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TOBAN
MANI
Dec. 1, 2021
U of M vice-president (external) resigns NEWS
Dimitar Tomovski, staff In a statement to his colleagues at the U of M, vice-president (external) John Kearsey announced he would be resigning Dec. 3.
“We thought it was interesting and it was definitely not [done] at a time that’s good for admin, whether [the resignation] was due to the strike or it was decided before.”
“The External Relations team will continue its outstanding, award-winning work in philanthropy, alumni relations, marketing communications and government relations,” Kearsey said in a statement.
“Leaving [Kearsey’s] position open, which is the public-facing VP, when the university is dealing with students and faculty and the community who are all calling on them to end the strike places [admin] in a difficult position by not having someone to deal with those areas.”
“While tough — because I honestly love this place — the time feels right at this age and stage of my career and life in general.” Alex Rana, a member of Students Supporting UMFA (SSUMFA), pointed out the inopportune timing of Kearsey’s departure.
As vice-president (external), Kearsey’s role was to secure both public and private support and uphold the university’s presence in the community at large. Rana condemned the administration’s messaging during the strike.
“From what we’ve seen being put out into the public and on social media, it’s been very dismissive towards students. It’s been a lot of reposting the same message, thinking that all the comments students had on their original posts would just go unseen. “Students know what the truth is. Students see when [admin] is making those types of decisions. A lot of what [SSUMFA has] been doing, especially early on when the strike was starting, was clearing up some of the messaging that admin was putting out towards students.” Rana doubts the sincerity of the administration’s concern for its students. “[The administration is] trying to show concern for students’ mental health, but also, they’re the ones who have created the situation that has led to our winter break being taken
photo / Basel Abdelaziz / staff
Students Supporting UMFA raise concerns about future communication from admin
away. It just comes across as very disingenuous.”
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Women in agriculture connect students and researchers RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY Emma Rempel, staff
The faculty of agricultural and food sciences is hosting its mentorship program for a fifth year. The program is run by Siobhan Maas, program coordinator, and Annemieke Farenhorst, professor in the department of soil science and the associate vice-president (research) for the University of Manitoba. The program assigns two mentors in the field of agricultural sciences, one from industry and one from academia, to each student. Mentees are largely undergraduate students who are early in their careers. Mentors provide career guidance and emotional support to these students as they navigate their education. “The agriculture mentorship program facilitates beneficial relationships between students (mentees) and mentors,” said Farenhorst in a statement. “These relationships can be extremely impactful and provide students with a dependable resource to connect with and call upon whenever they need advice or just an ear.” The mentorship program was started in 2017 when Farenhorst held the position of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council chair for women in science and engineering in the Prairie region. She envisioned the program as a supportive and empowering network for women in a male-dominated field. Recent studies have shown that
experiences of gender bias pervade STEM fields. Women may first experience bias or discrimination during their undergraduate studies. According to Farenhorst, there is a relatively equal gender representation within the student body in the faculty of agricultural and food sciences. However, this is not true of the staff, which is largely male. The shortage of women in leadership roles can result in a lack of role models for women, which can have a negative effect on job satisfaction and retention of women in academia and industry.
graphic / Dallin Chicoine / staff
Mentorship program fosters relationships between students, professors and industry
both sides.”
One proven way to encourage women to persist in STEM fields is through mentorship. Institutions that prioritize formal mentoring options have been found to have higher rates of participation and retention for women.
Participants have said the benefits of the program are mutual. Mentees appreciate the career-related support and guidance they receive, while mentors receive satisfaction from the relationships they build with both students and colleagues.
The role of the mentor is to advise mentees on how to navigate the explicit and implicit rules of social interactions in science. Mentees learn networking skills and practice public speaking, and in a time when most conferences are virtual, that experience can be hard to come by.
“Mentors enjoy the opportunity to connect and find they also benefit by learning from the mentees — it is about being part of a community of women supporting women,” said Farenhorst.
“What I find key is that this program connects mentees with a mentor who is committed to providing that leadership,” Farenhorst said. “Students/mentees never have to feel that they are encroaching. They know that the program is designed to provide them with a dependable relationship that is committed on
“It’s all about forming connections,” agreed Maas. Maas describes the program as participant-led, relying on feedback from both mentors and mentees to guide changes to the program every year. Activities have largely consisted of casual gatherings, meeting in pubs or for dinner. These included virtual craft nights and rapid-fire question periods, where participants have two
minutes to discuss a topic and then move on to the next person. The informal nature of the meetings is necessary to break social awkwardness, leading to more meaningful interaction between mentor and mentee. Trust is critical for mentor-mentee relationships so that students can ask for help and advice without fear of judgment or criticism. Funding for the program will end in 2022, but the organizers would like to continue into 2022-23. To be able to do so, students must demonstrate a demand for the program. Those who are interested in participating in the program next year should email Maas at Siobhan.Maas@umanitoba.ca.
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