Volume 22, Issue 7 - March 2023

The Sputnik,We Orbit Around You.

Volume 22, Issue 7 - March 2, 2023

News, pg. 3

News, pg. 4

Arts & Culture, pg. 8

Opinion, pg. 10

Sports, pg. 12

LAURIER DROPS MASK MANDATE

STUDENTS HUNT FOR HOUSING

UNITE AGAINST HATE

THE RISE OF CHAT GPT

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Students no longer required to wear masks in class

How the housing crisis is affecting student housing

Organization hosts Black History Month talk

AI’s implications for academia

A look at rookie Ayden Carr’s cross-country career

STUDENT HOUSING WOES

JEREMY VYN/PHOTGRAPHY EDITOR

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

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“Positive Psychology, it’s a subject every student can relate to and learn from” –Emily Ross, youth & children’s studies and psychology student,

“HS302, we learned about mental disorders, prevalences, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments.”

–Isabella Dalessandro, community health student

CONTRIBUTORS Serena Anagbe Ayse Aras Sienna Bilancia Victoria Blagdon Micaiah “Ahlex” Etti-Balogun

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ADVERTISING All advertising inquiries can be directed to Kurtis Rideout at kurtis.rideout@wlusp.com.

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–Aliyah Ishmail, UXD student

–Jess King, Social Media & Web Editor

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THURSDAY, MARCH. 2, 2023

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THE SPUTNIK · NEWS

CAMPUS

Laurier lifts last of mask requirements

Nearly 3 years since the start of the pandemic, mask requirments have been lifted ELISHA FELICIAN CONTRIBUTOR

NIDA SHANAR / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

As of Feb. 16, Laurier removed the mask mandate where everyone must wear a mask in instructional spaces like classrooms. The mandate has been effective since last winter semester.

On January 31st, 2022, most Laurier courses were held in-person on both campuses.

The mask requirement was held together with a mandatory vaccination status and was briefly removed on May 31st, 2022, for Spring and summer courses. It was put back in place at the beginning of Fall 2023.

“I think we should have a mask mandate at the very least in classroom settings. I think it’s a mistake to end it and it’s not good public health policy,” said Todd Gordon, associate professor of Law and Society.

“In general mask mandates in large congregate settings such as classrooms where there’s lots of people sitting in a confined space are good public health policy. I think the science shows it.

I don’t know what the objective is.

It seems arbitrary that they would end it now,” he said.

Gordon said it would be

best to leave the mandate to ensure the waste-water signals continue to decline. Waste-water signals are the rate at which Covid is circulating through the population.

Gordon said it is common for people to not wear masks outside.

“I think the responsibility for this is actually at a higher level.

It’s government, like the Ontario government, that has taken a very carefree, lackadaisical and I think irresponsible approach to public health around Covid-19.”

“For me at least, it’s not a huge deal in order to wear them if it’s to protect other people,” said Lindsey McCollum, second-year law and society student.

“If they want to make sure that Covid is relatively eradicated from their school before removing it, I think that’s better than removing it without really thinking,” she said.

She stated that the mask mandate was not being enforced in most cases.

“Even I would tend to not when no one else was wearing them because what was the point. There’s no point in a mask mandate if it’s not being enforced.

I would rather it be enforced or not enforced, especially in big classrooms.”

“When they first implemented the mask mandate, they were enforcing it a lot more,” said Shaylen Young, 5th year kinesiology student at Waterloo campus. “It varies from class to class, depending on the prof but most of the profs don’t enforce it too heavily.”

I think we should have a mask amndate at the very least in classroom settings. I think it’s a mistake to end it and it’s not a good public health policy.

-Todd Gordon, law & society professor

He said that removing the mask mandate after reading week gives a new start.

“In most of my classes, only half of them were wearing

the mask anyway. I think they saw that,” he said. “Also, the fact that most other places had gotten rid of their mask mandates as well. Those two factors were probably the biggest.”

“For the school, the classes are their main priority. All students need access to the classes and there were probably some people who felt uncomfortable without the mask.”

“I enjoy being without a mask just for convenience but the moment it looks like there’s an uptake in Covid if it’s of any consequence to my students or myself, I’m putting a mask back on,” said Jason Robinson, an associate professor of Brantford Foundations.

Robinson presently teaches five classes and around 500 students in in-person classes.

“There are functional drawbacks to wearing a mask as a lecturer,” he said “but these are pretty easy to mitigate with modern technology,” he said.

He said that he understands and appreciates that Laurier is trying to have everyone’s best interests in mind. “There’s nobody sitting behind the scenes laughing

that they were able to get people to wear masks. I think they really do have the best intentions of all participants at heart.”

Robinson said that some faculty members have immunocompromised systems. He said that they need to rely on the respect of their students to keep them safe. “It’s wonderful to see students going out their way they themselves are not high-risk to try to ensure the safety of others around them. It’s quite nice to see.”

“It’s important to remember that professors are not only your teachers, but they are workers on the campus. It is a workers’ healthy and safety issue,” said Gordon.

Laurier was one of five remaining universities where masks were still necessary. On the Waterloo campus, Kamil Bachouchi went viral for wearing unconventional items like leaves of lettuce in place of a mask.

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THE SPUTNIK · NEWS

WORLD

The aftermath of the earthquakes in Turkey & Syria February earthquakes leave many without homes AYSE ARAS CONTRIBUTOR

NIDA SHANAR / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Islamic Relief Canada’s website is currently accepting donations

In February, multiple earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria, largely affecting the Turkish cities Gaziantep and Hatay.

On Feb. 6, an earthquake with a 7.8-magnitude hit regions

of Turkey and northwestern Syria, this was followed by another 6.3-magnitude earthquake on Feb. 20, which devastated the entire city of Hatay. Gaziantep Castle, a 2000-year-old historical landmark,

was left in ruins.

The earthquakes took the lives of over 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria, making them some of the most fatal natural disasters known in history.

Many countries around the world continue to send help to civilians in need of food, shelter and rescue from the rubble. The aid includes search teams from the EU. There are arrangements for the reconstruction of the homes of people who have been left homeless in the aftermath of the earthquakes, but the process of rebuilding will be lengthy.

Though social media has been useful to gain contact from civilians in need of help, Twitter was shut down in Turkey, which made rescue efforts more difficult. Many successful rescues miraculously

took place days after people had waited in the wreckage Lower magnitude earthquakes and tremors are still taking place and causing damage around multiple cities in southern Turkey.

Turkish citizens have showed resentment toward the municipalities responsible for constructing the now-collapsed buildings, due to the possibility that this enormous destruction could have been avoided. The structure of the buildings in Turkey were poorly designed for a seismically active (prone to earthquakes) zone, making the cities vulnerable to mass destruction after these major earthquakes.

Civilians are angry that the buildings were not constructed with durable architecture or materials suited to survive earthquakes

despite Turkey having the technology to monitor seismic activity and avoid catastrophes. The taxes citizens have been paying towards the prevention of damages caused by earthquakes also proved to be inadequate, only amplifying the disappointment of the Turkish people.

Researchers predict that another massive earthquake with a magnitude of about 7.0 will eventually occur in Istanbul. Many civilians are concerned about this news and agree that the loss of such a beautiful and historic city with such a large population would be devastating.

HOUSING

Students hunt for housing amid crisis As rental prices continue to soar, the market for student housin remains tight LAUREN KUIVENHOVEN LEAD NEWS REPORTER

The housing crisis has taken a toll on students at Wilfrid Laurier University, as rent prices continue to climb and housing options decrease.

Balancing the cost of rent with tuition, groceries, gas, and insurance is “more of survival before luxury,” said Wonu Oluwo, a second-year law and society student.

She has picked up more shifts at her part-time job and is sometimes “really exhausted.”

Rent has risen along with the cost of utilities. “The gas, water, electricity, the insurance for our properties, that’s all gone up,” said Jason Nagy, a landlord in Brantford.

He didn’t raise rent

during the pandemic, but raised it this year, “in accordance with provincial guidelines,” said Nagy.

The Ontario government set the maximum amount for landlords to increase rent at 2.5 per cent.

Finding an apartment “was difficult,” said Aqsa Shafi, a second-year business technology management student.

Despite the monthly fee of $800 that she pays for one bedroom, the shared two-person apartment isn’t satisfactory, as “stuff breaks down on its own,” said Shafi.

“I have a really small room for the amount of money I’m paying for it,” said Shafi. Her landlord is making her pay more

rent than the advertised fee.

The demand for housing gave students little time to decide where to live.

“We had to rush through a process because there were other groups that were looking at it too,” said Thya Suresh, a second-year digital media and journalism student, about her shared 6-person apartment.

Many students and graduates are reluctant to give up their current home, “just for the sake of not having to find another place,” said Nagy.

Nagy said two of his 15 properties changed over in 2023, as opposed to the usual two to five changeover in previous years.

Oluwo can’t leave her

current place because she won’t “find anything for the same price,” she said.

More than 30 per cent of Oluwo’s income goes toward rent.

According to The Fostering Learning and Awareness on Student Housing survey, 87 per cent of Ontario students use 30 per cent of their income on rent.

Rent should’ve increased by 5.3 per cent to align with inflation. Nagy agreed with the government’s decision to cap rent increase at 2.5 per cent.

“Rent as a whole is out of control right now due to inflation, and I just think it would make it that much more difficult for the students,” said Nagy.

JEREMY VYN/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

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THE SPUTNIK · NEWS

LIBERAL ARTS

DMJ program suspends applications for 2023-24

JEREMY VYN/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Program no longer available for incoming first-year students LAUREN KUIVENHOVEN LEAD NEWS REPORTER

On Feb. 6, Wilfrid Laurier University students received an email announcing the suspension of the digital media and journalism program for incoming students in 2023-2024.

Janny Leung, the dean of liberal arts, suspended the program due to low enrollment rates and a need to reassess the program.

The program will be evaluated “to see whether it satisfies the needs of our current students,” said Leung.

There is no projected date for when the program will return as a bachelor’s degree for new students.

The current 33 DMJ students will not be affected by the

decision.

The email stated that the “decision will not have any impact on your academic journey, expected graduation date or accreditation.”

DMJ Associate Professor David Haskell said the decision won’t “affect anyone in terms of job opportunities.”

Incoming applicants who accepted the offer into the DMJ program were personally called by Leung, who “worked out a pathway for them to pursue their interests.”

Most applicants were diverted into an english or user experience design major, with a certificate in digital media skills.

“There’s not going to be any loss of jobs,” said Leung,

regarding the current DMJ faculty and staff.

We are just starting the process of reimagining what we could be doing with our current resources and people, -Janny Leung, dean, faculty of liberal arts

Faculty members will teach in other programs and con-

tinue to teach current journalism students.

If the program is discontinued, “we could create options and certificates in journalism,” said Haskell. This would allow faculty to continue teaching journalism.

“We are just starting the process of reimagining what we could be doing with our current resources and people,” said Leung.

People are limited, as the DMJ faculty lost two full-time professors to the UX program this year.

The DMJ program currently has three full-time professors, while the rest of the faculty are contract professors.

Enrollment is dropping as “full-time journalism jobs in general continue to decline,” said

Haskell.

His hope for the program moving forward is “to create some kind of opportunity where we are focused on journalism-styled courses, but maybe with a more public affairs focus.” Public affairs jobs are rising and this approach could be appealing to incoming journalism students.

Celine Shamon, a firstyear journalism student, says the program “can’t be so generalized.”

Instead of having a broad class about reporting, Shamon suggested to “break it down into different niches.” She wants to see classes geared toward specific types of reporting, such as news or sports.

THE SPUTNIK · FEATURES

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023 · 07

Sticks and stones my break my bones, but nature will forever calm me SERENA ANAGBE PHOTOGRAPHER JEREMY VYN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

It’s been a busy semester for many; I have yet to talk to someone who has been having a relaxing semester. On top of that, it’s winter time. Need I say more? In fact, I do. In time where the cold and barrenness seem to reign, we often forget that natural beauty still exists. It does, however, and this gallery aims to show that.

I have driven past this exact spot (picture above) for months, merely seeing it as an extra bit of road where the snowplow pushes its snow. Taking a moment to step back and look at this every-day presence, however, revealed an unexpected beauty and calmness.

Even a pile of sticks and stones can hold beauty. The lesson? Take time out of your day to analyze the ordinary and mundane; you’ll be surprised at how much beauty emerges.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · A&C

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Unite Against Hate kicks off speaker series Local organization hosts first event in community-building series MARYKA VAN WYNGAARDEN ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

On Friday, Feb. 10, Brantford-based organization Unite Against Hate held its first speaker series event in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Carnegie building.

The discussion focused on building community connections through learning about Brantford’s Black history and

strategizing for a safe and equitable future for Black and other racialized people in the city.

Tracy Cain, a Brantford-raised singer and educational advocate, gave an insightful presentation on Black-Canadian history using the stories of her own ancestors, who came to pres-

ent-day Ontario as freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad.

She routinely gives similar presentations at local elementary schools.

“When you talk about a family tree,” said Cain, “I’m more like a very dense forest.”

Cain’s third great-grand-

father, Andrew Lucas, was a coachman and body servant for Andrew Johnson, who later became the 17th U.S. President.

Lucas eventually ran from Tennessee and crossed into Canada at Black Rock, New York.

He moved from Kingston to Brantford in 1836, where he worked as an express horse rider and lived to be an estimated 120 years old, as written on his gravestone in Greenwood Cemetery.

Another ancestor of Cain’s is Joseph Mallot. Born in Alabama, Mallot first moved to the free state of Ohio before moving to Upper Canada in the early 1830s.

He lived and died in Queen’s Bush, which was the largest Black settlement of its time in what is now Ontario.

Cain is also the three times great-granddaughter of Allen Cooper, who was born in Virginia at the end of the 18th century. Like Mallot, Cooper moved to Ohio before moving to Upper Canada.

He landed in the North Buxton settlement near Chatham-Kent in 1851.

Cain’s parents, Doreen and Winston Johnson, also attended Friday’s event. The Johnsons were the first Black elementary and high school teachers in Brantford.

They also dedicated much of their lives to music ministry in the city, a talent that runs in the family.

A highlight of Cain’s presentation was her skilled live rendition of ‘Wade in the Water,’ a slave song where lyrics include code words enslaved people used to communicate and organize.

“Heaven” or “promised land” meant Canada. “Moses” was a way to refer to Harriett Tubman. “River Jordan” referred to the Ohio or Mississippi River.

Cain gave three reasons to know your own history: to rejoice in your ancestors’ contributions, to learn from their successes and mistakes and to be encouraged to make a difference in your community.

“That’s why I go to the schools,” said Cain. “I want them to learn. When they see my heart, they see more.”

The second speaker of the night was Kojo Damptey, the executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI).

Damptey spoke about his work with HCCI and the idea of community stewardship as a framework for making meaningful change.

“What use is a city when some have good things and others don’t have running water?” he asked the room, “When others live in tents?”

Damptey grew up in Ghana and moved to Hamilton in 2001.

“When I moved to Canada, I didn’t see myself as a Black person,” said Damptey. “I saw myself as an African, a Ghanian.”

He says navigating his own identity as an African immigrant in Canada helped him recognize that Black history, though it centralizes North America, is inherently connected to the history of the African diaspora.

One constant among all people of African descent, Damptey said, is the experience of erasure.

“That is why Black lives matter—because our stories are always erased, our stories are stolen.”

One example Damptey gave was in the name Sophia Pooley. Born into slavery in New York, Pooley was sold to Joseph Brant at seven years old and then to Samuel Hatt of Ancaster five years later. Her story is possibly the only known first-person account of slavery in Canada.

Yet, it is the names of the men who enslaved Pooley that are printed on street corners and buildings in both Brantford and Hamilton, not that of the woman whose life represents a pivotal piece of Canadian history.

As Cain said to open her presentation, “It’s not just Black history, it’s Canadian history.”

Amanda Mersereau co-founded Unite Against Hate in 2020 to provide Brantford with anti-racism tools and resources, to highlight local Black history and to create a network among the city’s Black-owned businesses.

Moving forward, Mersereau said she hopes the organization can help to not only dismantle racism in Brantford, but also build positive spaces for BIPOC and marginalized groups in place of hate.

To learn more about Unite Against Hate and upcoming community events, visit their website here or find them on socials @ uniteagainsthatebtfd.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · A&C

09

ENTERTAINMENT

The best uses of music in television Songs that elevated scenes from incredible to iconic MARISA CERASOLI LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

ping a child of their childhood and innocence reverberates throughout the episode, and Wonder’s musical contribution to the closing scene unnervingly ties everything together.

“Which Side Are You On?” by Pete Seeger – from Succession season 1, episode 6 The use of Pete Seeger’s socialist protest song “Which Side Are You On?” sets a chilling tone in the final scene of Succession’s sixth episode. Kendall Roy has spent the past few episodes trying to oust his father from his own company, and Logan Roy has just ruthlessly taken his son out first.

The haunting tune begins to play as we get a glimpse into just how much power Logan Roy wields; the President of the United States calls him, and Logan leaves him on hold, leveraging his own position to ask the President to proverbially scratch his back.

Despite audience sympathy for Kendall as the scene cuts to him dejectedly meandering through the New York streets knowing it’s all over for him now, the song’s staunchly anti-capitalist theme serves as a reminder that neither Kendall nor Logan’s side is better than the other. Ultimately, they’re both ultra-wealthy, power-hungry degenerates, or “lousy scabs,” as Seeger would put it.

SERENA ANAGBE/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Headphones on a laptop with Apple Music

There have been some pivotal moments in fictional television that have struck the cultural zeitgeist in significant and unexpected ways. Ross and Rachel’s first kiss, the Game of Thrones finale, the candy factory episode of I Love Lucy, etc.

Often, though, what elevates a scene beyond its already perfect execution is the song selected to accompany these moments, elevating scenes from incredible to iconic. Here are some of the best—or maybe simply, my favourite—uses of music in television.

“Baby Blue” by Badfinger – from Breaking Bad season 5, episode 16 Is there a better way to end what is arguably the greatest television series of all time than with a classic rock tune that perfectly encapsulates the show’s flawlessly executed ending?

Badfinger’s 1971 hit “Baby Blue” begins to play as a fatally wounded Walter White picks up that

ever-familiar gas mask he had used so many times during his methamphetamine production.

“I guess I got what I deserved,” sings Pete Ham as Walt solemnly caresses his old cooking equipment, his final moments of contemplation over everything he destroyed at the hands of creating his own precious “baby blue” meth.

The series, and Walter White, end where they began—in the lab—and the song could not be more specific to Walt’s journey if it had been written in 2013 specifically for the show. The final shot pans out as Walt lies on the ground after being killed by his own invention, a small glimmer of satisfaction spreading across his face.

“The special love I have for you, my baby blue” is the final lyric as the screen turns black and “Executive Producer: Vince Gilligan” appears one last time. Bravo, Vince.

“The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel – from Scrubs season 8, episode 19

It would be impossible to make this list and not mention Scrubs, a series that employs popular music more effectively than probably any other TV show in history. I’m crying even as I write this, since I just rewatched what should have been (and in my mind, is) the final scene from this tremendous comedy-drama (season 9 didn’t happen), set to Peter Gabriel’s cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love.”

Main character J.D. imagines his beautiful future filled to the brim with the love and silliness we watched him grow into over eight seasons. J.D. watches on teary-eyed as he gets married, has a child, and the show’s three central couples celebrate Christmas together with all their children.

Gabriel’s string-heavy rendition of the 90s tune offers the perfect soundtrack to J.D.’s glimpse toward the future that he spent so long fearing.

“The book of love is long and boring,” wails Gabriel in the song’s iconic first line, and J.D. has a blank book of love open in front

of him.

“Evil” by Stevie Wonder – from Atlanta season 2, episode 6 While Atlanta is a kaleidoscope of several genres, I think I can confidently say ‘Teddy Perkins’ is the most bone-chilling episode of the series; the closing scene set to Stevie Wonder’s “Evil” cements it as such.

Darius spends the episode with its unhinged titular character, whom we discover was severely abused at the hands of his father. Teddy continuously speaks of his brother Benny, but Darius has a nagging feeling that Benny isn’t actually real.

The episode’s twists and turns culminate into a frightening conclusion, in which Benny kills Teddy and then himself. Darius and the audience are left to ponder the repercussions of what on earth they just watched, and the lamenting piano of “Evil” plays on as a deeply disturbed Darius drives away.

The theme of abuse strip-

“Stars” by Nina Simone – from BoJack Horseman season 3, episode 12 A magnificently beautiful song for what is inarguably one of the best scenes of the series, Nina Simone sings of stars who come and go as BoJack aimlessly drives out of California following his reflection on the death of Sarah-Lynn, for which he is somewhat responsible.

BoJack presses down on the gas pedal, soon going treacherously fast, before closing his eyes and removing his hands from the steering wheel in what appears to be a suicide attempt.

The song builds as BoJack spots something in the corner of his eye that makes him slam on the breaks: a pack of horses running freely in the desert. BoJack’s expression changes to one of a hopeful realization, and a partial callback to his hero Secretariat’s advice. He is at rock bottom now, but he can change; he just needs to keep moving forward and never look back.

s THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · OPINION

10

TECHNOLOGY

Chat GPT: You can’t get away with it New technology brings new ethical implications for education MEAGAN HODGETTS OPINIONS EDITOR

Maybe you live under a rock and haven’t seen the latest AI auto generator. If that is the case, allow me to introduce you. Chat GPT is a new AI software that uses writing prompts, such as “write an essay on the creation of marshmallows”, to generate and spit out fully written, seemingly well researched blurbs, messages or possibly full essays.

While the technology itself is fun to play around with, it does raise concerns for the possibility of plagiarism if we’re looking at it from an academic standpoint.

Most schools haven’t updated plagiarism policies to include condemning the use of AI to write your papers for you – and rightly so, we’re in a new digital age that is going to come with new hurdles.

What is the threat then to plagiarism, academic integrity and so on from this genius bot who is shockingly well written? Well, the risks are seemingly being stamped out before a problem can start.

Turnitin.com, the plagiarism detection software used by

most schools, stated that they are equipped to detect plagiarism aided by bots and AI generation, according to an article on hitc.com written by Darcy Rafter.

They also mentioned that they can and will upgrade their software to be aware of AI generators such as Chat GPT and those that are likely to appear in the coming years – if not, months.

Turnitin.com is designed to scan student submissions for plagiarised or unoriginal content, which means it is also already likely effective against AI writing tools. These well-written messages and essays don’t just come from some pocket of intelligence within the AI bots – it all comes from the internet! This is also Turnitin. com’s main source of reference for detecting plagiarism.

And although Chat GPT does do a shockingly good job at making things seem well-written for being AI-generated, there is technology developed and being further developed that analyzes machine-generated text according

to Rafter’s article.

What does this mean? If you thought you could get away with it, you likely cannot. We all want a hand during midterms and exam season, but this won’t be the

hand for you unless you’re okay with the academic consequences.

Keep your morals and ethics in the right spot and just use Chat GPT to help you craft a smart call-in message to your boss or a

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

quick apology text to your mom for not making it home for dinner on the weekend.

COMMUNITY

Black History Month at Laurier Brantford How Laurier Brantford celebrates and honours Black history SIENNA BILANCIA CONTRIBUTOR

SERENA ANAGBE/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

A Black Student Collective (BSC) hoodie

Last month was February and Black History Month, a month dedicated to the learning and remem-

bering of our Black communities.

After some research and speaking with Brianna Alexander,

the co-president for the Black Student Collective here at Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford, I have found out about a bunch of events, courses and information available in our community.

The school has some academic courses that are offered throughout the year and there is also a page on the Laurier website dedicated to students sharing their stories. Now, it is not directly related to Black History Month, but it is still something special that the school has that many of us probably did not know about.

There are many events held here on the Brantford campus that are available to all students during and outside of Black History Month. There are events relating to the different parts of Black histories, traditions and communities.

Some of these events are offered over Zoom and some are in-person to make them accessible to all.

The Black Student Collective had their Annual Black History Month Gala, “An All Black Affair” on Feb. 17. The night was a great success and you can find some fabulous photos from the event on their Instagram account, @bsc. laurier.

As well, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CSEDI) and Laurier International collaborated on a drop-in lunch, which included many different foods from Nigeria, South Africa and Ethiopia to bring a taste of Black history and culture to campus for all to learn and appreciate.

After speaking with Alexander, I learned that I am not the only one who did not know that some of these events and other opportunities were available to us on the Brantford campus.

The support of the student body is not there for these

events. After talking with Alexander, we do not know if people are just not wanting to come out to the events or if they do not know when or what they are.

A way that we could maybe reach more people is possible through advertisements on the school broadcasting system, the one we see on the TV in the Research and Academic Centre, or even through our bi-weekly email blast. The school has resources they could be using to make more events known to the student body or even tell us how to contact or use these resources for ourselves.

Hopefully, more of us are in attendance at these important events and can support our fellow students and honour what Black History Month represents and encourages here at Laurier Brantford.

THURDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

INFINITUM

THE SPUTNIK · INFINITUM

GRAPHICS

The narrow-minded woman MICAIAH ‘‘AHLEX” ETTI-BALOGUN CONTRIBUTER

The titular woman awash in red light, small eyes turned uncertainly away from the gaze of the viewer. She passively ignores consideration, not a single thought behind her eyes.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · SPORTS

CROSS-COUNTRY

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Ayden Carr A look at the rookie cross-country runner’s year JACKSON RICE SPORTS LEAD REPORTER

After an incredible rookie season, Ayden Carr, a first-year student-athlete, is ready to take the next step in his athletic career.

Carr finished up his first season as an athlete on Laurier Brantford’s varsity cross country team. He accomplished more than he expected, qualifying for nationals as an individual and finishing in the top 20 at provincials.

“My expectations were really low entering my rookie season,” said Carr. “I had never considered myself a good runner and to even had been put in the spot to be a part of a collegiate sport team was kind of crazy to me.”

He thought of himself as more of a basketball or soccer player rather than a runner. Becoming a university athlete never ran through his mind, and he had other options before choosing Laurier.

Like most cross-country runners here at Laurier, he was given a chance by head coach, Cory Currie.

“I was hesitant at first,” said Carr.

“But after Cory texted me about the opportunity to run for [the] cross country team and meeting the team, I just knew I had to be a part of it.”

Carr instantly made an impact on the men’s team, finishing in the top 20 in three out of the five races last season.

At provincials, Carr put his name in the history books, becoming only the second male runner to qualify for nationals as a rookie individual.

“Making nationals was a surreal experience because I had no expectations of making it there in my rookie season,” said Carr.

On a cold, snowy day in Medi-

cine Hat, Alta., Carr would finish off his sensational rookie season placing in the 65th spot at nationals.

Carr looks to add more to his athletic resume next season and has a lot more boxes he would like to check off before his career at Laurier is finished.

“I would like to finish in the top 14 in Ontario to make an all-Ontario team and help the men’s team finish in the top 3 at provincials”, something that’s never been done before said Carr. “It would be super cool to be a part of history.”

It will be a long wait until the start of the next season, but the team is already training and preparing for it.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / LAURIER ATHLETICS

Ayden Carr, rookie cross-country runner

INDOOR SOCCER

Indoor soccer teams play in regionals at Conestoga Men’s & women’s teams play in George Brown invitational JACKSON RICE SPORTS LEAD REPORTER

The Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford Golden Hawks’ men’s and women’s varsity indoor soccer team are getting ready to compete at Regionals on Feb. 27.

The women’s team looks to repeat last season and qualify for Provincials again for the second time in school history. On the other hand, the men’s team looks to qualify for Provincials for the first time in school history.

“I think both teams have put in a lot of work over the past month since seeing what they needed to work on after the invitational tournament,” said Kara Hughes, an assistant coach for Laurier Brantford’s varsity soccer team.

“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for both teams to show how hard they’ve worked and how they’ve been able to come

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / LAURIER ATHLETICS

together as a team.”

The women’s team has a difficult group in front of them. The path to Provincials will be a tough one, but the women have a lot of confidence.

“I think that we have a really good chance at winning all four games out of the pool that we are in,” said Madison Pitts-bray, a second-year student-athlete for

Laurier Brantford.

The women’s team kicks off Regionals at 8:20 a.m. against Sault College.

On the other hand, the men’s team is looking to create history and qualify for Provincials.

The men’s team is hungry after a disappointing last season.

“Game plan heading into Regionals is to battle from start to

finish and capitalize on our chances,” said Godiva Collins, the captain of the Laurier Brantford men’s varsity indoor soccer team. “If we can execute our team’s defensive and offensive structure, we can go through.”

Just like the women’s team, the men’s team is young with only a few returning players, so this will be a tough challenge for rookies who have never experienced the pressure of Regionals.

“Since this may be the last tournament of the season, I am prepared to leave everything on the field,” said Luis Sandoval, a first-year student-athlete at Laurier Brantford.

The men’s team kicks off their tournament at 9:20 a.m. against Durham College.

The Golden Hawks look to make the school proud at Regionals and are working to hang another banner in the gymnasium.