incomes have risen about 12.5 per cent while the cost of tuition has risen by approximately 160 per cent. How did we end up with such a large increase in tuition rates? In the 1990s, the Ontario govern-
ment relinquished control over regulated tuition and universities were free to raise their costs to competitive rates compared to those internationally. The post-secondary student financial aid budget must then have been raised to compensate for this deregulation of tuition. The assumption is semi-correct. While the current government has subsidized 30 per cent of average tuition in the form of a grant for those families who make less than $160,000 and OSAP has been adjusted to inflation, to date there has been no real correction in the up-front price paid by students who are covering over 50 per cent of universities’ operating budgets. As tuition continues to rise at a faster rate than incomes while provincial contributions remain stagnant, students are forced into working more and longer while taking on larger amounts of debt. In 2003, the average repayable debt for an undergraduate was $20,875. Our student members reported 10 years later than they had an average debt load of $26,887. OSAP has increased its own caps to address the rising tuition costs, but unfortunately its calculations do not accurately reflect the costs student incur as a result of
their post-secondary education. This is a triple negative problem: students are faced with rising tuition bills, cannot make enough money to cover all the necessities and are forced to take out larger amounts of student financial assistance. Over the past half decade, tuition has been allowed to rise by three to five per cent. At Wilfrid Laurier University, the typical raise has been three per cent. If you are in your fourth year, your tuition will have risen almost 10 per cent since your first year. This is faster than inflation, faster than government contributions and faster than students can afford. Over the next three days, in partnership with the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union is campaigning for a fullyfunded tuition freeze. “Fully-funded” might sound like a confusing qualifier, but it’s an important one. We at the Students’ Union and OUSA are asking the government continue to fund universities so that they are able to provide the high-quality academic experience we have right now, while reducing the contribution that comes from the pockets of students. We are asking that the
government cover that three to five per cent increase to make university more affordable for you. We want to tip the scales back so the government is responsible for maintaining the publicly funded system. While we recognize students should have a financial stake in their education, we want a cost-sharing model that’s fair for everyone and reflects Ontario’s values. We’re asking for a time out on unfair cost-sharing, a time out on mounting debt and a time out on tuition hikes. –Laura Bassett, vice-president of university affairs with the Students’ Union
ANGRY? SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR editor@thecord.ca
The buying of textbooks is a story not foreign to any university student. In fact, most of us went through it just last week while watching the numbers in our bank accounts roll back. We helplessly stood in line, waiting for our financial execution. Students at Wilfrid Laurier University are forced into buying horribly expensive textbooks assigned to them by their professors. So why is it that our parents paid around $20 for the kind of textbook we now pay $150 for? Can it be justified by higher printing costs? The answer is no. The consumer price index for university textbooks has risen 150 per cent, while the CPI for recreational books has risen a meager 0.6 per cent. So the argument that textbooks are more expensive now because of printing costs is false and deceiving. The problem is the way in which market economics for textbooks has created a “cartel” in the form of publishers who abuse the existing conditions to their advantage. The professors assign certain books for their students which they have no choice but to purchase if they want to attain a passing grade. Prices are set by the publishers based on competition and the guarantee students are locked into buying their books. Such outrageous prices hurt students not only financially, but academically as well. Indeed, in an effort to cut expenses, some students choose not to buy textbooks with a conviction they can overcome the lack of course material on their own. In doing so, they instantly detract themselves from the educational experience they should be receiving and fall to an inevitable disadvantage. As taught in my intro to economics course, when prices are too high, other forms of actors will enter the market and push prices down. This can be seen through the used textbook movements such as the Accepted WLU Facebook pages. Although students do find some success through this avenue, publishers are trying to address this loop hole by releasing different editions nearly every year or by attaching access codes with the books that only a brand new one can provide. For now, the only reasonable solution would be professors are urged by the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union to be mindful of the price tag attached to the textbooks they prescribe. Allowing students to use old editions of the textbook can also go a long way in aiding the situation and allowing the used textbook market to sustain itself. When professors constantly assign books from the textbook cartel, it is then that the students are trapped and coerced into reaching deeper into their wallets, bank accounts and hearts.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
Sports
• 11 SPORTS EDITOR DREW YATES dyates@thecord.ca
BASKETBALL
SPORTS IN BRIEF Matthew Hall wins Ontario Junior Title Men’s curling player Matthew Hall is following in the footsteps of fellow Laurier athletes after his rink, Team Kee won against Team Calwell at the Ontario Junior Men’s Championships last weekend. Hall will represent Ontario at the Canadian Junior Championships after a 10-3 victory. Team Kee went 7-0 to earn a spot in the championship game. Hall joins Chelsea Brandwood, Brenda Holloway, Amy Heitzner and Aaron Squires in Hawks that competed in the Canadian Junior Championships. ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PHOTO EDITOR
Peter Campbell directs the men’s basketball team during practice as the Hawks prep before their big matchup against the No. 5 Brock Badgers on Jan. 13.
Leaving a Laurier legacy Men’s basketball coach announces retirement after 16 years as Hawk boss DREW YATES SPORTS EDITOR
The day after publicly announcing his retirement on Jan. 11, long-time men’s basketball head coach Peter Campbell sat in his office, visibly exhausted from the many phone calls. “Don’t make this tough now,” he joked, flashing a smile, a snapshot of the coach’s personality that carries through his tenure as the Hawks’ bench boss. The long-time coach spent a total of 31 years coaching university sport — 15 years with the Laurentian Voyageurs and 16 years with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Campbell became the all-time winningest coach in Laurier history with 150 wins in 326 games. He revitalized the Golden Hawk basketball program, which, since basketball’s introduction into Ontario University Athletics, had an overall record of 245-459 in 694 games. “I promised myself that I would leave before it was necessary,” said Campbell. “In a sense, I don’t want to see my team not doing as well as other teams. I always wanted to be competitive. I always wanted to be in the mix.” Peter Baxter, the director of athletics and recreation at Laurier, wanted to invest in the basketball program
when he arrived in 1998. Knowing Campbell from his dealings in the OUA conference, Baxter sought a coach that could give instant recognition and build a successful basketball program. Campbell competed for the job. At the time, Campbell was the head coach of Laurentian University. When the Laurier position opened, it was at the same time Laurentian offered the position as athletic director. During the courting process, Baxter told Campbell if he stayed at Laurentian, not only would he spend 90 hours on a bus travelling to games, but would deal with all the headaches Baxter currently had, plus basketball and recruiting, whereas at Laurier, Campbell only had to worry about basketball and recruiting. “He said I was ruthless,” Baxter joked. And this was not unusual. Campbell is known for his witty one-liners and honest remarks. Baxter recalled when Campbell was a little bit grumpy, a little bit overweight and taking it out on the team. Baxter called Campbell into his office and gave him a book and told him to read it. “I’m not an expert in basketball, but I know how athletes react,” Baxter recalled. A couple of years later, Baxter was
also a little grumpy and a little bit overweight. Campbell walked in with the book. “I think you need this book. You probably should read it,” Campbell said. And that was the kind of relationship Baxter and Campbell had. They had the ability to respect each other, call each other out and hold each other accountable. Campbell gave Baxter advice on what he thought was working, and whether or not Baxter thought of a different idea. And that’s what Baxter wanted — people to differ from him. Kale Harrison, now a Laurier alum, was a staple in the Laurier program. He made strides with the Golden Hawks and left with accolades such as Canadian Interuniversity Sport second-team all-Canadian, CIS rookie of the year and many modern day records. But before that, he left high school not recruited by any universities. Campbell gave him a chance, an opportunity to prove himself as a Golden Hawk. Campbell took him under his wing and developed him. In a five-year span, Harrison won a ton of accolades while at Laurier, including the OUA West rookie of the year. He was named a first-team
OUA all-star three times, a secondteam all-star once and a multitude of Laurier accolades, including the president’s award for male athlete of the year. And this is Campbell’s favourite part about being a coach — the time spent with the players. “There’s no better reward to spend five years with a guy, eight months a year, some time in the summer, and the relationship you forge,” Campbell said. “That’s why you do it.” And that’s Peter Campbell. He’s the kind of guy that gives an athlete the opportunity to make something of themselves after going through the summer unsought, giving special attention to a person and developing them into an incredible athlete. The kind of guy who embraces hecklers and jokes around with them instead of getting mad. The guy who knows everyone in the department by name because he made an effort to and helped with training all of Laurier’s student leaders. He added to the department in 1,000 different ways. And when he was asked how the current Hawks reacted to his retirement? He answered the same way he always did — a witty one-liner. “Well, they probably went out and celebrated.”
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12 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
HOCKEY
REBECCA ALLISON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Danielle Wark battles for the puck against Brock in a 2-1 victory on Saturday Jan. 9. Laurier collected three points last weekend and got shutout by the Guelph Gryphons the next afternoon 3-0.
The final stretch to the playoffs Eight points separate eighth and second place in the OUA, making the final weeks important SHELBY BLACKLEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Nothing’s going to get easier. And the Wilfrid Laurier women’s hockey team knows it. The constant rumble of the Ontario University Athletics becoming more and more competitive has been put in the spotlight this year. Between eighth place — the final playoff spot — and second place, there is only an eight-point difference. There are no undefeated teams. Consistent wins are uncommon. Right now, the Nipissing Lakers are the only team with a winning streak of more than three games. Teams are incredibly close in all aspects, fighting for every point.
Currently, Laurier sits seventh in the OUA with a 7-5-1 record, two wins out of the third-place spot with two games in hand. Rick Osborne, head coach of the women’s hockey team, knows it’ll be an uphill battle to where his team wants to be. “We want to be a real good team. Players need to understand their role and their part really well,” said Osborne. “We had a meeting Friday focused on playing without the puck, when we don’t have the puck, when the other team has the puck and we want to limit some time and space.” The Hawks did a pretty good job with this to open the 2016 portion of their campaign. The Hawks defeated the Brock Badgers 2-1 on Saturday
“We want to be a real good team.”
-Rick Osborne, women’s hockey head coach
and were on the right side of the puck all night. The Hawks found structure in limiting time and space of their opponents but relied heavily on their rookies to generate some offence. But on Sunday against the No. 1
nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons, Laurier couldn’t finish, losing 3-0. They didn’t quit, they outshot the Gryphons 20-16, they controlled possession, but the Hawks just couldn’t score. Laurier’s first-year players are doing most of the scoring — evident from the fact first-year Madison MacCulloch has scored six of Laurier’s 27 goals this year and leads the team. This needs to change if Laurier is going to compete with the likes of Guelph, Nipissing and the Western Mustangs, the top three teams in the province. “It’s a lot of pressure to have on our rookies [to] do most of the scoring when we need a couple of those third-years to step up and chip in a
little bit offence,” Osborne said. “I think it starts with them playing good defence, getting the turnovers and bearing down a little more on the counterattacks.” Osborne feels good about Laurier’s game, but knows there’s more to do if the Hawks are going to have a solid position heading into the postseason. This will start in this upcoming week with a few dates with the Lakers and the Laurentian Voyageurs at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. “It’s just learning how to keep that focus for a full 60 minutes is going to need a little bit of work for our group, but I think our group is willing to give it their best before we’re done here.” –With files from Drew Yates
HOCKEY
Golden Hawks starting to play a ‘better’ game Hunt for playoffs continues after Laurier splits weekend DANIEL JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
With 10 seconds remaining in the third period, first-year forward Christian Mroczkowski came up clutch, scoring the game-winning goal for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks during their 3-2 victory against the Toronto Varsity Blues on Thursday January 7. Mroczkowski also scored the only goal in the Laurier column when he brought the Hawks within a goal to the Western Mustangs on Saturday, but Laurier couldn’t find the equalizer in a 2-1 loss. “Coming out of the break, he’s been able to help our team offensively and create some chances for himself and been able to cash in,” head coach Greg Puhalski said. “He’s been effective and offensively been one of our better players for us. It’s great for him and he needs to continue.” Laurier played catch up all throughout the game against the Varsity Blues. They took the lead three minutes into the first period before Laurier tied it up within five minutes. In the second, Toronto would go ahead before Laurier would find their way
“That game I thought we played a little better, and the second and third we were able to control the pace of play a little better.” -Greg Puhalski, men’s hockey head coach
back, and then Mroczkowski would seal Laurier’s victory with 10 seconds left. Puhalski said it was important for the Hawks to remain patient in their victory. “I thought we stayed patient. Didn’t over react or sell out, it was only a one-goal game. We were able to get a shorthanded goal and able to get a power play going at the very end,” said Puhalski. According to Puhalski, the Hawks need to start fast to remain competitive. The Hawks scored quickly when the next goal was vital — and eventually took the lead with 10 seconds left in regulation. Seven minutes into the first period, Laurier started to find their
footing. “We started to play a better team game,” he said. “[We] got ourselves engaged physically and mentally were better focused,” Puhalski continued. “We were coming off not playing for a month so the good thing is we just stayed with it, didn’t panic and stayed with our game.” After a 6-1 loss against the Mustangs earlier this season, the game on Saturday was a needed rematch. The game remained competitive until the end. Puhalski said the Hawks played a better game this time around despite giving the Mustangs a better start. “That game I thought we played a little better, and the second and thirwwwd we were able to control the pace of play a little better. [The] game [against Western] we just came off short,” Puhalski said. “All and all the effort was there, we just need to get a little better starts.” The Hawks continue their season at home where they will host the Nipissing Lakers and the Laurentian Voyageurs this weekend. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 16 at Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex.
JESSICA DIK/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Christian Mroczkowski scores Laurier’s only goal in the 2-1 loss vs. Western.