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McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER / THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012
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Mac Football
Quinlan granted discharge Brian Decker Executive Editor
McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan will avoid having a criminal record because of his Sept. 10 incident at TwelvEighty. Quinlan was granted a conditional discharge Wednesday after pleading guilty to causing a disturbance, bringing an end to the legal saga that has hung over the star quarterback, even as his stellar on-field performances brought McMaster its first Vanier Cup in school history. The fourth-year student, who was initially charged with one count of assault and two counts of assaulting a police officer, will serve a oneyear probation, including a ban on alcohol and a ban from TwelvEighty during that period. “We’re very pleased with the decision,” said Dean Paquette, Quinlan’s lawyer. “It’s a positive result from what was a very unfortunate event.” Quinlan became a near household name in November when he led the Marauders to their first ever Vanier Cup. Just weeks earlier, however, that outcome looked highly unlikely when Quinlan was handed a three-game suspension by the Marauders for violating the Student Code of Conduct. Following a 48-21 home loss to the Western Mustangs on Sept. 10, Quinlan got into an altercation with police outside TwelvEighty, apparently after trying to enter the bar without showing an entry wristband. Fortunately for the Marauders, Quinlan was able to return to the lineup on Oct. 6 against the University of Toronto, where he led the team to a 50-14 win. The team never looked back, winning their next six games including the national championship contest in Vancouver. “From what we can tell, he got drunk and made a mistake, as many students do,” said Crown attorney Toni Skarica. “He shouldn’t have to deal with a relatively small mistake for the rest of his life.” Numerous character references were provided to the court, including one from McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek describing Quinlan as “one of the finest young men I have had the privilege of working with.” “We all know he’s an outstanding athlete, but he’s also an outstanding character, and the incident was not reflective of that,” said Paquette, who added that he was glad the incident “was put in proper context. Kyle is an exemplary character who did something wrong fueled by alcohol and he recognizes that. “He’s talked about very favourably by everyone, and it’s obvious he cares a lot about his family, his team and the McMaster community.” Skarica said that Quinlan’s sentence wasn’t influenced by his relatively well-known name. “This isn’t any different than the sentence that most students would get. In fact, he’s probably already been punished more than the average student would be because of all the publicity and the suspension from playing football,” said Skarica. Quinlan, who has one year of CIS eligibility remaining, is scheduled to be part of the CFL’s Evaluation Camp this weekend in Toronto.
Est. 1930
Remodelling education and research funding Drummond report caps university growth, potentially at the cost of Tuition Grant
VOLUME 82, NO. 23
INSIDE
The Sil
THIS WEEK
INSIDEOUT
INSIDEOUT LOOKS AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL PILLS AND HOLISTIC MEDICINE. SEE C4
SPORTS
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Don Drummond, chair of the CROPC, proposed recommendations to mitigate deficits. provide a foundation for lifelong the current five per cent ceiling on learning, foster innovation and ef- tuition increases, but contends that ficiently deliver quality education. individual institutions hold the re“We see no reason why Ontario Quality of post-secondary edu- sponsibility of allocating funding to cannot have the best public services cation has seen a decline across the their programs within the ceiling. in the world – with the proviso that Province as a result of well-recog- A mere 1.5 per cent increase in they must come at a cost Ontarians nized factors, including a greater funding for post-secondary educacan afford,” said a report from the number of sessional instructors, tion is not expected to keep pace Commission on the Reform of On- larger class sizes and reduced stu- with the increasing demand for tario’s Public Services, released on dent-professor interaction. higher education or inflation, thus Feb. 15. Additionally, Ontario currently calling on individual institutions to The report out“find efficiencies to lines recommendapreserve, if not entions for the reallohance quality.” We see no reason why Ontario cation of provincial A wide-spread cannot have the best public services funding in numerconcern for postin the world- with the proviso that ous public service secondary students domains – includis the lack of dedicathey must come at a cost ing post-secondary tion to education on Ontarians can afford.” education – in an the part of profeseffort to revitalize sors. Ontario’s economic “I have, with prospects without increasing taxes. supports a system with the lowest some professors, felt like they The plan suggests a system- per-student grant funding in Cana- would much rather be anywhere atic reduction in program spending da, paving the way for increases in else except in front of the classroom while avoiding the privatization of tuition that exceed the inflation rate. talking to us,” said Ankita Dubey, a healthcare and education. The re- A tuition-freeze as a solution fourth-year Psychology student at port clearly indicates the need to in- has not been identified to be in the McMaster. vest in those domains that can bring best interests of students, as it would The report calls for a revision about future gains. likely diminish the university expe- to research funding structures and One such domain is post-sec- rience and the quality of education. more rewards and incentives for efondary education, in which five key The report recommends a fective teaching practices. A shift in objectives were outlined: it must maximum of 1.5 per cent annual favour of research spread across the educate an increasing proportion of increase in post-secondary educa- province between 1997 and 2003, the population, contribute to equali- tion funding. With respect to tu• PLEASE SEE FUNDING, A5 ty in social and economic outcomes, ition increases, the report supports Farzeen Foda
Senior News Editor
Gmail @ Mac
During Reading Week, McMaster undergraduate students had their email accounts integrated into the new Google Email system. Check out what students have to say about the transition. Please see A4.
THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM BEATS WINDSOR TO SET UP AN OUA SEMIFINAL AGAINST THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. SEE S4-5
ANDY
MCMASTER MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY’S PRODUCTION OF INTO THE WOODS WOWS AUDIENCES. SEE D8
OPINIONS
AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP IS A SCARCE COMMODITY, BUT NOT ONE OUT OF OUR IMMEDIATE REACH. SEE A11