November 20, 2013 issue

Ryersonian The

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Volume 68, Number 10

Errant email issued in CESAR’s name

By Diana Hall Ryersonian Staff

The registrar’s office apologized to continuing education and part-time students last Friday for sending a mass email which falsely claimed to have been written and authorized by Continuing Education Students’ Association of Ryerson (CESAR) president Shinae Kim. The email reminded CESAR students they would no longer have access to discounted metro passes through the member services office at the Student Campus Centre (SCC), according to copies of the email obtained by The Ryersonian.

Melissa Palermo, president of the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU), originally said the content of the email and the request to the Registrar’s office “didn’t come from us.”

She later clarified the RSU notified SCC general manager Michael Verticchio that CESAR’s students be reminded of the upcoming withdrawal of discounted metro pass sales.

“As CESAR members are among those that frequent the

Student Centre regularly (we) found it appropriate that these members were informed by the Student Centre of this affected service.

“The Student Centre provided this information to the registrar to distribute to part-time and continuing education students,” Palermo wrote in an email to The Ryersonian.

Ryerson’s registrar Charmaine Hack is the person responsible for overseeing such communications.

She confirmed in an email that Verticchio submitted a formal request to issue affected students an email about the upcoming disruption in metro pass distribution.

“The request sounded reasonable. I was led to believe the communication was solely intended to assist students by providing information,” Hack wrote.

“The email, however, was issued under the Cesar President’s (sic) signature in error and without her endorsement. Michael Verticchio provided the content for the email and included her name for students to contact if they had any questions.”

Please see EMAIL, page 5

@theryersonian / www.ryersonian.ca Trudeaumania on Campus

Mohamed Omar / Ryersonian Staff

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s charm stole the show at a Ryerson Young Liberals meet-and-greet in the Pitman Hall cafeteria on Monday. The Liberals’ Toronto Centre byelection candidate Chrystia Freeland, far left, also dropped by to chat with students and pose for pictures.

RSU ready to represent at CFS summit in Ottawa

By David Rockne Corrigan Ryersonian Staff

The Ryerson Students’ Union’s (RSU) executive and one of its full-time staffers are

going to Ottawa on a mission to condemn Quebec’s proposed ban on religious headwear as well as an oil giant’s practices.

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) will hold its

Mohamed Omar / Ryersonian Staff

RSU president Melissa Palermo prepares to argue a motion.

national general meeting in the capital from Nov. 21 to 24, with student unions from across the country attending to represent more than 600,000 university students in Canada.

The RSU, local 24 of the federation, will push forward three motions on behalf of Ryerson students at the four-day meeting, according to its official agenda.

The four-day trip will cost each RSU executive $450 for transportation and lodging, as well as a $405 “travel pool fee,” according to Roshelle Lawrence, the RSU’s vice-president education.

That brings the total costs of the trip to $4,275. One delegate gets to go for free, based on CFS provisions on national meetings.

“Under the travel pool system, each member union pays the same amount per delegate so that representation from across the country is adequate,” she said in an email.

“Also, if you are a member of a constituency group, so

for example, identify as being racialized or queer, the cost to attend is reduced as well.”

One of the RSU’s motions deals with the Line 9 pipeline, which, according to its description in the agenda, will “run unrefined crude oil and tar sands between Hamilton and Montreal, in order to ship Tar Sands (sic) internationally.”

The RSU wants the CFS to write a letter on behalf of its student members condemning Enbridge, which has proposed the pipeline, for its previously ineffective cleanup methods on “numerous” oil spills.

The motion also asks that “member locals be encouraged to share campaign materials they have developed addressing the issue of Line (9).”

“Students are obviously caring about the environment, and we know a lot of environmentalist groups on campus that don’t want to see a huge pipeline going trough our campus in downtown Toronto,” said Lawrence.

“That could be problematic.”

Another motion being brought to the meeting by the RSU opposes Quebec’s proposed Charter of Values.

The charter has been opposed by a number of prominent groups across the country, including the federal government.

Although the charter gleaned cross-country attention back in May, the Quebec government introduced the bill on Nov. 7.

If the legislation is passed, it would ban public-sector employees from wearing religious symbols at work, including hijabs, niqabs, and turbans.

RSU president Melissa Palermo noted that on such a diverse campus, this legislation could have serious negative affects.

“Working from an equity standpoint, we believe that it’s important to have discussions around that troubling new charter that the Quebec government is trying to put forward, as we feel that it’s rooted in racist thought, and very exclusionary to people,” Lawrence said.

Please see RSU, page 3

2 • The Ryersonian

EDITORIALS

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The

Ryersonian

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism

Ryerson University 80 Gould Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3

Newsroom: 416-979-5323 Fax: 416-979-5342

Byelection hopefuls forgetting students In the past few weeks, many providing a Canada income supof us have been watching help- plement that can help subsidize lessly as the integrity of Toronto our tuition fees. politics crumbles before our eyes.

But the conversation is missThe surreal drama surround- ing a major player: Conservative ing Mayor Rob Ford has con- party candidate Geoff Pollock quered our newsprint and our was unfortunately too busy to airwaves, going viral on social speak with The Ryersonian, after media feeds during a crucial time repeated interview requests over for candidates of the Toronto the past couple of weeks.

Centre byelection, slated for Nov. Bypassing campus media cuts 25. The headline-grabbing chaos their party off from a substanhas become a distraction for vot- tial voting power in the Toronto ers, who have rather been wooed Centre riding — an historically by late night spoofs of our dear apathetic mass that has been mayor than by election debates at enthralled by the Ford scandal. the University of Toronto.

According to Statistics Although it won’t be easy to Canada, more than 30 per cent trudge through the minefield of of Toronto Centre’s population municipal distractions, it is time is between the ages of 18 and 35. to tune them out and tune in to The potential youth vote is clearthe important issues right in front ly very important to this race, so of us. The Ryersonian reached where is the Conservative Party? out to the Toronto Centre candi- If candidates really care about dates to talk about what they’re our demographic, they should be doing to capture students’ atten- fighting for it. tion and votes.

A few clicks through Pollock’s Liberal candidate Chrystia website shows that it hasn’t been Freeland preached to the choir. updated in the past month. His She spoke to The Ryersonian party’s platform is also nowhere about Ryerson’s Digital Media to be found on the website. His Zone (DMZ) as a model to Facebook activity is lacking encourage more entrepreneurship except for when he changed his for our generation’s job market. profile picture to a red poppy on She also talked vaguely about re- Remembrance Day. His Twitter examining the student loan sys- seems active, but it’s littered with tem that is crippling recent grad- retweets galore. uates drownThis weak ing in debt.

Bypassing campus media link with stuNDP candents isn’t didate Linda cuts their party off from a just going McQuaig to hurt the d e s c r i b e d substantial voting power in Tories. It’ll education as also hurt the an important the Toronto Centre riding. students who public good. are looking Her education platform focuses for right-leaning representation on making tuition more afford- and aren’t getting it from their able, a familiar campaign closest typically leftist student unions. to the Ryerson Students’ Union’s Lately, we’ve been immersed heart. in government scandal after govGreen party candidate John ernment scandal, from the Senate Deverell said he is still unclear to city hall. The Toronto Centre about education reforms and candidates need to be aware would rather talk about the that we crave to be engaged in importance of climate change important politics again. It’s and how it concerns everyone. their responsibility to prove to Deverell presents the carbon tax the public their values are worth to address this issue, while also investing in.

Managing Editor Print Diana Hall

Managing Editor Broadcast Tanya Mok

Arts & Life Editor Maria Siassina

Features Editor

Managing Editor Live

Editorial Page Editor

Lineup Editor

Sports Editors

Jen Chae

Jasmine Pazzano

Copy Editors

Greg DeClara Sydney Poulos

OPINION

Bullying in the locker-room is a real problem in the NFL

By Nicole Skripkariuk Ryersonian Staff

Admittedly, I don’t follow sports. But there is one story that recently demanded my attention: the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal.

Racial slurs. Homophobic rants. Death threats. These are just some of the examples of harassment 24-year-old Dolphins left tackle Jonathan Martin allegedly endured from teammate Richie Incognito.

Three weeks ago, Martin briefly checked himself into a South Florida hospital to be treated for emotional distress. Thirtyyear-old left guard Incognito was suspended from the team after Martin’s representatives provided voice mail and text evidence that the team deemed inappropriate. Here’s a sample: Hey, wassup, you half-nigger piece of shit. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] shit in your fucking mouth. [I’m going to] slap your fucking mouth. [I’m going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. Fuck

you, you’re still a rookie. I’ll kill you.

The scandal is a reminder of the pervasiveness of bullying in sports. The definition of manhood and the hyper-masculinity that happens in the locker-room is having a damaging impact on the sport’s integrity. This warrior culture manifests itself in bullying, physical and emotional harassment. It is no way to play the game.

But, according to some members of the sports community, being “soft” is equally as harmful as using racist and homophobic slurs. Since Incognito’s suspension, Giants safety Antrel Rolle spoke out and said that Martin is “just as much to blame” in the situation. He also said Martin is “a grown-ass man” and needs to “stand up for himself.”

Ex-Dolphins offensive tackle Lydon Murtha said that “playing football is a man’s job” and he “broke the code” by taking this to the press. Amidst the victim blaming is a clear message to Martin: Man up!

Conversations sparked by the scandal are a mixed bag of intellectual discourse and vulgar insults. I salvaged arguably one of the most compelling, wellwritten columns I’ve read on the subject: Brian Phillips’ Grantland column “Man up.” In the words of Phillips, “If you have a penis and feelings, you’d better cut one of them off. I’m here to start a fight. This idea that Jonathan Martin is a weakling for seeking

emotional help — this is some room-temperature faux-macho alpha-pansy nonsense.”

Amen. The notion that a man is weak for seeking emotional help is a load of macho bravado bullshit. The last time I checked, it takes physical and mental prowess to succeed in the game. This male warrior archetype valuing combativeness and aggression in assuring one’s status doesn’t hold up on the field if you don’t have the emotional integrity and mental strength to back it up.

The assertion that Martin violated some all-encompassing “bro code” is juvenile and, frankly, tiresome.

Social hierarchies generate complicit followers. Expecting a rookie to confront a veteran player at the risk of ostracizing himself from the team is a tall order. Organizations must quash the dated fallacy “boys will be boys.” Leagues should practise respectful methods of communication and instigate a zero tolerance policy. Currently, there is no anti-hazing policy in the NFL. The best athletes hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct and performance. That’s what separates the boys from the men and the players from the champions. Collectively, we need to alter our distorted perception of what it means to “man up.”

Otherwise, we will continue to reinforce a culture of character bashing, rather than character building.

News Editors

Mohamed Omar Victor Ferreira

Managing Editor Online Sahar Fatima

Dillon Rahkola / Ryersonian Staff

Arman Aghbali Dillon Rahkola Dan Berlin Victor Ferreria

Photo Editor Maria Assaf

Reporters

Carly Thomas Jean Ko Din Hayley Brauer Sam Sim Erynn Sally Peter Lozinski Michael Duncan Sarah Warne Alexandra Sanders David Rockne Corrigan Nuruddin Qorane Shazah Ayub

Instructors

Peter Bakogeorge Gavin Adamson Jagg Carr-Locke

Publisher

Ivor Shapiro

Business Manager Aseel Kafil

We would like to hear from you. Please include your name, program and year.

Unsigned letters will not be published.

We reserve the right to edit letters for length.

Room RCC 105 80 Gould Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 or email: sonian@ryerson.ca www.ryersonian.ca

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

NEWS

The Ryersonian • 3

Duo lobbies against Robbie Bobbie

By Diana Hall Ryersonian Staff

Just as Toronto’s city council voted to strip Mayor Rob Ford of several powers and privileges on Monday, a team of Ryerson academics is gearing up for an antiFord “coup d’état” of its own.

Using an Indiegogo campaign called United Against Robbie’s Bobbies, the duo from the school’s social work department is battling to replace the “tarnished” United Way donation fundraised through sales of the embattled mayor’s 1,000 bobblehead dolls.

“If Iceberg Vodka and the Toronto Argonauts can take a stand, I think the United Way — with all the principles they claim to stand by — can take a stand against someone going into priority neighbourhoods and using them to score crack and score drugs,” said Jordan Aslett. The liquor company distanced itself from Ford after a

police investigation linked him to it, and the football team did the same after Ford showed up to city hall wearing its jersey.

The campaign, co-founded by Aslett, calls for the United Way to refuse the City of Toronto’s donation if it matches the $12,000 the bobbleheads raked in.

Ford’s bobblehead dolls may not look like him, but to Aslett and Ryerson social work professor Susan Preston, they symbolize everything deplorable about his recent erratic behaviour.

From “(exploiting) Rexdale as a place to use drugs,” to his “stop snitching attitudes,” their Indiegogo page declares Ford has directly offended the charity’s principles and values.

And by accepting the cash, Aslett said, the United Way is irresponsibly and “tacitly supporting his behaviour.”

“I realized sort of as a social work professional, watching someone try to whitewash their

image by using a charity that is dedicated to city building while he’s actively trying to destroy the city — I just couldn’t take it anymore,” he said.

Although Preston said she understands “it’s really a challenge (for charities) to raise money in our current fiscal climate,” she also argued the organization is in a position to take a stand and refuse to accept the money.

“If we raise the money, then there’s no monetary loss to them at all,” she said.

Michelle Yao, a communications representative for the United Way, said the organization doesn’t control how its 700 workplace partners fundraise.

“As long as it’s legal,” Yao said, it’s up to the workplace to determine how to raise the money.

She wouldn’t comment on the Indiegogo campaign or the integrity of the money the United Way would receive from sales of the bobbleheads.

Peter Lozinski / Ryersonian Staff

The Rob Ford “Robbie Bobbie” sold for $20.

At press time, five days after the campaign went live, eight donors contributed $473 toward the hefty $12,000 goal.

If the United Way accepts the funds raised from the Robbies Bobbies sale last week, Aslett said the $12,000 will be donated to community programs in the Rexdale or Jamestown areas.

If, however, the campaign doesn’t reach its goal by Dec. 15, the money will be returned to the campaign’s donors.

Before that deadline hits, Aslett and Preston plan to write an open letter to city hall staff about their concerns and bolster their social media presence to get the word out about their project.

RTA practicums a crash course in finding cash

By Meaghan Yuen Ryersonian Staff

Fourth-year radio and television arts school of media (RTA) students are not just being crafty with their capstone projects, they’re finding creative ways to bankroll them.

Ambitious practicum projects can cost up to $6,000, which is a strenuous burden to throw on top of already hefty tuition fees.

To cover expenses without having to reach into their own pockets, Jacob McMorrow and his production team, Treble City Films, are fundraising.

But so are their peers, and the forum for fundraising is getting cramped.

“The market for donations and the number of groups campaigning (for funding) is oversaturated,” says McMorrow, a fourth-year RTA student.

The fourth-year practicum project asks students to create a “quality electronic media production,” which can be anything from a short film to a web series. It tasks them with learning how to budget for a full-scale piece, meaning each group has to find its own means of funding or risk compromising their ambitions.

Chanel Belliveau, a producer for Treble City Films, says it’s not just creative vision that is affect-

Courtesy Little House Productions

Little House Productions is offering students $5 professional headshots to fund their final-year project.

ed by financial strain — grades depend on it too. “(Professors) are expecting a certain standard of production, and our own money is going into it. Without that, we wouldn’t be able to produce what they want us to produce,” says Belliveau.

She and her crew are currently working on a 30-minute documentary called Listen Close. The film brings together three musicians from different genres while examining Toronto’s music scene.

In just three days, the team raised $460 through Indiegogo, a crowdfunding website.

Their ultimate goal of $2,400 will cover almost all of their expenses, including everything from travel fees, to food costs, to marketing. The group’s largest

expenses were $500 in equipment rental fees and $230 for renting out a theatre in Orangeville, Ont., for a day.

For many of the practicum fundraising campaigns, cash flow starts from friends and family, but Belliveau says even that is a challenge.

“Everyone in the program knows how much of a big deal practicum is, but it’s hard to explain to our family and friends,” she says. “It’s a school project, but at the same time it’s the real thing.”

Fundraising would be easier if RTA could reach out to its industry connections and promote the project, “rather than going to people and trying to prove ourselves,” Belliveau adds. “Our recognition is through the program.”

Little House Productions, another group of fourth-year RTA students, steered away from Indiegogo. Allison Walsh says that although she finds crowdfunding a smart method to raise cash, she still thinks it’s “really a professional way to ask your parents.”

Instead, Little House Productions is providing a service to raise cash for its documentary on youth living on a First Nations reserve in northern Quebec.

For five hours on Nov. 21 and 22, the team is offering professional headshots taken by their cinematographer for $5 for any student with a valid Ryerson OneCard, and $10 for everyone else.

The school offers some help.

Little House was able to get a RED digital camera — the same type

used to film The Hobbit —from Ryerson’s Equipment Distribution Centre (EDC).

“You definitely need money to achieve broadcast-quality material, and sometimes, it’s money from your own pocket. But Ryerson provides the opportunity for students who can’t afford it,” Walsh says.

But good cameras can’t pay for a blown tire on the drive back from Waskaganish, Que., or for submitting the documentary to festivals. Hence the headshots.

Walsh hopes the fundraiser will stand out from bake sales and shirt vendors that crowd the Rogers Communications Centre (RCC) lobby. “It’s hard to compete with all the other practicums. You walk in the RCC, and you’re overwhelmed with all the people asking for money,” she says. “We’re all students asking for other students for money. And we’re all broke students.”

With only 40 slots available for the headshot event, the Little House Productions team won’t make back the money they spent, and they don’t expect to.

“I knew 100 per cent going into it that we’d have to put in our money,” says Hailey Brooks, Walsh’s colleague and Little House producer. “You find other ways, other outlets,” she said. “We enjoy the challenge of figuring it out on our own.”

Students’ union embarks on condemnation road trip

RSU cont’d...

Palermo, said the union is “always kind of keeping an eye on things that are relevant and current,” adding that the charter motion is being pushed at the CFS meeting because it is “something that we think is important to talk about now.”

The RSU’s last motion calls for the federation to investigate “bulk purchasing programs” for sports and entertainment tickets. The union argues that these programs allow students to save money, and that cost-saving services are “oftentimes a first point of contact for students accessing their students’ union.”

The motions being presented weren’t necessarily proposed by students, Lawrence said, but crafted by the executive based on what “students have brought us in the past and (what) there’s a buzz about on campus.”

Maxwell Burnstein, a thirdyear fashion communications student, said he wasn’t aware of

the meeting or of the motions being presented by the RSU. “I guess as a student, I don’t necessarily feel comfortable with people who I don’t know representing me, making and representing beliefs on my behalf,” he said.

Other member unions of the CFS have proposed their own motions.

One pushed forward by local 94, the University of Ottawa’s graduate students’ association, calls for the creation of campus breastfeeding rooms.

Another motion proposed by the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus students’ union calls for the CFS to condemn the misuse of public funds

by Canadian senators.

4 • The Ryersonian

NEWS

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The alleyway between the Chang School and the Image Arts Building will be revamped based on designs submitted by students and Torontonians.

Mohamed Omar / Ryersonian Staff

Victoria alleyway’s makeover handed to students

By Sameera Raja Ryersonian Staff

Even alleyways need some love every once in a while.

A group of Ryerson students is working to revamp Victoria Street Lane, the alleyway between Bond and Victoria Streets. Ryerson students and Torontonians have been asked to submit designs.

“We’re working on (the) Ryerson campus this year, to revitalize the space between the Image Arts Building and Chang School and bring it back to life,” said Kate Gonashvili, a Ryerson architecture student and head of Freedom

by Design (FBD) at Ryerson, the group spearheading the initiative.

Four architecture students with FBD are working with Projexity,

an online platform for crowdfunding, on the Victoria Street Lane Competition, which is the first project by FBD open to public participation.

“Usually FBD designs their own aspects and then builds it themselves,” Gonashvili said.

“But this year we wanted to take it one step further and build it with the community, by creating more activity on the laneway.”

The group is looking for creative ideas from students and the public, including proposals and 3D images, with the winning design built by architecture students.

The goal is to integrate the alleyway with the rest of campus, making it more accessible and safer for students.

E–Learning at Ryerson Developing a universitywide strategy Ryerson students, faculty and staff are invited to a community town hall to provide ideas and perspectives about e-learning and technology in the classroom. Your ideas will contribute to the development of a universitywide e-learning strategy.

Share your ideas on:

November 27* December 2

POD-372 VIC-501

5-6 p.m.

2-3 p.m.

*Student-only session; refreshments will be available

Email Nancy Walton, Director, E-Learning at nwalton@ryerson.ca if you want to share your ideas electronically or to advise of any accessibility accommodations to ensure your inclusion in this event.

“The laneway right now is inaccessible for students, and we’ve looked at the assault reports at Ryerson. It’s one of most congested places for crime,” Gonashvili said.

Tiffany Landau, a fourth-year criminology student, uses the alleyway as a shortcut for evening classes at the Chang School.

She said if the alleyway and other inaccessible areas were integrated with the campus, assaults would be reduced.

“If you create a sense of community, then crimes like sexual assault will decrease as people have more social support,” Landau said.

The bike shed, which is part of the alleyway and is free for students using their OneCard,

will also undergo a transformation.

“The main objective (of the project) is the bike shed. Students don’t know about it or that it’s free now because it’s so segregated from campus,” Gonashvili said.

Due to building regulations, designs cannot block exits or windows of surrounding buildings.

Participants also have to factor in the garbage disposal and reconstruct the fence in their proposals.

Participants can submit their ideas to Projexity for the monthlong competition. “Anyone in Toronto can vote for their favourite design, and the final designs, either five or six, will be chosen by the panel of judges.”

Julia Hanigsberg, Ryerson’s vice-president of administra-

tion and finance, is on the panel and said the school is supporting FBD’s latest project, but added that it is too early to talk about funding for the renovation.

“If there is an idea that we think could work then we would look to (get) budget and city approvals, but it is premature to talk about that now,” she said.

The tentative budget for the design competition is $30,000, Gonashvili said. Funding for the project is still in the works, but a portion will be garnered through Projexity and other fundraising by the team.

Design registration will start Nov. 23 on the Projexity website, and the revamping is scheduled for summer 2014.

our membership,” the meeting package states.

“This deficit was also generated as we had two of our staff in paternity and maternity leaves and subsequently had to hire interim staff to fill those positions.”

Gordon Lee, a partner at Yale and Partners LLP who works on the RSU’s audits, said that for a $15-million not-for-profit entity like the RSU, ups and downs are expected.

“Over the years you’re going to have surpluses and deficits based on a whole bunch of different things,” he said.

The RSU’s vice-president operations, Ifaz Iqbal, was not available to comment on specifics regarding the increased student services, campaigns or programming.

Here’s a breakdown of where the RSU’s expenditures increased in 2013 compared to

those of 2012, according to the union’s audited statements:

RSU posts $73,000 budget deficit

By Mohamed Omar Ryersonian Staff

The students’ union has revealed it is dealing with a $73,233 deficit in its budget from last year, attributing the loss to an increase in student services as well as maternity and paternity leave benefits.

At the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) semi-annual general meeting last Wednesday, the executive brought forward the union’s audited financial statements but did not discuss the deficit.

The deficit information was available in the package provided to students who attended the meeting., although none of the students at the meeting asked about it.

The deficit was due to “increase of services, campaigns and programming for

Please Join the

Oakham House Choir of Ryerson University on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2013 7:30 p.m.

HYMN of PRAISE music by Mendelssohn and Rutter and Carol sing-along Matthew Jaskiewicz, music director Calvin Presbyterian Church, 26 Delisle Ave., Toronto $30, advance $25, students $15, under 12 free www.oakhamchoir.ca 416-960-5551

Wages and benefits: this item in the audited statements increased to $1,382,833 in 2013 from $1,299,061 in 2012 — a jump of around $84,000. These figures represent all salaries and benefits, as well as any applicable expense accounts, received

by RSU executives, part-time employees and full-time staff members.

Event programming: the RSU spent $295,356 on events in 2012. In 2013, it shelled out $53,000 more, bringing the total to $348,431.

Student services: the union’s costs for putting on student services went up by around $50,000, increasing to $238,586 in 2013 from $188,695 in 2012.

Office and general: this item in the audited statements jumped to $206,046 in 2013 from $173,414 in 2012.

Office and general expenses could refer to anything from costs for the RSU’s main desk to computers and telephones for its offices. (The RSU allocated $20,000 for “telephones” in its 2012-13 budget.)

Professional fees: these figures include any costs for legal, tax or accounting services. The RSU’s costs for professional fees increased to $103,303 in 2013 from $94,681 in 2012.

According to the RSU’s 20122013 budget, $75,000 was set aside for legal fees and $15,000 was allocated for audit fees. Bad debts also rose to $5,415 in 2013 from $532 in 2012.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

NEWS

The Ryersonian • 5

School, students tackle typhoon relief

Dog Days

By Jean Ko Din Ryersonian Staff

Sarah Warne / Ryersonian Staff

Therapy dogs, like Trinket, pictured above, returned to Ryerson Monday, courtesy of the Ryerson Commerce Society. The RCS hosted a puppy room to help students dealing with end-of-term stress.

The devastation caused

by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines has sent international aid agencies scrambling to assist the thousands of people ravaged in its wake, and here at Ryerson two students are doing all they can to help with relief efforts.

Many Filipino-Canadians, like fourth-year journalism student Marie Alcober, took to social media to come together and form communities of support and relief.

She had created a Facebook group in 2011 to gather support for those who were affected

by Typhoon Sendong. Two years later, she has resurrected the group for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

“Philippines will always be home to me, so it’s hard not to take their pain personally,” Alcober said. “It’s important for me to use the resources that I have in Canada to directly affect them.”

Alcober may not live in the Philippines anymore, but the country is still home to 22 members of her family, who live in Tacloban City. She says they haven’t had

access to food or clean water since Haiyan hit on Nov. 8.

Alcobar has spent the past week driving around the GTA with her dad, collecting donations from their network of friends in a desperate attempt to help her family get out of the wreckage.

She says one of her cousins is still missing in Haiyan’s wake.

It’s people like Alcobar’s cousin that Riana Feliciano wants to reach out to. Feliciano, studying nonprofit and voluntary sector management at Ryerson, said she feels compelled to help out, even if she can’t physically be there, sifting through the rubble herself.

“As much as I really want to go home, I can’t,” she said. “I have responsibilities here (in Toronto) and I just try to help out online as much as I can.”

Feliciano got in touch with her friends at the University of Philippines, where she used to be a member of the school’s Mountaineers Search and Rescue Team (UPM SAR). She said she knew they would be out there providing relief to the typhoon victims.

The UPM SAR is working in three areas where the waters

of the western Pacific Ocean wreaked havoc: Guiuan; Eastern Samar; Culion Town, Palawan and Roxas City, Capiz.

From Toronto, Feliciano is expanding her outreach to her friends to gather resources to send back to her contacts at UPM SAR. She has also started an online group dedicated to sharing contact information of different local Filipino groups that want to band together to provide assistance.

“I don’t think there’s a central agency or group doing the co-ordination,” she said. “So, I’m constantly checking other organizations, just making sure that there is help coming from Toronto.”

But sometimes, in dire circumstances, help comes from unlikely sources.

Ryerson president Sheldon Levy said an anonymous donor has pledged to match the first $5,000 raised for aid by the university’s student groups.

While the school cannot donate to relief efforts as an institution, Levy said some members of the administration are making personal donations to help boost fundraising targets.

Gone in 60 seconds: DMZ hosts rapid-fire pitching competition

By Alexa Huffman Ryersonian Staff

It took only a minute for two Digital Media Zone (DMZ) companies to impress a group of judges.

Then again, that was all the time they had.

The DMZ’s second annual 120 Minutes in the Zone, held on Nov. 12, had the entrepreneurial hub’s startups pitch their products and services in 60 seconds to a panel of judges and a crowd of journalists, experts and advisers.

The pitches were split into two sections, one for later-stage startups and another for those still in early development phases. The first section had 14 DMZ-bred companies pitching, while the latter had 11.

Kevin Shaw of Zagga Entertainment, the winner of the early-stage category, described his company as “Netflix for the blind” during his pitch. His product, Zazemo, is a website and app that offers described video on-demand.

“Like you, I like to watch film and TV, but today’s TV tech-

nology is inaccessible. What’s worse is current VOD services don’t offer described video,” said Shaw, who, like the people he aims to help with his company, is also blind. (See story on page 9) The other pitch perfect startup was Kira Talent Inc., which dominated the later-stage category.

The 15-person company’s product, also named Kira Talent, provides a YouTube-like environment for job applicants and employers.

Through the service, employers can send questions to applicants, receive their responses and then compare them with a hiring committee, all via uploaded video.

David Singh, the company’s vice-president of strategy and operations, said what made his company stand out during the pitch was the fact that it is addressing a real problem with the hiring process.

The company aims to slash interview scheduling costs and times for employers, as well as provide a more in-depth look at candidates.

While the judges held up coloured cards to indicate how

Michael Chang presents his company, Needle, during the DMZ’s event.

they felt about the pitch, the crowd got to use their mobile devices to also determine how they felt, using the QR code or website shown on the screen.

Green stood for “I’m sold,” blue was “on the fence,” yellow was “get back to me in six months,” and red was the dreaded question: “You do what?”

The judges also gave comments on the delivery and persuasiveness of the startup’s

speaker, as well as the clarity of the company’s pitch.

“It was intimidating,” said Rosemary Westwood, small business publishing lead for the Toronto Star and one of the judges for the late-stage startup portion. “There’s a lot of really good ideas up there and your base instinct is to be rooting for people.”

Daniel Shain, one of the judges for the early-stage startups, said

Alexa Huffman / Ryersonian Staff

the key to a short pitch is practice.

“Sixty seconds sounds like it’s the sort of pitch where you can just wing it,” he said.

“But pitching in 60 seconds is a lot tougher than doing it in five minutes because there’s only so much you can squeeze in a pitch.”

The winning startups received $100 gift cards to Milestones to reward their employees or schmooze with potential investors.

Registrar apologizes for sending CESAR email not from CESAR EMAIL cont’d...

“While in hindsight I should have contacted Shinae Kim directly, I honestly never imaged that Michael would have added her contact information without consultation,” said Hack, who became the school’s registrar last May.

She added the email should have been a useful reminder for students, and was sent by the registrar (which has a database of students’ contact information) “in the spirit of helping students.” Verticchio declined to comment and referred all questions about the email to the RSU.

The RSU declared the discounted metro pass service for continuing education students had to be revoked due to the ongoing labour dispute between chapter 1281 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and CESAR, the employer of the trade union’s two full-time staffers.

The employees have been locked out from their jobs since Sept. 30, after negotiations for a new collective agreement between the two parties failed.

Kim, CESAR’s president, also reiterated via email that the RSU is taking sides in the labour dispute and is breaching a working agreement with

CESAR by cutting its students off from the cheaper TCC passes.

“If the decision is not reversed prior to November 20, 2013CESAR (sic) is looking to the RSU for damages equal to the additional cost to CESAR members of obtaining the pass,” she wrote.

6 • The Ryersonian

FEATURES

Wednesday, Nove

All it takes is one tweet

Victor Ferreira / Ryersonian Staff

By Sarah Warne / Ryersonian Staff “Rick Nash is getting married at the resort and apparently it’s a big deal.”

That was the relatively harmless tweet made by Syra Dhaliwal back in July about Canadian hockey player Rick Nash. The tweet ultimately led to her termination at the Rousseau, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Muskoka.

The Wilfrid Laurier political science student’s shift began at 6:30 a.m. By about 2 p.m. she was called into her boss’s office.

According to her employers, the tweet she made was a “massive security breach.” Dhaliwal was eventually let go. They fired her only two days before her three-month probation period ended.

“I had had three days off work prior to this particular shift, so I guess I didn’t get the memo that we couldn’t post anything about it on social media,” says

Dhaliwal. “I was working that that you’re the best candidate for once they entered the application day and on my way to work a job, you’re out of the running. process,” says Khan. someone told me that (Nash) was According to Hamza Khan, More than ever, people use getting married at the resort, so I Ryerson University’s digital social media on a daily basis. tweeted.” community facilitator, one in They post everything from their Dhaliwal claims her Twitter three employers will reject can- political views to pictures of account was “protected,” but her didates based on something they themselves out at the club on bosses still managed to find her find out about them online.

Friday night with a bottle of tweet. vodka. You can Nowadays, chat with friends, “Ninety-three per cent of employers in many young find long lost famadults are ruin- North America looked for candidates via ily members, or ing their reputa- social media, or at least scanned them once maybe even find tion and potenyour long lost high tial employment they entered the application process.” school crush. This oppor t unities — Hamza Khan generation of stubecause they fail dents, however, to maintain a prodoesn’t know where fessional idento draw the line tity online. Perhaps deep in your “Ninety-three per cent of with what they share on social Facebook history there’s a pic- employers in North America media outlets such as Facebook, ture of you dancing on tabletops, looked for candidates via social Twitter, and Instagram. or a filthy status update. Either media, or at least scanned them In an age where everything way, when an employer doubts is digital, if you think that when

you apply for a job your prospective employer isn’t going to look you up on the Internet — well, you’re mistaken. They will.

“Personally, I look for pieces of information that help me narrow down who you are as a person,” Khan says. “It’s very much a stalker culture.

“I’ll see what pops up in the first page of Google results and if you show up in the first page of results, I can tell that you’ve got an active digital identity and you’ve begun to tell a story about yourself.”

Khan promotes the idea of having a “digital identity” and creating a polished and professional personal brand.

Digital identity, Khan explains, is the accumulation of all the things that you’ve done

Five social media DON’TS accordi

1

DON’T lie. You’d be surprised how easy it is to connect one of your friends to your boss just through degrees of separation. You will get caught in a lie. If you lie about a credential, all it takes is one person to call you out on it.

2

DON’T be negative online. A “favourite,” a “like,” or a “retweet” is like going over to someone and shaking their hand. Yelling or screaming at someone online leaves the recipient just as angry or depressed as it would off-line.

3

DON’T leave everything public. You have the option to review posts and pictures that you’re tagged in on Facebook.

Use this to your advantage, so you don’t have embarrassing photos or comments linked to your profile.

4

DON’T let others construct a story about you.

Tell your own story by having a blog or updating your accounts. If you don’t preserve your identity then employers will construct their own version of you based on what they can find.

ember 20, 2013

FEATURES

et to get fired

The Ryersonian • 7

Tweets

Arman Aghbali / Ryersonian Staff, Source Careerbuilder.com

online for however many years you’ve been active on social media.

“It’s all begun to comprise a story about you,” he says. “And you are, as you are in real life, a sum total of your experiences.

Digital identity is very much a sum total of what’s being said about you online.”

So your digital identity should be engaging and respectable and showcase your skills to employers.

Unfortunately, many take this to the other extreme and lie about their credentials in hopes that it’s what companies want to hear. Others are simply careless with what they post online. For instance, bad-mouthing your boss or company is an easy way to get rejected or fired.

Helping job-seekers backpedal to safety before they harm their reputations is FireMe!’s job. FireMe! is an app developed by researchers at the University of Hannover, in Germany, that automatically flags people’s tweets that mention how awful their job or boss is. The app then sends a reply to notify the user they may want to reconsider their tweet. The app will also gauge your tweet’s destructive power on what is called a FireMeter!

Ricardo Kawase, the founder of FireMe!, isn’t 100 per cent sure if the app has “actually helped anyone from preventing workrelated troubles,” but he does

believe it has helped to trigger a surge of digital consciousness and responsibility.

“You should be careful of what you post,” says Kawase.

“Everyone sometimes attends a party, has embarrassing moments caught on camera, and so on. However, it’s not very hard to control what goes publicly online.”

As for whether it’s fair for employers to search out their applicants on social media, Kawase believes that’s within their rights.

“What you post on Facebook shouldn’t matter,” says Gualtieri.

“If you’re a hard worker and never bring in personal problems to work then an employer has no right to say anything, or even look at what you do.”

Regardless of whether you’re for or against employers stalking your personal life, it isn’t going to stop. Social media will only continue to grow, and become more all-encompassing and easy to use.

“In terms of where the future of social networking lies, the numbers of usage are only “Everyone sometimes going to increase,” says Khan. “We’re going to attends a party, has embar- find more and more ways rassing moments caught on to integrate (social media) into our lives.” camera, and so on. However, If social media really does continue to become it’s not very hard to control a more integrated part of what goes publicly online.” our lives, users are going — Ricardo Kawase to have to learn to be savvy, smart, and utterly, utterly responsible. It may “No boss would like to find be a boring way to live online, out that one of his employees but it’s better than learning it ‘truly hates his job’ or wants to the hard way. ‘kill him.’ It’s bad for the boss, “I’ll definitely be more careand especially for the company’s ful now,” says Dhaliwal. image, and consequently, its “I’m a lot more conscious business.” of how I look to a potential Still, others would rather not employer because a lot of comhave to maintain a professional panies take it really seriously.” identity online. Mike Gualtieri, a fifth-year marketing student at Ryerson, believes that some proFor a podcast interview with files are personal and shouldn’t Hamza Khan, be sure to check interfere with his work life. out Ryersonian.ca

ing to Hamza Khan

5

DON’T let your accounts become graveyards. Be as active as possible online. If you’re going to end up in a job that’s media, communications, journalism, or PR related you need to demonstrate competency of social media platforms.

Courtesy Drew Dudley

Hamza Khan, digital community facilitator.

Courtesy Storify and Twitter

Check Ryersonian.ca for more from Hamza Khan, Sarah Warne, and more utterly irresponsible tweets.

8 • The Ryersonian

ARTS & LIFE

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Weekend Warrior fighting for funds

By Sydney Poulos Ryersonian Staff

Ryerson film graduate Lyndon Casey is hanging his hopes and dreams on a fictional character. But the character lives in a short film that hasn’t been made yet.

The inspiration for the lead character played by Casey in his in-the-works military comedy Weekend Warrior came from an experience at a bar, when his roommate — who’s in the Army reserve — came to his defence.

“The story starts when I was beat up for causing a bar fight,” said Casey. “I mean, I had a big mouth, I provoked it. And my friend, who was in the military, kind of saved my life. I remember riding home in the cab, looking at my friend and being like, ‘I kind of want to be you.’”

Casey’s interest in using the Canadian military for self-help peaked when he was living with his roommate.

“I would always ask him: ‘Are you going to go overseas?

Are you going to fight?’ I’ve always been interested in the grey area between being a part of the military, but being torn between actually wanting to sacrifice your life to go overseas.”

But Casey, 27, won’t be joining the military any time soon.

“I definitely have thought about it. I mean, I’m too afraid to do so, so I’ll make a movie about it instead.”

Weekend Warrior explores the story of young soldier Bobby Reddick, whose commanding officer finds out he has no intention of fighting overseas.

Reddick, just like Casey, was beaten up at a bar and is looking to use the military for his own personal therapy — to build strength, courage and honour.

The short film is being put together by Casey and his two brothers Dillon and Conor.

Casey is the writer, actor and director, while Dillon is an actor and Conor is an actor and writer. Joining the brothers are producer Shasha Nakhai and cinematographer Rich Williamson.

The team came together through Ryerson University, where both Casey and Williamson went to film school.

Nakhai also went to Ryerson, but studied journalism.

Nakhai, 25, was drawn to the project after reading a script Casey previously wrote after living with his roommate. She liked his sense of humour and respected the success he had in the past.

“We’ve always wanted to work on a project together and I guess we just found the right one,” said Casey. “I guess she has faith in what I’m trying to do.”

But in the film industry, a funny script and a great team aren’t enough to create a recipe for success. Films require a hefty budget no matter the length. That’s where Indiegogo comes in.

Lyndon Casey plays Bobby Reddick in the short film Weekend Warrior.

The filmmakers have set up a page on Indiegogo.com, a crowd-funding website to help groups raise money for film, music, art, charity, theatre and more. The page includes a short teaser trailer, a film synopsis, bios and a breakdown of where donations will go.

Nakhai came up with the $15,000 goal by factoring in funding received from the Ontario Arts Council. It will provide $8,000 on the condition the group raises 75 per cent of the budget. She also factored in deferred payments that the crew would receive if or when the film makes a profit.

RTA students break ground by streaming music festival

While raising money has been difficult according to Nakhai, the skills used so far have come from what they learned at Ryerson.

“A lot of the times I shoot and I do sound, and a lot of that I learned the basics of here,” said Nakhai. “(Instructor) Gary Gould’s technical workshops helped a lot. So, I can now pick up a camera and shoot and that’s very helpful for documentary, but also for this project.”

Casey agrees with Nakhai’s sentiments on their alma mater.

“Ryerson definitely connected me with like-minded people.

Ryerson exposed me to the right

your thing. It has more than 10 million downloads on the Google Play store alone, so if you haven’t played it, you’re sure to have a friend that has.

By Michael Duncan Ryersonian Staff

Courtesy Rikki Ciminsky

The group of fourth-year students get creative with their practicum.

insists they are “real gems,” whom she is excited to watch grow and work with.

“It’s pretty cool to see the work you do with artists somewhere on the Internet, whether it’s their YouTube video or a track they have live on SoundCloud for people to hear,” she says. “You have a really big hand in them breaking into the music industry and developing new fans.”

For Union Duke banjo player and RTA graduate Jim McDonald, the festival is more than an opportunity to get his

band exposure. It’s a way to give back to his former school.

“It’s going to be great to support that program and it just sounds like an interesting concept to live stream,” he says.

He promises those who are attending the band’s performance can expect an “upbeat set” full of “dancing tunes” and high energy.

According to Hoffarth, if it’s a success, the group will market their live streaming model and services to other local music events like Canadian Music Week and NXNE.

films to watch, to the right people. It gave me deadlines. The professors have knowledge of the movie industry and gave us pretty valuable insight.”

Casey attributes his success to a project in fourth year that forced him to pitch a movie. It gave him courage to start pitching in Los Angeles.

“If I didn’t make that project, I wouldn’t have a career in film.

I always would have been waiting to make this movie.”

Check out Ryersonian.ca to learn more about Weekend Warrior and to find out how you can help.

Tech Talk: Phone Games

By Tara Deschamps Ryersonian Staff

A group of Ryerson students is looking to put emerging Canadian talent in the spotlight with a Toronto concert series this December.

Nine radio and television arts school of media (RTA) students have organized three shows at venues across the city, including Adelaide Hall, Measure and Ryerson’s Studio A at the Rogers Communications Centre. The Dec. 12 event, called Wired City Music Festival, will consecutively stream performances from home-grown bands online.

According to production manager Aven Hoffarth, the festival is a fourth-year practicum project that’s looking to break new ground on the Toronto music scene.

“It’s the first time that we know of that anyone has ever done a multi-venue festival streamed live,” she says.

Indie rockers and 2009 Polaris Prize nominee Bruce Peninsula, funk band KC Roberts and the Live Revolution and folk group Union Duke will all take the stage for the festival.

Though none of the bands have made it big yet, Hoffarth

Courtesy Shasha Nakhai

The PS4 was released last week and the Xbox One is coming out this week, but your budget won’t afford you either.

Don’t fret: we have free gaming options to keep you entertained.

Here are three free smartphone games that will tide you over while you save up your empties for that next generation console. All apps are available for Android and iPhone.

Flow Free Flow Free is a great puzzler, where the object is to connect matching coloured pipes to cover the board, but without overlapping. It may seem simple, but it gets quite complicated and addictive, if that’s

Star Wars: Tiny Death Star This game is extremely popular right now. If you’re a Star Wars junkie, or have played this game’s inspiration, Tiny Towers, it’s a perfect mash-up.

The mission of the game is to achieve the death star, level by level, using a variety of residential and commercial properties, like the lightsabre and droid stores. Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, the level building action will likely have you hooked.

Dead Trigger 2 Dead Trigger 2 is a classic shooter and fairly graphic, but if you’re into saving the human race by blasting zombies, then you’ll love it. The graphics look fantastic on a smartphone, so much so that maybe you won’t notice your roommate playing his PS4 beside you. The game will also retain your interest with a resource management and levelling system as well, which prevents it from being an average shooter that you’ll delete after a week.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

ARTS & LIFE

The Ryersonian • 9

Banking on financial flexibility

By Carly Thomas Ryersonian Staff

For those students who aren’t finance majors, talking about interest rates, debit card options and student banking plans can be a nightmare.

The fact is, a simple Google search or quick chat with a financial adviser can provide the information students need to decide what banking plan suits them.

But even with resources readily available, many students forgo shopping around at various banks, instead choosing to bank wherever their parents do.

According to a Canadian StudentAwards survey conducted last year, 38 per cent of young people bank where their parents initially set up their account.

Ruby Dhaliwal, a fourth-year aerospace engineering major, says choosing the family bank was an easy decision. “I think it was just comfortable. They are already comfortable with that bank so I just went with it too.”

This go-with-the-flow attitude isn’t always the best way to go about banking, according to associate professor Coleen Clark, who teaches a personal finance course at Ryerson. “Students need to look at not only their needs right now, but also what their needs will be down the road. They need to have a sense of where that (bank) will take them when they graduate.”

The big five banks are: CIBC, TD, RBC, BMO and Scotiabank.

Banks have a lot to offer young people and it’s worth

“If (students) see their parents are financially stable and not having any trouble with the bank, it encourages them to model after that.”

— John Cruz John Cruz, financial services manager at BMO, says he sees a lot of young people mimicking their parents’ banking decisions.

“If they see their parents are financially stable and not having any trouble with the bank, it encourages them to model after that. Choosing a bank is a big financial decision in their financial lives and a lot of the time parents are sitting in with their kids, opening the accounts with them.”

This was the case for firstyear business technology management student Jake Fernandes, whose parents were in the meeting when he opened an account with the family bank.

“It’s simple. I chose TD because my parents chose it,” he says.

spending the time to shop around.

Each bank offers a unique student plan with a range of debit, credit and savings options.

By Sam Sim Ryersonian Staff

He came up the idea while trying to watch a movie at home.

Shaw, who lost his vision at the age of 19, says he has a shelf full of unopened DVDs. However, they are useless because they don’t have described video content. In order to watch them, he has to play a guessing game with the menu options to find the play button.

Shaw searched for an online service that offers a described content feature. But, after checking traditional broadcasters and Netflix, his search came up short.

He was frustrated that this didn’t exist and wanted to do something about it.

Revolutionizing entertainment for the blind and visually impaired doesn’t stop at Zagga’s technology. The name of the company is very different from other players in the space.

“A lot of services use the words ‘accessible’ and ‘blind’ in their company name,” says Shaw.

“I wanted to get away from that

Debit Features If students know they are going to use their debit cards daily, CIBC and Scotiabank are ideal choices. They offer unlimited debit transactions for no monthly fee.

BMO on the other hand, charges students $4 a month for something called the “performance plan,” which offers unlimited banking. For students who need unlimited transactions only a few months during the year, BMO allows them to go between the regular and “performance plan” from month to month. RBC also offers unlim-

Carly Thomas / Ryersonian Staff

Taking advantage of the resources offered at banks could aid students in making the right choice.

ited transactions through its “no limit banking for students” plan, but it comes at a whopping $10.95 per month.

Credit Card Plans CIBC offers a “classic Visa” credit card with a low $500 balance. For students, the plan has no minimum annual income for the cardholder. Unfortunately, they don’t get a break from the card’s interest rate, which is the same for both students and regular customers at 19.99 per cent.

A seemingly better option is the TD cash back MasterCard, which has no annual fee and collects 0.75 per cent cash back on all purchases. Students can redeem this money through their checking account every year.

Scotiabank’s Visa helps students keep their savings account active with the “bank

the rest” option, which rounds up all Visa purchases by the dollar or five dollars and puts that “loose change” into their savings account.

Clark suggests while this plan may get more money into the savings account, students need to learn about saving by actively putting money away, rather than have the bank do it for them.

Extras TD Bank has an interactive student page on its website, with features such as a loan calculator, credit card tips and post-grad advice. The bank also promotes the TD music access program which offers customers special deals on concert tickets and VIP music experiences.

BMO customers enjoy student discounts on products at select stores and restaurants with

their Student Price Card (SPC) MasterCard. BMO’s student plan also includes two free Interac e-transfers each month, something no other bank offers.

Scotiabank undoubtedly reigns as king when it comes to extras, offering a free Scene membership for anyone who signs up for a debit or Visa card.

Students can receive up to six free movies just from opening an account, and everyday purchases earn points that go toward Cineplex movies.

Every $1,000 the cardholder spends earns enough points for a free movie. The cost seems steep, but for those who pay tuition with their debit card, it can mean up to seven movies gratis every school year.

Check out Ryersonian. ca for our tips on savvy student banking.

with CNIB, a non-profit rehabilitation agency that provides services for people who are visually impaired, to conduct a major market research survey.

They’re currently prepping a prototype for launch in early 2014.

Shaw has big plans for Zagga Entertainment that go far beyond Canadian borders. The company is currently determining how they can scale the business for international markets in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

Ryerson grad wins DMZ award for startup It’s been called the “Netflix for the blind.” Zagga Entertainment is an early-stage startup out of Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone (DMZ) that is gaining interest in the Toronto startup community. Last Tuesday, the company’s president and founder, Kevin Shaw, won an audience choice award at the DMZ’s 120 Minutes in the Zone annual business pitch event.

Their product, Zazemo, is an accessible website and mobile app that allows users to stream popular TV shows and movies with described video on demand.

Described video content is a service that narrates live action in between dialogue for visually impaired viewers.

Shaw has been working on Zagga Entertainment for just over two years. The company started as a small idea he had while completing his master’s in media production at Ryerson.

and choose something a bit more abstract.”

Zagga’s biggest competitors are illegal file sharing and pirating websites, but Shaw says these services don’t offer quality.

“The interfaces for those programs aren’t that great,” he says. “Plus, it involves breaking copyright law to use them and you still have to go through the process of downloading it.”

Larger organizations are starting to take notice of the growing need for described video. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has mandated traditional networks to provide more.

Last year, a U.S. district judge ruled that online providers, such as Netflix, are subject to disability laws under the American with Disabilities Act. This opened conversations about whether the company should be offering described content for the visually impaired.

This doesn’t scare the Zagga team. The company worked

Courtesy Kevin Shaw

Kevin Shaw, second from left, accepts his audience choice award.

10 • The Ryersonian

SPORTS

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Green’s hoop dreams back on track ended up playing only 12 games for the Bobcats, totalling 2.9 points per game.

Green says his recovery wasn’t just a physical challenge.

“It was definitely a difficult injury to recover from mentally and physically,” he says. “The transition from high school basketball to college basketball in the states is big, so it was hard for me the first year. I had to sit out because of the injury and it was mentally devastating.”

Green was once again battling for minutes as three new Bobcat forwards joined the team in the off-season. The reality of playing in the NBA became more unlikely and the next decision he made was a difficult one. He looked to his friend Wiggins for support.

“Growing up with Andrew, seeing these guys chasing their dreams influenced me,” he says.

“He’s one of my good friends and he’s been through trials and tribulations himself. I keep in contact with him and it gave me the respect of what I want to do with my life basketball wise.”

He decided to come closer to home — return to Canada and leave the NCAA behind.

While Wiggins is flourishing at

By Greg DeClara Ryersonian Staff

Canadian Andrew Wiggins is a rising star in basketball.

He’s currently a freshman with the Kansas Jayhawks and could become the second straight Canadian taken first overall in the next NBA draft. While he has lived up to expectations so far, very few prospects get to live this Hollywood story.

Just ask his good friend and current Ryerson Ram Kadeem Green. Green had hoop dreams growing up in Markham, Ont. Like many before him, he moved out of his home at a young age to attend high school and develop his skills in the United States. His time at United Faith Christian Academy was nothing short of a success as he led his team to a North Carolina state championship in his junior year — defeating 2010 NBA No. 1 pick John Wall in the title game.

The 6-9 forward was ranked 58th in the ESPN high school player rankings as a senior, which led him to sign a letter of intent to play at Missouri. Green was on his way to his unlikely childhood dream, but a devastating injury would put that dream in jeopardy.

Shortly after “It was hard for me the first committing to play for the year. I had to sit out because of Tigers, Green the injury and it was mentally tore his Achilles devastating.” tendon and was forced to sit out

—Kadeem Green the entire year at Missouri. He returned to the court the following season, but Kansas, Green’s injury set him head coach Frank Haith used back before his college career him sparingly and went with dif- even started.

Green researched Torontoferent players in tight situations.

Green chose to transfer to Ohio area schools and thought Ryerson University so he could play more was the best fit to use his abilities and be closer to home. NCAA to their full potential. However, transfer rules kept him on the his relationship with Rams head bench for a semester and Green

Université d’Ottawa

|

Dan Berlin

/ Ryersonian Staff

After short-lived careers with Missouri and Ohio, Kadeem Green is back in Canada with the Rams.

coach Roy Rana is what ultimately led him to choose Ryerson.

“Toronto has a close-knit basketball program,” says Green.

“I’ve been working with coach Rana in various programs and he’s seen my game develop since I was a kid. I think it’s been working real good so far.”

Rana was more than willing to add Green’s experience to the team.

“He’s got great length and skills down in the post, he’s deceptively good off the bounce and he’s got good perimeter skills. He’s a very complete player for his size. He’s unique for the CIS,” he says.

University of Ottawa

Green’s impact on the team is apparent early on this season. Through six games, he’s averaged 26 minutes, registering 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Ryerson has been lacking a dominant inside player for some time and it looks as though Green is ready to fill that void.

“He’s a great player, a great guy and brings value to the defensive and offensive end,” says teammate Aaron Best. “We have some great bigs in our league so this is huge for us.”

Green’s journey to Ryerson was an unconventional one, but he has found a home after a nomadic career. His dreams have changed since his days as

a teenager in both Canada and Charlotte, but his love for basketball is what drives him though his setbacks.

“Every kid has that (NBA) dream,” he says. “As you get older, you realize very few people realize that dream. I still want to play professional basketball, either in the Canadian league or overseas.”

Rana believes Green still has what it takes to do just that.

“If he puts in the work and develops the desire he needs, there’s no question he can be an all-Canadian. He’s a very special talent and a very special athlete in our league.”

CLASSIFIED Call 416-979-5000 Ext. 7424

THE KNOWLEDGE

EXCHANGE Come and find out about the cutting-edge research projects happening at University of Ottawa and exchange with some of our brightest researchers.

WHERE: Pantages Hotel in Toronto WHEN: November 28, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

COST: Free

LEAD. INSPIRE. CHANGE.

The Ryersonian is published weekly on Wednesday. Classified advertising deadlines are 12 p.m. Monday for Wednesday. The rates are $2.50 for the first 20 words, 10 cents for each additional word.

For multiple insertions the rates are $2 for the first 20 words and 5 cents per additional word.

ELECTROLYSIS and Laser Hair Removal Say goodbye to unwanted and ingrown hair PERMANENTLY! Low rates and packages available. From Ryerson, steps to 384 Yonge St., unit 8. Yonge/ Gerrard.

Y&B COSMETIC CLINIC (416) 921-2512 www.victoryskincare.com

• • •

ACNE and ACNE SCARRING Details and registration:

discoveruOttawa.ca

Weight loss and Cellulite, Brown spots, dry, cracked skin & COOLSCULPTING (see video on website) Student rates available.

Bay Street Clinic www.baystreetclinic.ca 416-921-1357

• • •

FREE REIKI HEALING CLASS Saturday, November 30. For reservations, call 416-5318061, thehealingteam@gmail. com, www.thehealingteam. org. Other services: Reiki Certification courses, Psychic classes, counselling and Reiki sessions.

OPINIONS WANTED If you have an opinion and want it heard, send signed submissions, including your phone number, to The Ryersonian. We reserve the right to edit for space.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

SPORTS

The Ryersonian • 11

Big Man, Bigger Heart NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo was at the Mattamy Athletic Centre representing Special Olympics Canada on Thursday. The four-time NBA defensive player-ofthe-year led an instructional clinic on the basics of basketball for athletes in Toronto-area schools.

Dan Berlin

/ Ryersonian Staff

Coach wiser for the experience

By Dan Berlin and Nuruddin Qorane Ryersonian Staff

It’s been a tough two weeks for Rams men’s hockey head coach Graham Wise.

He was served a four-game suspension. His close friend and assistant was fired. And his team was forced to forfeit two crucial games in the standings.

On Monday, Wise was finally able to move on and get back to business.

Wise returned to the team this week and addressed the media for the first time since his – and his team’s – suspension was handed down Nov. 4 after players were caught drinking alcohol

on a New Jersey road trip last month.

“I take full responsibility for what happened in Princeton, and apologize for that,” said Wise.

“But life goes on.”

For Wise, life unfortunately goes on without his longtime assistant Lawrence Smith, who was fired for his involvement in the Princeton saga. Wise and Smith coached together for 16 years, the last eight at Ryerson.

“It was tough on him,” said Rams forward Jamie Wise, son of Graham. “He lost a good friend of his. He’s still trying to get over that.”

Out of respect to Smith and his service to the team, coach Wise announced Monday that he

would not look to fill the vacant assistant position this season.

“I think Johnny (Duco) and myself will run through this year,” said Wise, in reference to his other assistant coach. “I have total confidence in him. I think the two of us will work well together.”

In Wise’s absence, Duco led the Rams to a 2-0 record fuelled by an impressive offensive display.

Duco’s Rams earned 7-1 and 9-5 victories against RMC and Carleton respectively.

Duco is content with Wise’s decision.

“That’s a nice pat on the back for me,” said Duco, who led the team while filling in as interim

head coach during Wise’s suspension.

With Wise back in the fold, the Rams now prepare for their first road trip since that fateful weekend in October. The team heads to Sudbury to play the Laurentian Voyageurs Friday before facing Nipissing on Saturday.

“We’re going to definitely give them the riot act,” said Duco.

“If that means stopping by the rooms more than once, then that’s what we’ll have to do.”

“We’ve got to follow the rules,” added Wise. “I’m sure our players will respond.”

As for the players, they don’t anticipate there being any issues this time around.

“(There’ll be) none of the off-ice shenanigans,” said Jamie Wise. “We’re just going to play hockey.”

Dan Berlin

/ Ryersonian Staff

Rams find trump card in Pingue-Giles

By David Rockne Corrigan Ryersonian Staff

“Sixth player” Keneca Pingue-Giles is poised for a breakout season with Rams.

She might not start every game, but she certainly knows how to finish them.

The third-year guard, who was named as Ryerson’s athlete of the week last week, is proving herself on and off the court.

In a game against Laurier on Nov. 9, Pingue-Giles hit the game-winning shot in a 60-59 victory. The day before, PingueGiles went off for a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds in a 70-57 win over Waterloo.

“Those moments are what people wish for,” Pingue-Giles said about her dramatic gamewinner against Laurier. “That’s what you want to happen in games. It just makes the game of basketball so much more exciting.”

Pingue-Giles’s teammates are impressed with what they see.

“She’s been coming off the bench, as a sixth player if you want to call it, but when she comes on the court, it’s another level,” co-captain Dayana Gechkova said.

“We start to play better and faster, and she attacks the basket very aggressively, which is great for us.”

Gechkova says Pingue-Giles plays with the maturity of a veteran on the team.

“She’s a great leader. She’s only in her third year of play, but I feel like she’s in fourth or fifth year. We are lucky to have her on the team.”

Her coach, Carly Clarke, agrees. Clarke has watched Pingue-Giles become a force off the bench, and is very pleased with her performance so far this season.

“She’s starting to become, right now, that person that we can count on to make something happen offensively when we need,” Clarke said.

“Everybody trusts her, because they know that she’s going to step onto the floor with the same effort every game.”

“Everybody trusts her, because Providing a they know that she’s going to step good example onto the floor with the same effort on the court isn’t the extent every game.” of Pinge — Dayana Gechkova Giles’s leadership capabilities.

“To me, coming off the bench Pingue-Giles, who some of or starting shouldn’t affect the her teammates consider a “class way I perform,” Pingue-Giles clown,” has a history of leadersays. “Coming off the bench, ship off the court as well. obviously I get to watch the flow Pingue-Giles was an active of the game for the first couple member of her community in of minutes. Point out weaknesses Winnipeg where she grew up. and see the defence. So when She was awarded the 2011 Terry you go on, you can exploit those Fox Humanitarian Award, as weaknesses and then attack from well as the Black Business and there.”

Professional Association’s Harry After two seasons of deal- Jerome Award for Athletics that ing with injuries, Pingue-Giles is same year. finally ready to contribute to the “Giving back to the commuteam in a major way. nity is something that’s near and “I want to be an X-factor. I dear to my heart, because growwant to be somebody who can ing up in Winnipeg, there were contribute to the team in a posi- a lot of people who volunteered tive way. I didn’t really have who I really looked up to. So if expectations points-wise, or I could be a role model, and set rebounds-wise, or even minutes- some positive standards for a lot wise, but I just knew that if I of these kids, that’s just going to continue to put in the work, then make the world a better place.” the minutes will come.” she says.

Graham Wise leads practice.

After posting two victories in the home opener weekend, the Rams suffered a pair of blowout losses to Windsor (78-53) and Western (84-52) this past weekend at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC). But Pingue-Giles was nonetheless effective for the Rams, leading the team in points both nights.

Usually a scorer of her calibre starts every game on the floor.

But Pingue-Giles is not concerned with being on the bench.

Dan Berlin / Ryersonian Staff

Keneca Pingue-Giles works on her short-range jumpshot.

12 • The Ryersonian

VOICES

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Discovering choices in a new world

By Maria Siassina Ryersonian Staff

As I prepare to say goodbye to what could be the last stretch of my formal education, all I can think about is how my future seems to get foggier with every passing day.

While I am spending a great deal of my time trying to figure out which path is right for me, I can’t help but turn to my parents, who did not only make these decisions much earlier in their lives, but with a lot more pressure from society.

Somewhere around the time I decided to pursue journalism, I began to hear a similar sentiment from many successful career women: that it is nearly impossible to balance a social life and a work life. In fact, many had explained that their work life had become their social life. It was all or nothing for these women; and I admired them for giving it all up for their careers. They wouldn’t settle for a mediocre home life in a suburban city with two and a half kids and a Volvo.

When I was growing up, those were the two choices I thought a person could have: an unsatisfying family life, or a gratifying, but demanding 70-hour work week.

Both of my parents are Russian and both of them were born in 1967 – a time when the Iron Curtain was still in effect and it was extremely difficult to leave the country. When they met in 1991, they got married within six months of meeting each other, and had me six months later. They knew each other for exactly one year before having their first child, and sometimes I

Courtesy Maria Siassina

Above: Serguei Siassine (left) and Nina Siassina (right) holding their newborn child, Maria, in 1992.

Right: The Siassine family, on the streets of Russia.

This is about the opportunities and the closed doors they faced in their journey as a young married couple in Russia and then in Canada. can hardly believe they’ve made it for 21 years.

But this is not about their marriage. This is about the opportunities and the closed doors they faced in their journey as a young married couple in Russia and then in Canada.

My mother tells me this anecdote once in a while to remind me how little freedom was offered to her in her youth, and how fortunate I am in mine. When she was in the hospital about to give birth to me in 1992, she was 25 years old. Nurses in Russia were not nearly as compassionate as they are in Canada, and they did not hold back on voicing their judgments. For my mother, they decided to make it perfectly clear how incredibly strange it was that she was having her first child so “late in her life.” Still today, she

tells me how women in Russia are chastised for waiting past the age of 30 to start a family.

During the “perestroika,” or the time when Russia was remodelling its financial system and fiscal institutions after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the inflation that occurred threatened many families who used to feel content with life during the U.S.S.R. This happened in the early to mid-1990s when my parents were just starting to learn the hardships of raising a child on one paycheque.

My father, stoic and a “man’s man” as everyone calls him, rarely talks about the time where all men felt enormous pressure to provide a comfortable lifestyle for their families, especially in a country where many of these men turned to drinking and

Courtesy Maria Siassina

dangerous lifestyles to blow off steam. Voicing these concerns and talking openly about feelings was not an option at that time – particularly for men. The desire to keep pride intact for the sake of family, and for the sake of the country was almost a requirement to be a citizen of Russia.

Both of my parents talk about the expectation of starting a family when they finished school.

My mother accepted the path chosen for her as a housewife without questioning it, and my father accepted the responsibility of being the sole provider.

I used to think this was degrading; missing out on your youth, remaining a housewife for your entire life and waiting for the day you become a grandparent so you can do it over again seems harrowing.

But my mother tells me now that she loved staying home caring for my brother and me as a full-time job in Russia and then in Canada. Although this path was chosen for her, she didn’t feel any resentment for devoting herself to her family and home.

My mother says the biggest difference between living in Russia and living in Canada, was the option of making choices as a woman in her personal and professional life. Even though she still chose to stay at home while my father worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every weekday and most weekends during the Internet boom, she explains that she began to feel the absence of societal pressure on women in Canada.

She suddenly became more comfortable with her options and so she went back to school for dog grooming, photography, sommelier training and, most recently for food styling. She recognized how lucky she was to be able do this with no university experience, and at a time in her life when her friends in Moscow were calling themselves spinsters and waiting for the chance to retire.

My parents taught me the importance of a person’s freedom to make their own choice.

So while I feel uncertain about my future, I am indebted to them for giving me the chance to feel terrified in the face of so many options, instead of feeling pigeonholed.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to family life, but I’m grateful that my parents had the strength to create a new place for themselves in the world, so I could do the same.

RYERSON SPEAKS

How do you think the Ford scandal has affected Toronto’s reputation?

Aven Hoffarth

Randy Tan

Lia Han

Stefano Lopreiato

“I think the scandal has negatively affected Toronto’s reputation in Canada and also worldwide. Although he may have saved taxpayers’ money, he himself is a horrible representation of our city.”

“It’s definitely damaged our reputation. Yes, it’s bad that he’s on crack cocaine but it doesn’t really have anything to do with how he’s doing his job.

He’s being a poor role model.”

“We used to be looked at as one of the top places to live and very respectable and now our mayor is smoking crack. It’s just bad.”

“It hasn’t helped Toronto. I don’t think our city’s reputation should be based on his decisions but it is and he hasn’t been doing a very good job.

It has definitely put us on the global scale now.”

Fourh-year RTA

Third-year electrical engineering

First-year RTA

First-year mathematics