January 25, 2016

vol. cXXXvi, no. 14

T he UniversiTy

of

ToronTo’s sTUdenT newspaper since 1880

25 JanUary 2016

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

U of T strikes Truth and Reconciliation steering committee

Since women gained entry to U of T, we have fought for an equal place in this institution.

Native Students’ Association supports mandatory Indigenous studies credit EMILY COLERO VARSITY STAFF

130 years and counting

In the wake of the recent release of the full report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), U of T president Meric Gertler and U of T vice president and provost Cheryl Regehr have struck a university-wide steering committee to review and implement the TRC’s conclusions. The committee was created on January 15.

The TRC released its historic final report which includes a total of 94 “Calls to Action.” These “Calls to Action” are recommendations that cover steps institutions and people can take towards expediting reconciliation. Many of them involve educational reforms.

Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo, coordinator of U of T’s Council of Aboriginal Initiatives and director of Aboriginal student services at U of T’s First Nations House, alongside professor Stephen Toope, director of the Munk School of Global Affairs, are the steering committee’s co-chairs. Community Elders Lee Maracle and Andrew Wesley are also confirmed to be providing “guidance and wisdom” to the committee.

“The steering committee will be guiding the implementation of the Terms of Reference. I will participate in the same way all the members of the committee do,” said Maracle.

“The role of the committee is to consider the recommendations of the TRC and implement those that are relevant to the university. Students and faculty can become involved in the working groups attached to the steering committee and projects the committee proposes to undertake,” Maracle continued.

Other supporters of the committee include associate professor Sandy Welsh, vice provost, students, and professor Sioban Nelson, vice provost, academic programs and faculty and academic life, who will work closely with academic divisions and other stakeholders following the TRC’s Terms of Reference.

PG 12

Continued on PG 3

CAMPUS POLITICS

Students For Life group sues UTMSU over club status Pro-life group alleges UTMSU violated its own policies IRIS ROBIN NEWS EDITOR

UTM Students For Life (UTM SFL) has commenced legal proceedings against the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) on the grounds that the union did not renew the club’s status for the 2015–2016 year.

According to the legal Affidavit of Diane Zettel, one of three applicant parties and president of UTM SFL, the UTMSU did not recognize the club because of its stance on abortion.

“Students For Life, which has been recognized by UTMSU in the past, was not recognized for the upcoming school year due to their stance on abortion, in terms of being pro-life and using their platform to tell women what they should do in those situations,” said Russ Adade, UTMSU vice-president, campus life, in a report to the UTMSU Board of Directors dated August 24, 2015. Adade’s report is referenced and included in its entirety as an accompanying document to Zettel’s affidavit.

Adade allegedly told UTM SFL that its constitution

conflicted with the UTMSU’s mission statement on the basis that “[UTM SFL is] telling folks, especially women, what to do with their bodies” and that “you folks can’t put them down for making a decision that doesn’t fit with your mandate.”

The Notice of Application claims that the UTMSU did not provide UTM SFL with adequate reasons to understand and address their concerns.

Continued on PG 5

INSIDE Driving disruption

The introduction of Uber has pulled back the veil on a corrupt cab industry in Toronto Comment PG 9

In conversation with Atom Egoyan

Film director and Order of Canada recipient sits down with The Varsity to discuss how he got his start at U of T Arts PG 14

U of T surgeons make landmark achievement

How a multidisciplinary group pulled off the first successful hand and arm transplant in Canadian history Science PG 18

The thrust of fencing

An in-depth look at one of the least understood Varsity sports on campus Sports PG 21

2 NEWS

T H E VA R S I T Y

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Issue 14 Vol. CXXXVI

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TRUTH AND RECONC I L I AT ION The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released the “Calls to Action” in June 2015. In December 2015, the full report was published. Here are some of the recommendations:

1.

Vacant Associate Sports Editor

3.

Copy Editors Lucas Bennett, Kieran Buckingham, Rochelle D’Souza, Krista Gjatay, Alex Howie, Jasper Lim, Hilary Lo, Evan Maude, Lauren Park, Sophia Savva, Mariya-Kvitlana Tsap, Catherine Virelli, and Gabriel Wee

the cases of the missing and murdered Ab-

ernment and governing bodies to provide

original women and girls. The government

appropriate environments and ensure social

1.

announced that they would launch the inquiry

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2.

4.

The commission calls on all levels of gov-

workers are educated on and consider the

ernment to fully implement and adopt the

history of residential schools.

“United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”.

The commission calls on the federal government to close the gap in educational achievement and

Designers Judy Hu, Jasjeet Matharu, Komal Somjee, and Chantel Teng

The TRC calls for a national public inquiry into

in care. The TRC calls on all levels of govresources that keep children in culturally

Lead Fact Checkers Ujwal Ganguly and Corinne Przybslawski

Parsa Jebely Business Manager

To reduce the number of Aboriginal children

5.

The commission calls upon churches and

healthcare outcomes between Aboriginal and

clergy, including the Pope, to issue apolo-

non-Aboriginal peoples.

gies for the role that the church had in the

The commission calls upon the federal govern-

abuses of residential schools. The TRC also

ment as well, as the provinces and territories, to

calls for the church to work with Indigenous

provide community resources and support for

leaders to respec t Indigenous spirituality

those diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

and establish permanent funding for heal-

Disorder (FASD) and to enact exemption for

ing and cultural projec ts.

offenders affected by FASD.

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U of T taking steps to implement TRC “Calls to Action” CONTINUED FROM COVER

NATIVE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION CALL FOR MANDATORY INDIGENOUS STUDIES CLASS The Native Students’ Association (NSA) recently circulated a petition calling on the university to implement a mandatory Indigenous studies credit across all levels of education. The petition, which was posted on Change.org last week, had 476 supporters at press time.

“The topic of Indigenous studies is relevant to everyone who was born or resides in this country as it is an often overlooked but essential factor in the search to fully understand our collective Canadian history and identity, regardless of one’s ethnic background,” said Matthew Cappella, Maten Clan Leader of the NSA. “There are so many Canadians that are not educated on Indigenous people in Canada. I see this everyday in my classes. The University of Winnipeg and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay have already approved mandatory Indigenous studies for undergrads,” said Roy Stebel, Bear Clan Leader with the NSA. The movement in support of a mandatory Indigenous studies course now directly responds to Call 62 of the TRC, which calls for funding and for the inclusion of Aboriginal knowledge on high school and university curricula.

“The University of Toronto is far overdue in keeping up to speed on such an important issue. It is about time that university students begin to have a better understanding of Indigenous Canadians, this will ensure a stronger more succinct nation for our future,” said Stebel.

According to the NSA, the steering committee has yet to reach out to them, and NSA members hope to be included in the process.

“At this point we know very little of the committee. Unfortunately we have not been contacted by anyone yet either. However, since we are already responding to Call 62 of the TRC Calls to Action, we are confident that at least one of our members will be selected for the committee,” said Dhanela Paran, Loon Leader, and Audrey Rochette, Crane Leader, in a joint statement.

“In fact we are hoping to have at least three of our council on the committee due to the tangible work we do everyday, every month, and every year on campus and [the] impact we have not only through thoughtful discussions but through our events, campaigns, community work, and dedication to our goals. We do this work already and our insight could be very valuable as student leaders,” they added.

COMMITTEE SET TO HAVE “WORKING GROUPS” “I am Mohawk, so this impacts many people in Indigenous communities and myself,” said Hamilton-Diabo. We want to be able to increase the inclusion of Indigenous people in the post-secondary sector and society where many members have disadvantages. [This is] me working for my community,” he added.

Hamilton-Diabo says the committee will look at all mechanisms available to them when considering a mandatory course in Indigenous studies for all students at U of T. “First Nations House have been putting it out there on behalf of the NSA we support any activity the NSA puts forward to recommend change, and I think it is a important piece and we are well aware of the work they are doing and interested in seeing larger discussion that needs to take place. Should this go ahead, it would need to involve other areas.

It sparks a very needed discussion,” commented Hamilton-Diabo on the NSA’s petition.

The First Nations House is a hub of resources for Indigenous students at U of T. IRIS ROBIN/NEWS EDITOR

“I think we would definitely be looking at having a wide range of people that can be a benefit to the committee. [There will be] lots of opportunity for people to get involved. We will create working groups,” he said on the committee’s development.

For his part, Hamilton-Diabo is looking forward to exploring Indigenous language courses, which are currently offered at U of T. Courses teaching Indigenous languages were named in the 94 “Calls to Action” as an aspect of knowledge that post-secondary institutions should share and promote.

The committee is expected to present an interim report to Regehr and Gertler by July 1, 2016 and a final report by December 31, 2016.

Nominations for faculty, staff, and students to sit on the steering committee will close on January 25, 2016.

CALLS TO ACTION AND UNIVERSITIES The TRC Calls to Action that apply to postsecondary institutions include: asking univer-

sities to create degree and diploma programs in Aboriginal languages; requiring students at medical and nursing schools to take a course specifically related to Aboriginal health issues; requiring law students to take a course in Indigenous law; and educating future social and child welfare workers about the effects and legacy of residential schools for Aboriginal communities and families.

U of T currently offers courses related to Indigenous issues within these disciplines; however, not all programs require an Indigenous studies course to graduate.

The university also houses services for Indigenous students such as the First Nations House, the Council on Aboriginal Initiatives, the Indigenous Language Initiative, and the Indigenous Health Science Group. The most recent initiative is the newly established Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous health, a research institute dedicated to the health of Indigenous Canadians.

CAMPUS POLITICS

UTSU settles lawsuit with former president Yolen Bollo-Kamara Proceedings against former executive director, former vice president, internal ongoing thorized 2,589.5 hours of overtime pay for Hudson, bringing the total of her severance package to $247,726.40, which roughly reflects 10 per cent of the union’s operating budget. This is despite the fact that Hudson had never claimed any overtime hours in the time that she had worked for the union.

TOM YUN

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) has settled its legal dispute with former president Yolen Bollo-Kamara. The UTSU announced in a joint statement with Bollo-Kamara that it is no longer pursuing the lawsuit against her, and that a settlement had been reached.

The UTSU’s Board of Directors approved the settlement on January 23. The settlement includes an affidavit from Bollo-Kamara, the contents of which are sealed. The joint statement, however, reveals some of the information from the affidavit.

According to the statement, Bollo-Kamara had sworn under oath that she “did not receive a financial benefit relating to the payment of Ms. [Sandra} Hudson.” The statement also claims that because of Bollo-Kamara’s close relationship with Hudson, Hudson was able to convince Bollo-Kamara — who is responsible for signing the cheques — that she was entitled to the payments. Furthermore, Hudson allegedly told Bollo-Kamara that she had sought legal advice on the Termination Agreement and other documents from DLA Piper, to which DLA Piper has denied.

“Therefore, from the position of the UTSU, Ms. Bollo-Kamara was following the direc-

The UTSU’s Board of Directors approved a settlement with Yolen Bollo-Kamara at the January 23 meeting.

NATHAN CHAN/ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

tion of Ms. Hudson who she believed had property authority and had consulted legal counsel,” read a portion of the statement.

The terms of the settlement remain confidential. Whether any money was involved in the settlement remains unconfirmed. Bollo-Kamara’s legal counsel did not respond to The Varsity’s requests for comment.

In September 2015, The Varsity reported that the UTSU had initiated a lawsuit against its former executive director Sandra Hudson and former vice president, internal and services, Cameron Wathey, in addition to Bollo-Kamara.

The UTSU’s statement of claim alleges that in the time leading up to Hudson’s departure, Bollo-Kamara and Wathey fraudulently au-

BOLLO-KAMARA AND WATHEY FILED THEIR NOTICES TO DEFEND IN OCTOBER. In December 2015, Hudson moved to countersue the union for $300,000 in damages.

Hudson claimed that the overtime payouts were standard practice and that she had frequently worked long hours despite not filing for overtime. She also alleged that the new executive would have created a hostile environment for her and that the UTSU violated the non-disparagement and confidentiality clauses of the termination. The UTSU has denied these allegations.

Coleman confirmed that the proceedings against Wathey and Hudson are ongoing. He told The Varsity that he wants to see the money returned and that the union prefers a non-court resolution by means of arbitration or mediation.

“It’s really just about the resources that the UTSU had that left the door,” said Coleman.

“So, ideally, we’d like it resolved in an amicable way.”

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TUITION

Ontario students call for freeze on tuition Provincewide, groups lobby for new tuition framework, increased accessibility EMILY JOHNPULLE

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

As tuition fees in Ontario continue to rise above the national average, student groups across the province are calling for post-secondary education a funding reform.

On January 11, the Ontario Undergraduate Students’ Alliance (OUSA) launched a weeklong campaign with its eight affiliated universities called TimeOut Tuition.

The OUSA proposed that the next tuition framework set by the provincial government should increase their investments in universities and reallocate the $340 million currently used for tuition, textbook, and education tax credits. Under the current funding model, which is set to expire in 2017, there are tuition increases of three to five per cent.

“What we wanted to see was a redistribution of these funds to more effective means of financial assistance both through forms of a tuition freeze[...] and also through an expansion of things like OSAP and the Ontario Tuition Grant,” said OUSA president Spencer Nestico-Semianiw.

The OUSA is also concerned that Ontario has since become a pub-

licly-assisted, rather than publiclyfunded education system, despite Ontario having increased its operating grants by $2.2 billion since 2002–2003. Grants to colleges and universities are also projected to increase by $46 million in 2015-2016.

“The descriptors of ‘publiclyassisted’ and ‘publicly-funded’ are interchangeable. The Ontario government provides public funding to all public universities and colleges,” said Tanya Blazina, spokesperson for the ministry.

The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS-O), of which the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) is a member, ran a campaign called The Hikes Stop Here in 2013. That campaign also called on the government to rescind the current tuition framework.

“It is really encouraging to see other students in the province joining this call for more affordable education and we’re excited that folks are calling for a freeze in tuition fees. We hope to continue to further that call,” said Rajean Hoilett, CFS-O chairperson.

According to recent polling by the CFS and the Canadian Association of University Teachers, 90 per cent

The Ontario Legislative Building at Queen’s Park JOSEPH MORRIS/CC FLICKR

of Ontarians believe that tuition fees should be reduced or frozen.

Polling also revealed that over 60 per cent of students are forced to cut back on food costs, and almost half of full-time students work during the school year.

Hoilett said that the CFS will continue to call for affordable and

accessible education with an upcoming Fight the Fees campaign, which is intended to pressure the government to replace student loans with grants, reduce tuition fees, and centre access to education among marginalized populations.

“Our government looks forward to working closely with student

leaders and our post-secondary institutions to develop a renewed tuition framework that continues to limit tuition fees and keeps postsecondary education accessible for all students,” said Blazina.

CAMPUS POLITICS

UTSU condemns RSU staff changes Restructuring includes laying off two employees, hiring new general manager DEVIKA DESAI

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) has distanced itself from the neighbouring Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) following a restructuring of the RSU’s staff on December 1.

The controversial move involved laying off long-term executive director of communications and outreach (EDCO) Gilary Massa and her replacement, Dina Skvirsky, while she was on parental leave,in order to create a new position for a general manager.

The UTSU released a statement

The Ryerson Student Campus Centre, home of the RSU. MAISHA ISLAM/THE VARSITY

on January 14 in which they condemned the RSU’s treatment of Massa and Skvirsky, as well as their decision to hire Natasha Campagna to fill the general manager’s role.

“It is important for students’ unions to demonstrate a commitment to open and equitable hiring as part of our commitment to fighting oppression and promoting equity.

It is the UTSU’s position that the RSU has acted in violation of the core values of equitability and hiring in restructuring their organization,” read a portion of the statement.

Andrea Bartlett, RSU president, explained that the “organization faced serious operational challenges,” which prompted the restructuring. Bartlett pointed to issues such as inadequate human resources training, lack of a formal system to track overtime, and an absence of an objective person to negotiate collective bargaining with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 1281, the union representing RSU staff.

“These issues costs [sic] the RSU thousands of dollars of student money each year,” she remarked.

According to Bartlett, an independent third-party conducted a staffing review, the results of which recommended changes such as hiring a non-unionized general man-

ager and eliminating the position of EDCO. “Reviewers found the position to be redundant as many of its functions were being done by other employees and work was simply being passed through the EDCO,” she stated.

The UTSU criticized these actions for perpetuating structural oppression, referring to the firing of Massa, who is “black, visibly Muslim and a new parent.”

“In a labour market demarcated by race and gender, the firing of these two women effects their further marginalization, especially in the absence of equitable and open hiring practices,” read the statement.

The statement further condemns the RSU’s hiring of “a political ally and close friend to fill their new general manager position.” While the statement acknowledged the temptation to hire people with whom organizations have existing relationships, the UTSU said that it is more often in the interests of students to hire people who can bring different experiences and perspectives to the table.

Bartlett said that the restructuring happened without regard to specifics and that it was about the position, not the employees who held them. “Fired/Terminated and Laid Off have two completely different meanings,” she argued. “It is also

extremely important to understand that these two items are separate from one another; the elimination of a role, and the hiring of a non-unionized general manager.

Unfortunately, the statement of the UTSU Executive demonstrates a lack of understanding of this fact.”

“I don’t think there’s a misunderstanding [on] the UTSU’s part,” said Ben Coleman, UTSU president. “The point we’re trying to make is that when you view things as positions and not as humans... and you don’t think about who those humans are and what their experiences might be and you don’t view it in the context of your hiring practices and whether those are equitable the end result of all of those actions, if you don’t think about them critically altogether is that you will start building your organization in an institutionally racist way.”

When asked about future collaborations with the RSU, Coleman responded that the UTSU would not want to collaborate on projects that are a “branding exercise” or that serve to elevate the executives. “[Our] goal in this is to call them in and hopefully they can understand what our position is and maybe think about the ways they can change how [they’re] managing the organization, and manage it in a more equitable way.”

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UTM Students For Life vs. UTMSU CONTINUED FROM COVER

Zettel said that there was no change in UTM SFL’s stance on abortion from the previous year.

“Our mandate has always been to: a) Inform and educate the public on life issues such as abortion, stem cell research, and euthanasia; b) Train and equip pro-life leaders within UTM SFL membership [and] c) Direct the public to various pro-life resources, such as crisis pregnancy and post abortion centers,” Zettel said in an email interview.

The Notice of Application claims that the UTMSU attempted to change the basis for its decision not to renew UTM SFL’s club status, that the UTMSU interfered with an election for UTM SFL, and that the union ignored the club’s communications.

None of the claims in the Notice of Application have been proven in court.

THE CLAIMS The Notice of Application claims that “no UTMSU rule, policy or by-law grants UTMSU authority to withhold club recognition based on clubs’ political or moral orientation, or the shared beliefs or viewpoints of club members.”

The UTMSU’s Policy Manual states that “[the] objectives and activities of groups seeking recognition should be seen as attempting to contribute to the educational, recreational, social, or cultural values of the University of Toronto at Mississauga community.”

The Notice of Application further claims that there were in-camera discussions about UTM SFL at Clubs Committee meetings on August 17, 2015 and August 19, 2015, the latter of which allegedly included an in-camera vote on UTM SFL’s club recognition, a motion which was defeated. The notice also alleges that UTM SFL was not notified of or given an opportunity to present at the meetings.

Adade told UTM SFL that they could appeal the Clubs Committee’s decision to the UTMSU’s Board of Directors. The Notice of Application claims that the Board of Directors designated the Clubs Committee to hear UTM SFL’s appeal of the decision, despite the fact that the Clubs Committee itself had made the decision.

In early November, Adade allegedly told UTM SFL that the reasons for which the Clubs Committee declined UTM SFL’s appli-

cation were due to violations and discrepancies in relation to parts of the Clubs Handbook and the UTMSU Operational Policy, with which clubs must comply, in UTM SFL’s submitted constitution.

UTM SFL maintains that it agreed to amend its constitution, hold an election for another executive member, and then approve the amendments with the new member.

The club accused Adade of chicanery in orchestrating a vote against the election of a fourth executive to UTM SFL and of allowing five nonmembers to vote in said election.

“It seems clear that UTMSU is discriminating against the club because they don’t agree with the club’s point of view,” said Blaise Alleyne, education coordinator for U of T Students For Life, another pro-life campus group that operates of UTSG. “[The] UTMSU seems willing to compromise free expression, respect for its own rules, and basic notions of fairness in order to block a club they simply disagree with.”

John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom (JCCF), a non-profit legal organization set up “to defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians through litigation and education,” said that it was his legal opinion that the UTMSU contradicted its own mandate and policies.

DEMANDS OF THE APPLICATION The JCCF is providing legal representation for UTM SFL and filed the Notice of Application on January 15, 2016.

In the Notice of Application, UTM SFL has asked for “an order that would prohibit UTMSU from limiting access to the services, research, information, materials and other resources of UTMSU on account of students’ and student groups’ personal or political beliefs,” as well as an order directing the UTMSU to give UTM SFL club status.

The Notice of Application also states that, in place of the latter demand, an order could be given for the UTMSU to reconsider UTM SFL’s application for club recognition “in accordance with natural justice, in good faith, and in accordance with any further directions from [the court].”

“We are asking that our club be recognized just like any other club,” said Zettel, expressing extreme disappointment in the UT-

MSU’s decision. “The UTMSU’s actions have denied our free expression and association on campus by banning us from forming a club […] Free speech and debate, even on controversial issues, should not be stifled at a university simply because people have different positions on it. Censoring those they disagree with is not acceptable in our country; instead we need to engage in respectful, open dialogue, giving all sides of an issue equal opportunity to express their beliefs. We aren’t looking for special treatment, just the same treatment as any other club.”

UTM SFL has not demanded any financial sum — other than legal costs, which are confidential — as part of the suit.

PRO-LIFE CAMPUS GROUPS “A student union shouldn’t be picking sides in a debate. It has a duty to serve all students,” said Alleyne.

According to Zettel, the majority of UTM SFL’s activities involve engaging students in conversation about abortion. She said that the club does not hold protests against abortion using graphic signage.

U of T Students For Life was recently criticized for its use of graphic images while staging demonstrations on campus. Alleyne said that the two groups consider each other friends, but are not formally affiliated.

“I think UTMSU could learn a lot from Students for Choice, the newly formed unofficial student group on the St. George campus,” said Alleyne. Students for Choice obviously disagrees with UTSFL, they’ve been exercising their own free speech as pro-choice students instead of trying to silence pro-life students,” he added, noting that the two groups have had respectful conversations about the issue.

“We can oppose each other without discriminating against each other,” he said. Representatives from Students For Choice declined to comment.

MOVING FORWARD Carpay said that he has not seen any signs that the UTMSU will offer to settle and that any possible hearing could be between four and 10 months away. “Typically you can’t just get a hearing in a week or two. It typically takes a few months,” he said.

As of press time, the UTMSU had not responded to several requests for comment.

UTM SFL do not have club status for the 2015–2016 year and cannot book spaces such as the student centre. MARGAUX PARKER/THE VARSITY

UTM

UTM president returns to campus following sabbatical eep Saini re ects on si month lea e

Deep Saini returned to UTM earlier this month. PHOTO COURTESY COLLEEN MCCOLEMAN

TOM YUN

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Deep Saini has returned to his position as vice president and principal of UTM following a six-month long sabbatical.

Saini, who took a leave of absence in July 2015, was installed as vice president and principal in August 2010. Prior to that, he was the director general of the Plant Biology Research Institute at the Université de Montréal and the dean of the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment.

Saini spoke with The Varsity and outlined his accomplishments during his time off, as well as his plans for the campus going forward.

“What I took away was that I missed UTM very much when I was away,” said Saini.

Saini said that he spent most of his time returning to his research endeavors as a biologist.

“Because I have been now working as an administrator for the past 10 years non stop... research had to take a back seat,” he explained.

Saini, who is a blood biologist, used his leave to conduct research on the evolution of blood in changing urban environments, in addition to examining it as a model for evolution in a broader sense. Saini said he found the time to work on some of his unfinished manuscripts.

“I was able to get one of them significantly advanced,” said Saini.

“We’re submitting it in the spring sometime. We’ve made progress on a couple of others.”

Saini also used his time away to develop a vision for the future of UTM. One of the challenges that he identified is acquiring funding for new buildings, staff, and faculty.

“We’re growing very rapidly,” said Saini. “[Right] now our enrolment — including our onsite graduate students here — it exceeds 14,000.”

Saini said that accommodating the growing number of students is proving to be a challenge. He iterated that he wanted to lower student-to-faculty ratio, which is higher at UTM than it is at other U of T campuses.

“That means we need to hire more faculty. When you hire more faculty, you [acquire] more support staff.”

In addition to more faculty and staff, Saini told The Varsity that he also wants to see more space on campus.

“In the last five years, including now, we have invested approximately $350 million on buildings on this campus, either completed or in progress,” he explained. These include the construction of Deerfield Hall, which was completed in September 2014, as well as the second phase of the new North Building, which is expected to be completed in early summer 2018.

Despite this, Saini said that there are still more developments needed.

“Some of them are in the plans,” he said. “Some of them are stuff that we can see with the funding over the horizon. But others, we’d need to figure out where the funding would come from.”

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STUDENT LIFE

ASSU pens letter in support of homeless youth Students in need of shelters, city services

The Evergreen Centre’s current location on Yonge Street. A proposed move to Chinatown has been met with opposition. TOSIN MAIYEGUN/THE VARSITY

STEPHANIE GIBBON VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

In response to controversy over the Yonge Street Mission’s (YSM) recent decision to relocate its Evergreen Centre for Street Youth to 365–367 Spadina Avenue, the Arts & Science Students’ Union (ASSU) executive has written a letter to Toronto Mayor John Tory supporting the move.

Several community organizations, most notably the Chinatown Business Improvement

Area (BIA), have protested the move out of concern that the centre will bring loiterers to the area. Those who are against the relocation also claim that the centre and its programs are unnecessary in Chinatown because they, as BIA member Tonny Louie told the Toronto Star, “don’t need any more grit.”

Locals against the relocation have taken to plastering their businesses with posters that read “No YSM here!” They also claim not to have been consulted prior to the YSM’s

purchase of the Spadina property, a charge denied by YSM President and CEO Angie Draskovic. Draskovic told CBC’s Metro Morning that the centre has had discussions with over 150 stakeholders about the move.

Those against the move have submitted a petition to Tory’s office.

Given ASSU’s history of social justice advocacy, the executive decided to write a letter in support of the YSM. “As students at the University of Toronto, our community and

home is not just the campus, but our community at large,” said ASSU president Abudullah Shihipar. “It is in this spirit that after seeing the uproar surrounding the relocation of the Yonge Street Mission that the ASSU executive decided to write a letter.”

The letter refutes the notion that a centre dedicated to assisting marginalized youth in the area is unnecessary. The letter highlights the fact that many university students in the neighbourhood live on a shoestring budget and are dependent on shelters and food banks.

The ASSU also expressed concern that municipal budget cuts have resulted in the recent closures of shelters such as Second Base Youth Shelter and Hope Shelter. According to the union, these budget cuts are part of a disturbing trend that will deny services to those experiencing homelessness and those living in poverty. The letter ends with an exhortation to halt the cuts and will be delivered to the Mayor’s office next Thursday.

“Students can help out by writing to their elected representatives, writing articles, raising awareness and participating in protests,” said Shihipar, adding, “Public pressure is key to ensuring that our elected representatives pursue anti-homeless and anti-poverty strategies.”

Plans for YSM relocation remain on track for Street Youth in fall 2017.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Campaign for Community program under review Faculty must approve independent study initiative AIDAN CURRIE

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The Faculty of Arts & Science has concluded its review of the Campaign for Community’s eligibility to offer course credits as part of its programming.

The initiative allowed students to undertake an independent study project with the program for course credit, under the supervision of a sociology professor. However concerns pertaining to the program’s pedagogy arose and a review process was initiated. “[The Campaign For Community] started doing basically social activities that sort of looked like a club,” said Alex Verman, Arts & Science Students’ Union executive and participant in the independent research endeavour.

“These things started last year and they’re a bit of an anomaly. We saw mostly something that looked like a club but was being taught as a class, and students could get credit for it but they weren’t really learning much.”

An independent study credit usually involves a student proposing a topic to a professor with whom the student works to develop the idea. This was not the case for the Campaign for Community’s independent study program, due to the number of students involved. Instead, one professor supervised multiple independent studies that were centered on similar concepts.

“Having had that experience I brought up in my first meeting with the faculty registrar that it would be good if we get a syllabus or list of expectations for independent study classes, and the registrar was confused be-

Students interacting at a C4C playspace event. SANDY MA/THE VARSITY

cause it was an independent study class, you shouldn’t even need that because it’s just the professor and the student. What was revealed is that [Campaign for Community] was operating as an independent study and therefore it doesn’t need to be looked at in any depth,” said Verman.

Verman said that they do not believe the organizers acted maliciously, but that students’ education is being compromised. “I’m not assigning malicious intent; I know people involved. They’re really nice people with really good intentions but what is actually happening is you have students paying real, literal money that they work hard for or their family works hard for and is probably really difficult to come by and then not getting what they signed up for, or a class really at all,” they said.

ASSU raised the issue to the dean of Arts & Science and the faculty registrar, who agreed to look into it. According to Verman, a week after the issue was first raised, it became “immediately apparent that it doesn’t satisfy the conditions to be taught as a class.”

The review of Campaign for Community’s for-credit programming consisted of a meeting between the campaign’s founder, David Fishbayn, and Penelope Lockwood, who is the acting associate dean, undergraduate, for the Faculty of Arts & Science. In the meeting, it was established that if the Campaign for Community intends to continue its forcredit programming, it must first be subject to a faculty-level review process.

“When I was a student, people in my social circles really wanted to do something about

the nature of community at U of T. We wanted to improve community and in order to do that, we had to create a group that would actually do stuff, so it wasn’t really about essay writing, it was about doing,” said Fishbayn.

Fishbayn did an independent study himself, addressing the problem of community building at U of T through a for-credit option to keep students motivated in an independent study format.

“At the time we just sort of did this independent study thing where we had a large number of forms being processed by one professor, and at the time it just sort of seemed like a way to sort of generate a creative solution to some problems on campus.”

With the Faculty of Arts & Science citing issues of pedagogy as part of the reason for their review, Fishbayn said that the review was fair. He stated that concerns surrounding multiple independent studies conducted by a single professor stemmed from the fact that the studies were not listed as a traditional course, which caused confusion.

Going forward, Fishbayn says that Campaign for Community plans to run the program on a volunteer basis, and if a for-credit option should become possible, then the Faculty of Arts & Science will review it, which would take a year.

“We’ve already moved on and nobody’s really too focused on it, we’re just focusing on our programs and events and things are going very well,” said Fishbayn. “[The] credits still count but moving forward we just need to change some things.”

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NEWS 7

ARCHIVES

From Russia with love Stalin’s daughter’s letters settle at Fisher Library DEVIKA DESAI

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library has just acquired a collection of letters written by Joseph Stalin’s daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva. The library received the letters by way of an auction, with the help of Rosemary Sullivan, U of T professor emeritus. The collection will soon join the library’s display of Sullivan’s research, all documented in her book, Stalin’s Daughter.

Sullivan was awarded the Hillary Weston’s Writers’ Trust Prize in 2015 in recognition of her work. She first encountered Alliluyeva’s letters when she contacted Mary Burkett, the letters’ original recipient. “Mary invited me to visit her at her manor house in Cockermouth in the Lake District,” said Sullivan. “It was there that she was presented with the box of letters. There were several hundred letters, some of them delightfully decorated with graphic doodles that Svetlana used to explain her points, some with photographs. I was able to go through them and read the parts of the letters I wanted to quote into my tape recorder for later transcription.”

Jane M. Renfrew, a well-known archaeologist and friend of Burkett, informed Sullivan that the letters were to be auctioned. “Jane told me that her considerable estate was coming up for auction at Mitchell’s Auction House in early September and one of the items was Svetlana’s letters to Mary. Jane said we had to do something before the letters were snatched up by some Russian oligarch.”

Sullivan then contacted Anne Dondertman, associate librarian for special collections at Thomas Fisher, to see if they would be interested in housing the collection. Following a successful meeting, Sullivan arranged to bid for the letters by telephone, a process that she described as tense and exciting as she competed against an unidentified rival bidder.

“As the letters are a fairly recent acquisition, they are being processed right now,” According to Dondertman, the letters will be available for in-library use only. Members of the public will also be able to access the materials. “These letters will be available just like any of the other archival collections we have here,” she said.

Both Dondertman and Sullivan said that the letters are a valued addition to the library’s archives. “They have a wide interest as an example of somebody’s individual story meshing so much with the big stories of the 20 century.”

“It wouldn’t be easy to be Stalin’s daughter — her mother committed suicide, loss of members of her family because they disappeared or were executed and she was still trying to live a meaningful life... it’s a sad story in the end, but also an inspiring one, so having her in her handwriting and her in her intimate letters... they give us a window into what she was going through, and how she thought about things.”

Pieces of the collection on display. KASSANDRA NERANJAN/THE VARSITY

KASSANDRA NERANJAN/THE VARSITY PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE DONDERTMAN

8 NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF UNKNOWN MALE ROBBER AT LARGE

NEW UTSU VICE PRESIDENT, CAMPUS LIFE, WOODSWORTH DIRECTOR CHOSEN, KPE SEAT REMAINS VACANT

UW STUDENTS TO VOTE ON CONTROVERSIAL REFERENDUM TO BOYCOTT ISRAELI INSTITUTIONS

CFS LOSING GRIP ON BC

University of Toronto Campus Police received a report that a robbery occurred on Galbraith Road, around 11:00 PM on January 20, 2016. According to a community release issued the following day, the victim was walking westbound towards St. George Street, at which time an unknown male approached and robbed them at knifepoint.

The alleged robber fled south on St. George Street towards College Street. Campus Police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident and encourage community vigilance, as well as safer walking strategies, such as walking in a group and avoiding isolated areas.

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Board of Directors has appointed a new vice president, campus life and a new Woodsworth director, following the impeachment of Akshan Bansal and the resignation of Matthew Celestial respectively.

Alessia Rodriguez was appointed to the office of vice president, campus life. Rodriguez, who was the associate vice president, campus life, was one of two candidates vying for the position — the other being Shahin Imtiaz.

Imtiaz also competed against Ifrah Farah, Rachel Sutton, and Ackah Blay for the open Woodsworth College position. Farah, a firstyear student, emerged victorious.

Ryan Schwenger and Prabjit Ajrawat vied for the position of the Kinesiology & Physical Education director. During the previous March UTSU elections, Schwenger ran for the position and received an overwhelming majority of the votes but was disqualified after he exceeded the spending limit.

The Board of Directors concluded that it did not have confidence in either candidate; the position remains vacant.

Farah and Rodriguez’s terms will expire at the end of the semester in April.

The Federations of Students (Feds) at the University of Waterloo (UW) is holding a referendum called the Sever Ties Referendum, which would encourage the UW administration to stop funding Israeli institutions.

The referendum will ask students if they believe the UW should sever ties with the University of Haifa, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Technion — Israel Institute of Technology, Tel Aviv University, and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Prior the referendum vote, two committees were for the purposes of campaigning: one for the ‘yes’ side and the other for the ‘no’ side.

Supporters of the referendum say that they want their university to hold the State of Israel accountable for the occupation of Palestinian lands and for what they see as mistreatment of Palestinians.

However, the ‘no’ campaign argues that severing ties would limit opportunities for students, violate academic freedom, and would create a divisive atmosphere on campus.

UW students will have the opportunity to vote from January 25 to 27.

The Canadian Federation of Students’ (CFS) national network is at risk of losing member unions in its British Columbia branch (CFS-BC), following the approval of a number of motions at the CFS-BC’s semi annual general meeting.

Among the motions that passed was a motion to organize among member locals to leave the national branch. This new group has named themselves the “B.C. Federation of Students,” a name change that is still pending approval from the province.

The new B.C Federation of Students remains affiliated with the CFS, but intends to operate more independently.

— Iris Robin

— Tom Yun Disclosure: Shahin Imtiaz is an Associate Science Editor at The Varsity.

— Tom Yun With files from Imprint

— Iris Robin With files from Omega

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25 January 2016

comment@thevarsity.ca

Along for the ride As the dust settles on the battle for passengers, Uber has emerged as the clear winner

CONNOR CAMPBELL/THE VARSITY

JONATHAN WILKINSON VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Unless you have been living in a subway station, devoid of cell reception and therefore cut off from information about the world above, you will know that Uber has blown into Toronto with more bluster than last year’s polar vortex. Enraged taxi drivers block off downtown streets in protest, and have gone so far as to compare the company to ISIS. The taxi driver’s animosity to Uber, however, is misdirected. Beyond providing a better service, Uber has also exposed an archaic and corrupt taxi industry that, until the new platform arrived, Toronto didn't know existed.

Uber arrived in Toronto in 2012 on the back of increasing notoreity. Rather than stand up to the company and its legions of online supporters, the city decided to let it operate while it consulted stakeholders and drafted up regulations surrounding ride-sharing.

For over 50 years, the taxicab industry had operated as a cartel. In order to operate a taxicab, one must be in a possession of a license, known as a plate. Initially, the concept was fairly simple: the city would regulate the number of plates in accordance with supply and demand. With increasing demand, the number of taxis increased, and so did the number of plates that were issued. It did not

take long for some enterprising fellows to realize, however, that plates could be turned into an investment.

As plate ownership increased, political pressure to restrict the quantity of plates grew, and their value skyrocketed. In 2012, a Toronto taxi plate was worth $360,000. In New York, over one million dollars. What resulted was a pseudo-feudal system. Plates have to be registered to certain cars, so plate owners devised ways of forcing drivers to pay exorbitant rates to lease the entity necessary to generate income as a taxi driver, thereby evading city regulators.

Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, the cofounders of Uber, recognized the gap created by the taxi industry, and exploited it. Uber has made it clear that they are not a taxi company, and so should not be treated as such. Rather, they provide a service that connects riders to drivers. The app is nothing more than a glorified Craigslist, and their business model is not much different from a middle school student putting up posters in their former elementary school, advertising tutoring and babysitting services. By leveraging modern technology, they just found a more effective way of doing it.

The taxi industry’s argument is that Uber drivers are operating as unlicensed taxis, which purportedly raises a number of concerns surrounding insurance and passenger

safety. What it really amounts to, however, is that for the first time, one of the most corrupt and protected industry in the city is finally facing competition. For a long time, taxi drivers’ greatest asset was their anonymity. Forget something in the back seat? Get over-charged? Good luck. Have trouble hailing a taxi? That’s because there aren’t enough.

Operating as an exclusive service only serves to aggravate these conditions.

Uber cut straight through all those problems.

All Uber drivers must undergo background checks and vehicle inspections before gaining access to the service. Uber users know the identity of their driver, and are encouraged to rate their experience afterwards. A low rating reduces the likelihood of getting further pickups, so Uber drivers have an incentive to provide good service. The elimination of riderdriver transactions means there is no risk of drivers swiping users’ financial information.

Uber also employs surge pricing, so rates go up when drivers are in high demand, which incentivizes more drivers to become ‘available’ during peak periods. The taxi industry’s purported concerns therefore amount to naught. Rather than operate according to market principles, they manipulated the civic government for their private benefit. The emergence of Uber has demonstrated that there is, instead, a better way of doing business.

Toronto should do all it can to encourage economic innovation. The reality our generation faces is that the traditionally rigid employment structure is eroding, and firms like Uber are ever more important sources of income. In an era of stagnating median income growth, the Uber business model provides huge benefits to those with flexible work schedules, including students. In the United States, 60 per cent of Uber drivers already have a full- or part-time job, 19 per cent are between 18 and 29 years old, and half of all drivers work less than ten hours per week.

If Uber continues to grow, the value of plates will decline to the point where drivers will be able to purchase a ride-sharing permit for a similar value. Hopefully, it will also decrease the barrier to entry in the taxi industry, which remains vital to many unskilled immigrants needing a reliable source of income.

Until that happens, the hostility between the taxi industry and Uber is likely to continue. As students, it is important that we remain open to alternatives and question the status quo. Uber’s corporate citizenship record is far from perfect, but any company that increases customer service standards, and fosters innovation and competition, should be lauded.

Jonathan Wilkinson is a fourth-year student at University College studying international relations.

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Privacy comes with a price Revisions to York University's mental health policy may do more harm than good ARIEL GOMES

ASSOCIATE SENIOR COPY EDITOR

According to The Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, there has been a 67 per cent increase in the number of post-secondary students registered with a mental health disability between 2006 and 2011.

Recently, York University student Navi Dhanota won a two-year human rights complaint against York University. The policy in question required a student to declare their mental health disability in order to register for academic support.

Possibly blinded by Dhanota's own best intentions, Ontario Human Rights Commissioner Renu Mandhane is describing the recent abolition of this policy as "a win for students." On a broader scale, however, this change in policy has the potential to do more harm than good.

The revision of the academic accommodation policy that Dhanota, ARCH Disability Law Centre, and York University settled on undoubtedly coincides with the Ontario Human Rights Code. It upholds a student's right to personal privacy and can be seen as a way to prevent discrimination based on mental health.

When it comes to mental health, however, clinging onto every ounce of privacy may not be the best solution for providing students with accommodations. Marc Wilchesky, executive director of Counselling and Disability Services at York University, has already expressed concern over the complications this

change in policy could create. In an interview with the Toronto Star, he stated, " ...[I]t may make it a little more difficult to come up with the appropriate accommodation."

Previously, like many other Canadian universities, York relied on the defining terms outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical

discarded. Ultimately, these definitions act as a foundational base that can accelerate the provision and efficiency of accessibility services.

Aside from providing necessary information, detailed registration packages are also the first step towards eliminating potential

The outcome of a human rights claim against York University may not be as positive as it seems. MADDISON THOMPSON/THE VARSITY

Manual of Mental Disorders to register a student for academic support. These diagnoses are not merely labels meant to generically categorize individuals; instead, they act as a starting point for professionals to determine a student's personal needs.

Without them, specialists like Wilchesky are left to work backwards, most likely retracing steps that have already been taken and rehashing paths that have already been

abuse of an accessibility services system. Basically, York has created a more lenient policy for a department that can easily be targeted for misuse. Also, York now provides interim accommodation, which allows students who are pending assessment to access this service as well. The conjunction of these two factors can result in the misuse of this new policy, which would hinder the students that it was meant to protect in the first place.

Confident that the Ontario Human Rights Commission "has enough power and influence," Mandhane is now urging other postsecondary institutions to follow suit and "bring their policies in line." Hopefully, U of T's Accessibility Services will fully consider the implications of such a change in policy before rushing to any conclusions.

Instead of rewriting policies, it would be more beneficial for accessibility services departments to focus on creating environments where the ability to not disclose diagnoses is simply unnecessary. While this new privacy policy is perhaps helpful for students to cope in the meantime, it is necessary to keep in mind the more important longer term goal of socio-cultural change: that is, ensuring that our academic environments inspire enough comfort, safety, and open conversation to disclose diagnoses in the first place, not force students like Dhanota to respond with human rights complaints.

York's new policy is taking a step backwards in breaking down the social stigma surrounding mental health, in that it allows students to withhold the truth at a time when it should be expressed freely, when it can only be used advantageously. Mandhane wholeheartedly believes that this is "just one more step to destigmatizing," but that is far from the truth; sadly, all she has managed to do is legally shove the elephant back in the room.

Ariel Gomes is a third-year Victoria College student studying English, French and linguistics. She is an associate senior copy editor at The Varsity.

Climate change policy is costly, why don't we take note?

Government commitment to action is hollow LI PAN

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Students have a vested interest in the fight against climate change, not least because their age makes them among those mostly likely to be affected by it. Any actions that the current government postpones to a later date, creates an intergenerational transfer to the next group of taxpayers. There is little doubt that climate change is occurring, and few oppose the efforts to fight it, yet many do not care much about the fight either.

I believe this disparity is a result of the vagueness around the costs and benefits that our government’s actions will bring. For example, elements of the recent COP21 Paris Agreement are vague. The statements indicating that parties will pursue efforts to limit global temperature increase to "well below" 2°C, or that developed countries should help developing ones reach their decarbonization goals, hardly spell out definitive action that the signatory countries intend to make.

Without any mention of monetary costs or other sacrifices that will be required of us, we cannot evaluate the significance of the agreement on a personal level or feel involved in the fight. We then have no other answer to it than a hollow “Hurrah!” After all, what else can be said of a plan that contains lofty goals and nothing else?

Some will undoubtedly retort that the international nature of the Paris Agreement necessarily limits its scope. But provincial-

Politicians should make more specific and concrete commitments to the fight against climate change. ARNAUD BOUISSOU/CC FLICKR

level plans like the Ontario Climate Change Strategy published last year suffer, too, from politicians’ unwillingness to flesh out the full costs of their plans. For example, the only economic cost of the cap and trade system Ontario will introduce is supposedly an increase of two to four cents per liter at the pump; emissions from our buildings, the source of 24 per cent of our total emissions, can simply be reduced through updated building codes and better city planning, presumably at no cost; emissions from transportation, the source of 35 per cent of our total emissions, can be re-

duced by ensuring access to electric vehicle charging stations.

While I do not know the efficiency of these measures, they certainly give the impression that climate change can be solved at next to no cost. No wonder many students feel apathetic and pay only lip service to the cause. Judging from our governments’ action plans, lip service seems all that is needed of us anyway.

In a way, this is just politics as usual. When politicians announce new measures to fight climate change, they do not want us to think about any associated cost. They merely wish

to appear progressive, and perhaps remind us of all the jobs these measures will create. This is a mistake. We will likely support climate change measures even when stronger ones are taken, and the costs are more clearly spelled out. Not doing so only leads to our disengagement from the process. After all, it’s not much of a fight if we can win it for free.

Li Pan is a fourth-year student at Trinity College studying math and economics.

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Oops! They didn't get in York University's bureaucratic screwup is an understandable mistake MICHAEL CHEN

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

On January 11, York University mistakenly emailed 500 acceptances to applicants who had not yet made the cut. These letters found their way into the hands of recipients who had their brief moments of joy interrupted by emails from the university, issuing corrections and apologies. Since then, the actions of the York admissions board have been highlighted in various news publications, including the CBC and the Toronto Star.

York’s error lends itself to clichéd complaints about universities and their failings, but this is hardly an issue that merits true indignation, let alone extensive media coverage.

On the surface, it appears that this is a mistake that could have easily been avoided, and that an error of such magnitude can only be attributed to ineptitude on the part of the admissions officials. Closer examination, however, makes this misunderstanding more justifiable.

Let’s crunch some numbers: York employs over 7,000 staff and faculty, and although the exact breakdown remains unclear, the admissions office has already received over 26,000 applications for the fall semester, with more to come.

Regardless of what percentage of their total staff are responsible for admissions, there is an overwhelming amount of information for employees to process without resorting to shortcuts.

The overburdened admissions office also has to juggle specific logistics for different applications. This includes the paperwork resulting from the many hoops international students must jump through in order to study in Canada — with students from a multitude of countries, visas, English proficiency tests, and high school requirements may vary widely. Scholarships, disability accommodations, mature students, and transfer students also fall under the purview of the admissions office. This occurs parallel to the requirement that officers track an array of constantly changing marks, supplementary documents, and requirements across departments.

Additionally, employees have to coordinate with one another to send out acceptances not in one simultaneous event, but in a staggered manner, adjusted according to the number of acceptances being

confirmed or rejected. Overall, this bureaucratic brain has impulses and orders firing off in every direction, under constant time pressure to get everything done, and all it takes is one misfired synapse for a mistake to happen.

Frankly, it’s amazing how well university admissions offices run when you look at the depth and breadth of analysis required. One can imagine how, in the span of a day or less, someone could be sent the wrong names, quickly fill in the acceptance letter template, then send it out in error before realizing their mistake.

Luckily, York’s recognition of their mistake was prompt and courteous. Within 24 hours of the incident, the university sent out an amendment and apology. Given this short timeframe, it is doubtful that, of those applicants who had even checked their email, the individuals in question had abandoned all other offers and stocked up on York merchandise.

The vast majority of students applying for university do not bet everything on a single school. In fact, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre — the database through which high school students submit their applications within the province — includes application to three universities within their standard fee, with the option of applying to even more schools for extra charge.

Finally, it is worth noting that the students affected by this bureaucratic oversight have not been rejected from York altogether; in fact, their applications are still under consideration. It may well be that many of these students will wind up attending the university in the fall.

Most of us lament the bureaucratic backlog of universities, particularly given the enormous student population of U of T. But in light of the events at York, perhaps we should reflect more on the effort it takes to coordinate a colossal machine like a university, and tailor our responses accordingly.

Michael Chen is a second-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough studying journalism.

York University's bureaucratic mistake is no cause for alarm. MADDISON THOMPSON/THE VARSITY

Strength in numbers Race-related data collection is a step in the right direction

The university should be lauded for its decision to collect race-based statistics. CARINA CONCEICAO/THE VARSITY

MILEN MELLES

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

This November, students on campuses across North America protested in solidarity with Black students who had been targets of racism at universities in the United States. These students presented a set of demands to their respective schools in order to address systemic racism. At U of T, the Black Liberation Collective asked the administration to commit to increasing Black faculty and student representation in order to better reflect Toronto’s population.

Commendably, our administration has made a small stride in education equity by deciding to collect race-related data on campus. While the exact commitments are unclear at this moment, the broader policy of tracking quantitative information about racial representation in our faculty and student populace is a very welcome step in achieving educational equity.

As a person of colour, I am acutely aware of the underrepresentation of racialized faculty and students. Some have the privilege of not seeing this reality. It can take less than a semester of classes for someone to note that we have a low number of Black and other racialized students in leadership positions. Without statistical data, however, students have long had trouble proving the problem exists. The collection of race-related data can help bolster causes for equity by simply providing evidence of an issue that students know anecdotally to be true.

It is not hard to find instances in which similar initiatives provided an impetus for positive social change. Back in 2004, for instance, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) — the largest in Canada — acknowledged the benefits of a census similar to the one our university may implement. They accounted for the race and socioeconomic backgrounds of their students in order to “identify and eliminate systemic barriers to student achievement.” With the data collected, the TDSB was able to quantify a considerable gap between economically marginalized and racialized students. With this information, a problem was identified and a meaningful solution was created more easily. The TDSB was able to establish the Model Schools for Inner Cities initiative, which seeks to close "the opportunity gap to support equitable outcomes for all students.”

For those who question the necessity of increasing diversity in university classrooms, it is important to remember several things. First, our society defines itself by principles of equality — as a subset of this, it is important for all persons to have the equal opportunity to attend postsecondary institutions, and it is thus our responsibility to actively investigate barriers that prevent certain students from succeeding.

Second, while the call to begin this type of census was brought on by students in the Black community, there are universal benefits to solving the problem of underrepresentation. From an equity perspective, diversity means there will be

challenges to mainstream narratives, and thus a more wholesome understanding of society. In fact, in 2015, The Atlantic published an article that argued non-white educators “can help disrupt what are often one-sided portrayals of the world and offer invaluable insight to students from different backgrounds.” Comparably, a 2014 Scientific American article extensively traced how “[d]ecades of research by organizational scientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists and demographers” have shown how socially diverse groups enhance innovation and creativity.

Lastly, race-related data collection at U of T is also an important symbol of administrative accountability. While the university has not yet released the specifics of this initiative, it is clear they are listening to students and engaging in dialogue with them. In doing so, our school is recognizing the legitimacy of student voices — significantly, those that have been historically marginalized by educational institutions — and reaffirming the importance of diversity. We should thus be cautiously optimistic about how this data will serve as a catalyst to create programming that works towards increasing the participation of all visible minorities, in faculty and within undergraduate and graduate student populations.

Milen Melles is a first-year student at Victoria College studying humanities.

Gendered roles This is the first installment of a two week feature on the history of feminism at U of T. In 1881, Henrietta Charles wrote a letter to Sir Daniel Wilson, then president of University College. “I beg to claim the right to attend lecture in university college. This right has hitherto been denied to women.

Permit me to ask if that is quite just?”

Though at first Wilson staunchly opposed the idea of co-ed learning, years of feminist lobbying eventually compelled him to recognize the right of women to obtain university education. In 1884, University College admitted its first female cohort: a mere nine students.

Today, the picture appears drastically different. Women make up 55 per cent of U of T’s student population, and earn over half of the awarded degrees at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral level. More broadly, Canada is ranked first in the world for gender parity in literacy rates, along with enrolment in primary and post-secondary education.

At face value, Canada seems to have achieved gender equality in education. Yet, as demonstrated by Wilson’s resistance to open the institution’s doors to women, progress toward gender equality has been and continues to be slow. At Hart House, for example, it took over 50 years for women to gain casual access to the building and facilities without the accompaniment of a man.

Remnants of this sexism continue to linger beneath the surface of our institutions in increasingly subtle, but nonetheless powerful ways. Understanding this past will lend us insight to guide present activism, and help us gain a clearer perspective on the issues that remain unresolved.

Representative discussion of every issue and of every woman’s experience is not possible, but leafing through the pages of the feminist movement in the university’s past is a good place to start.

public speaking, Daryna Kutsyna, co-president only express your opinion in a certain w Throughout the University of Toronto’s hisof Equal Voice U of T, explains how, while her for it to be valued,” she explains. “Wome tory, stereotypes about women were blatant male peers are praised for their strong delivery, who are outspoken, opinionated and [w in general discourse, as well as within she has frequently been told to tone down her challenge the way that the system work campus associations. Arguments against voice or not come across so “bitchy.” often get shut down and labeled unreas co-education assumed that women must “It definitely makes me feel like I have a able, angry, and unprofessional.” remain in their ‘natural’ place, the domestic smaller range of expressing myself than my Karina*, another woman in student gov sphere. “To cram our girls with learning,” male peers,” she one poem read, “you’ll make a woman half a says. man... this process is unsexing.”

These discriminatory stereotypes have been slow to fade. Upon perusal of The Varsity’s archives, for instance, we found an article from 1955 that asked male students, amongst other objectifying questions, whether APP SCI & ENGINEERING they thought 26% “college girls make good nance, spok wives,” or a particula student population whether they blatant ca Undergraduate/graduate student 51% LAW were “too of dismiss full-time/part-time smart.” One based on respondent gender. W thought that coordina “the most ing logist 55% 59% ARTS & SCIENCE important with an e female participan virtue was or univers proficiency administra over the kitchen she often ‘cc stove,” while other executi 72% INFORMATION six other male members — wh students claimed happen to be ma Women make up on average, 55 per cent of U of T’s that “the best feature — to keep them in student population . When this number is disaggregated in a woman was to do loop. Some replies t by faculty, however, significant gender disparities are what she was told.” her emails, however, w 89% NURSING present. We have picked five faculties to display the wide Even at the height of second- range of gender enrolment rates across campus. subsequently directed on wave feminism in the early ‘70s, to the male executives, remo there were students who continued to her from the email chain comple see women as subordinate. Ceta Ram“I can’t even communicate with a khalawansingh, a pioneer of the women and person because they would rather respo gender studies program, notes how female male students who are peripherally invo student politicians in particular often faced than work with me,” Karina says, express taunts that were misogynistic and sexual in “Like my workplace performance depends frustration at the frequency of these inci nature. “When one of the women who was more on my agreeability than my merit.” dents. “I think as a female on campus you running for president got up to speak, they’d Khrystyna Zhuk, president of the Innis Col- have to be prepared for people to assum yell ‘take it off, take it off!’” she recalls. lege Student Society, and an Arts and Sciyou’re less competent and to have less fa Similar challenges remain today. Female ence director for the University of Toronto in your ability to contribute.” student leaders continue to face backlash for Students’ Union (UTSU), has had similar There is growing academic study withi not fitting the stereotype of a soft-spoken, conexperiences. “As a woman, you have to work cognitive psychology that identifies such ciliatory woman. Citing her experiences with much harder to be taken seriously and can implicit biases as manifestations of a bro

Unpacking se xism

STUDENT ENROLMENT BY GENDER BALANCE

a path

From The Varsity Tuesday, October 19, 1948, U of T archerettes place fourth at an intercollegiate archery competition at MacMaster, win at coordination and g

not

strewn with

roses

“WOMEN WHO ARE OUTSPOKEN, OPINI [WHO] CHALLENGE THE WAY THAT WORKS OFTEN GET SHUT DOWN A UNREASONABLE, ANGRY, AND UNPRO

way en who] ks son-

and persistent trend of everyday sexism, making it difficult to dismiss these experiences as outlying extremes.

Mayo Moran, provost of Trinity College, and the university’s first female dean of law, points to research that has been done at the university to shed light on the validity of these claims.

English professor. Similarly, Moran recalls speaking to female law graduates from the 50s and 60s who grew up not knowing any female lawyers, judges, or professors.

The university has seen a steady increase of female faculty through the years; from 2004 to 2013, the percentage of full time tenure

monthly, with representation from all of U of T’s divisional offices, so as to “promote best recruitment practices as well as share ideas, resources and learn from guest speakers.”

For instance, Francis identifies the language verused in human resources as a “big topic” of concern — care is taken for job descriptions to reflect flexibility in work hours and respect for work-life balance, while ARTICLE BY VICTORIA WICKS AND TEODORA PASCA documents should be mindful to use gender-neutral pronouns. ke of “There’s been very good research done stream professors increased from 19 to 27, Noting that she was appointed dean around arly at the business school, at the law faculty,” and associate professors increased from 37 to the same time as Amon and Dr. Catherine ase Moran notes, further outlining that universi41. Among other benefits — such as promotWhiteside, the first female dean of medicine, sal ties, as “repositories of knowledge” have ing more diverse syllabi and perspectives Moran explains that she sees her appointn typically been at the forefront of explainin academia — the presence of more female ment as part of a tangible shift: “this signalled When ing and devising strategies for combatting faculty can create a stronger network of role a commitment on the part of the university to atsubtle gendered discrimination. models for female students. look hard and to promote women, including tics The first step, however, is to recognize the “I do think it is incredibly important for into areas where women had never been as event fact that a problem still exists. “I don’t think people to see people who are like them who numerous [or] as powerful.” nt it’s something we should have to deal with can succeed,” explains Moran. “The thought There remain, however, murky questions ity but it’s also not something that will change of saying: ‘I can do this’ is so much harder if concerning pay equity. “Research across ator, [overnight],” explains Karina. “I just wish you don’t have anyone to look to and say ‘I North America shows that... Women faculty c’s people would acknowledge that it’s a reality.” could be like that!’” tend to be paid less than men with similar ive In certain ‘male-dominated’ disciplines, qualifications,” explains Dr. Sylvia Bashevkin, ho The higher, the fewer the need for mentorship may be even more a professor of political science who specialale Women’s equality at the faculty level has pressing. “We know that some girls have a izes in women’s politics. “This affects not just n the experienced similar progress, but it has not difficulty imagining themselves as engineers the current income of female professors but to been without its obstacles. Early hiring pracprimarily because of the small number of also their pensions later on, not to mention were tices in the late 1920s — backed by provincial women role models in engineering,” says Dr. their internal standing within departments nly governmental policy — were founded upon Cristina Amon, the first female and current and potentially their sense of self worth.” oving the stereotype that women made better dean of applied science and engineering.

But the picture at U of T remains unclear. etely. wives than professors. In fact, in 1931, the Notably, however, the engineering faculty In a 2010 study, the U of T faculty association University’s Board of Governors explicitly has consistently made a concerted effort to found that female faculty were indeed being ond to declared that it was “undesirable to employ increase gender diversity — this includes the paid less than their male counterparts in all olved married women in the university.” Even after promotion of various networking and inforprofessorial streams. Due to aggregate numsing World War II, several department heads were mative programs, such as the Young Women bers, however, they could only tentatively inotorious for keeping their staff as a literal in Engineering Symposium and the Girls in conclude that “in a number of areas there u ‘old boys’ clubs.’

Leadership Engineering Experience. appears to be gender salary discrimination.” me As such, the university once seriously As for employment practices, the U of When asked about what steps are being aith lacked a visible presence of women in senior T Human Resources & Equity Division has taken to identify and address any existing positions. Dr. Kay Armatage, professor emerivarious formalized initiatives to promote pay equity, Francis said the university “does in tus and a founder of the women and gender diversity. “The push is very much on being engage in periodic analyses of salary data” h studies program, notes that when she came proactive, to make sure that everyone is and that “[d]ifferences in salary that are not oader to U of T in 1965 there was only one female well educated on proper process,” says explained through [factors like discipline, Katy Francis, director rank, history of merit awards, etc.] Will then general badassery. FILE PHOTO of strategic combe subject to further analysis.” Unfortumunications at nately, there was no indication that these HR & Equity. She analyses would be made public. highlights that One of the most notable compensation disthe U of T putes occurred more than twenty years ago, 2004 2013 recruitment after the Ontario pay equity act was passed. network “In 1989, I was $10,000 dollars down from my meets male equivalent,” says Armatage. “I got [com8% 16 % APP SCI & ENGINEERING pensation] retroactively [for] two years. But I had been teaching full time for more than 10 15% 20% MANAGEMENT/rotman years, nearly 15 years. So, had they had to go back and pay me equally for all that time, it 17% 33% DENTISTRY would’ve been a bundle!”

21% Subsequently, in 1991, the university 33% FORESTRY adopted an Employment Equity Policy; three 30% 35% MUSIC years later, they settled a class-action lawsuit in which retired female faculty 28% 34% UTM — who were not included in the 1989 compensation review — alleged 27% 35% ARTS & SCIENCE “the university had been unjustly enriched by paying them less 30% 38% UTSC than men performing the same 35% work.” Unlike the University 38% MEDICINE of British Columbia and 36% 38% Mcmaster University, U of KIN & PHYS ED T has not had any com8% 39% ARchitecture pensation initiative for female faculty in 35% 41% LAW recent years.

“Pay women 36% 43% PHARMACY faculty members equal 50% 64% INFORMATION to men,” 59% 63% says ArEDUCATION (OISE/UT)

on campus, from past to presen t

NIONATED AND T THE SYSTEM AND LABELED OFESSIONAL.”

female full-time appointed tenure/ tenure stream faculty by major division

SOCIAL WORK NURSING *Dalla Lana School of Public Health not included because no 2004 data available; it became a faculty in 2013.

64%

67% 82%

95%

matage when asked what the university should be doing to contribute to feminism.

“There is not equality if women are considered secondary workers.”

The logic of gendered violence Perhaps the most concerning issue for women on campus is violence. Instances of extreme physical violence — such as the murder of fourteen women and serious injury of many others, at l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in 1989 — seem to be considered anomalies we need not worry about today.

Yet, doing so ignores how anti-black and transphobic police brutality continue to touch the lives of many female students, while the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women has only recently received government attention. Rates of sexual assault at universities also remains a concern.

This is not to mention that gendered violence exists on a coercive continuum. From death threats to harassment to domestic abuse, it is used to scare women, particularly those who challenge the status quo, into silence and subordination.

Most notably, last year, the university was shaken when explicit, violent death threats made against U of T feminists, and the equity and women and gender studies departments, appeared online. Though many were surprised at the vitriolic nature of the posts, campus feminists regularly face such threats.

Last summer, Celia Wandio, a fourth-year student at Trinity College, wrote an article for The Varsity on why it is important to believe survivors of sexual assault. In response, one user published a comment explaining at length why Wandio was “worse than a murderer,” while another penned an anonymous blog post using Wandio’s full name, viciously attacking both her arguments and her person.

Nish Chankar, associate vice president equity of the UTSU has also received hate mail from men’s rights activists in response to an article she wrote for The Varsity, detailing her opinions on the problematic nature of these groups.

Moreover, Jades Swadron, a third-year student, explains that she, as a trans woman, is particularly visible for perpetrators of gendered violence. Alongside other factors on campus that make trans persons feel unsafe — such as washroom inaccessibility — Swadron has been subjected to verbal and sexual harassment, and has also received death threats from anti-feminists.

To outside observers, online bullying and attacks may seem mostly benign — annoying rather than seriously impactful — yet, they are often rooted in the maintenance of unequal power dynamics. Whether or not this is the intention behind those actions, their consequences are notable and concerning.

“One of the ways of discounting what people are trying to do is put labels on them and undermine the intent,” says Ramkhalawansingh, referencing early anti-feminist dissent to the establishment of a women and gender studies program. Such name-calling and threats were expressions of aversion to challenges of the status quo. “When you start wanting to change power relationships and changing the distribution of power… it does make people uncomfortable,” she explains.

Chankar expresses similar sentiments: “Why is there so much pushback? Because we’re winning. Because feminists are making a difference.”

So for all the resistance to gender equality, it is clear that feminists on campus are still determined to soldier forward. While considerable progress has been made in breaking down legal and cultural barriers, there is an understanding that students must remain vigilant and avoid complacency in the face of work left to do. While this road to gender equality is arduously long and not one “strewn with roses,” it is certainly one we must continue to tread. *Name changed at student’s request

var.st/arts

ARTS&CULTURE 25 January 2016

arts@thevarsity.ca

A story worth telling Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award recipient Atom Egoyan looks back on his career

Egoyan has recieved the Order of Canada and the Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIE GIRAUD

CORINNE PRZYBSLAWSKI

S

VARSITY STAFF

uccess rarely comes as swiftly as anticipated. We are often lucky to be born with a single, marketable skill, and so it’s crucial to exploit what one is good at in order to thrive. Through years of multifaceted artistry, Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan has proven that integrating oneself in various avenues of the arts community is critical in one’s approach to earning success.

While Egoyan’s breakthrough came in 1994 with his sexually charged thriller Exotica, the Armenian-born director has practiced a diverse range of artistic modes over the span of his 55 years. It’s his dedication to honing his expertise in operawriting, screenwriting, and installations that have recently earned him the Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award — an honour presented to the most esteemed and active participants within Canada’s arts community. Although filmmaking is where he has developed his most prominent reputation, Egoyan has resourcefully approached a variety of disciplines

throughout his career and has been lauded in Hollywood and at film festivals alike. As an alumnus of U of T and former film editor for The Newspaper, his time at the university proved to be an instrumental incubation period that would eventually help further his career.

Egoyan was drawn to film during his time at university.

His career started as many do: with a slight detour from its initial trajectory. After embarking on his first year at U of T, he “presented a play to Trinity College Drama Society, and they turned it down.” At the time, the theatre was the young playwright’s natural habitat. Having graduated from secondary schools with various theatric successes, Egoyan believed that his previous positive reception would seamlessly transition into the university setting. Unfortunately, he was mistaken, but this allowed him to spitefully walk across the street to Hart House and start a career in film instead.

Egoyan continued to write plays, but the moment he held his first camera he realized “it was [his] calling.” His first gig as a playwright-in-residence at the Tarragon Theatre meant that he could continue exercising the talent he initially wanted to pursue; however, by that point, he was “preset on making films.” His very first feature film, Next Of Kin, debuted in 1984. It was “a rich period” for Egoyan at U of T, and he “owe[s] a lot to the opportunities that came from there” when reflecting on where his career is today.

He notes that “films were not trendy at the time,” and that he and a “small cult of people at Hart House” were the only ones using the 16mm equipment (the industry standard at the time). The opportunities to express oneself through film were as equally limited as the aesthetic possibilities of cinema. Opportunities for filmmakers to hone their craft at an amateur level, such as Raindance on Campus or the 48 Hour Film Project, had insufficient demand to necessitate a supply from the university. Besides the Hart House Film Board, or the sparse number of courses taught in the Cinema Studies program, there “wasn’t an active interest [in] filmmaking, or decent filmmaking as there is now.” The lack of access to digital technology meant that aspiring filmmakers were “struggling with aesthetics, as opposed to what’s being done today.”

Although Egoyan is credited primarily as a director, he developed his technique through various elements of creating a film. According to Egoyan, the various “technicians” involved in creating a film have a unique language through which they address the elements of their craft. The music supervision and editing sector in filmmaking have a specific lexicon that differs from that of the director or the producer,making it difficult for the various departments in a large project to communicate and execute effectively. As a director and producer, his “early films where [he] was doing everything” taught him those basics. “Shooting… and cutting… on film, and doing the sound mix all in a very freezing cold editing room in Hart House.” As his projects grew in scale, it became crucial to delegate some of the work to an organization of people who shared the same vision. Now, he works closely with his composer, Mychael Danna, who he met at U of T and who scores all of his films.

When a filmmaker’s career is in its earliest days, it requires motivation and applause from audiences in order to flourish.

But the masses can be difficult to convince, which is why the pursuit of filmmaking, according to Egoyan, is “different from writing a poem or song.” The incredible amount of dedication that such projects tend to necessitate often requires the filmmaker to pause, step back, and evaluate the story that’s about to be told. In the words of Egoyan, “you have to be determined that you have something worth telling.”

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THEATRE REVIEWS

Rope

God of Carnage

TCDS’ latest production strings Nietzsche with murder NADEZHDA WOINOWSKY-KRIEGER VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Have you ever encountered a classmate so stupid that you wanted to strangle them? So did Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo, the two main characters in Trinity College Drama Society's (TCDS) latest production, Rope, a play that is part thriller, and part cautionary tale of what can happen when you take your philosophy readings too seriously.

The story, adapted from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1948 film, is about a real-life murder case that took place in Chicago in 1926. The two students (who, in the staged version, attend Oxford University) were said to be obsessed with Nietzsche and the philosophy of the Übermensch. In the words of director Marie Trotter, the characters become “fascinated by the idea of dominating a weaker human being, and so decide to do this through murder.” The murderers then proceed to celebrate their own cleverness by vainly throwing a dinner party for their friends over a large wooden chest, where the bloody remains of the victim are hidden.

The TCDS version of this tale captures the 1920’s schoolboy atmosphere perfectly. The play is chock-full of ritzy costume designs, static gramophone music, and a book-covered dining room set, which evokes a gothic, Brideshead Revisited-esque aesthetic.

Much of the story’s set-up relies on establishing those characters that are sharp and those that are vapid. Unfortunately, the vapid characters have a hard time standing out in this production and aside from delivering a few funny lines, here and there, largely fall to the background.

Instead, much of the tension comes from the interactions between the two murderers, Brandon and Granillo, played

by Joanna Decc and Max Levy respectively. Decc especially, whose looming presence and slow mental deterioration — which occurs as her character begins to lose control of the situation — delivers meritoriously and constitutes much of the driving force behind both the plot and the performance. This deterioration is consciously reflected in the general state of the set, which grows increasingly turbulent as props are moved, shoved, and thrown out of place as the dinner party progresses — a factor that helps the audience see the transition from order to chaos.

The most outstanding performance comes from Jonathan Dick, who plays Rupert Cadell. The most perceptive of the aforementioned ‘sharp’ characters, he is the only guest present who suspected there was something “queer” about the evening.

Cadell smoke, drank, and discussed philosophy at the same pace as the play’s murderers, and Dick portrayed this expertly by maintaining the same conduct as his counterparts, while keeping the audience guessing as to whether or not he would show himself to be the leads’ moral superior.

Overall, the production is a valuable addition to TCDS’ season, as it no doubt gave many a young Trinity student — who may still be determining whether the philosophies they learn from the dusty tomes have any worth in our day-to-day lives — something to think about.

ope is ased on a film

l red itchcock. NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

The Novak and the Raleigh family. AMY WANG/THE VARSITY

The trouble begins when Henry Novak loses his front teeth AMY WANG/THE VARSITY

VCDS’ most recent production depicts parenting at its worst AYAN KASSIM

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Victoria College's Cat’s Eye Lounge served as an intimate backdrop for Victoria College Drama Society’s (VCDS) God of Carnage. Written by the award-winning French playwright Yasmina Reza in 2006, director Ben Murchison and the VCDS bring to life this 70-minute comedy that dramatizes familial strife.

Haphazardly brought into each other’s orbit, the Novak and the Raleigh families are forced into confrontation following an incident in which their 11-year-old sons Henry Novak (played by Katie Pereira) and Benjamin Raleigh get into an altercation, resulting in Henry losing his front teeth. Rather than consulting lawyers, the families seek to handle the matter ‘like adults.’ The play focuses on the four parents, Veronica and Michael Novak (Samantha Finkelstein and Matthew Fonte) and Alan and Annette Raleigh (Ryan Falconer and Rachel Hart), and their attempts to maintain. “Superficially,” the director writes in the brochure, “the play is about… resolv[ing] the conflict between their two children; underneath, it is a complex examination of adult life.”

A “complex examination of adult life” is a bit of an overstatement. Rather, stereotypical biographies characterize these families: Veronica is an uptight philanthropist and helicopter mom married to Michael, an entrepreneur who sells hardware. Alan is a lawyer constantly on the clock — too busy to care about anything going on around him — while his

trophy wife, Annette, tries to compensate for his physical and emotional absence. The constant bickering over moral compasses and parenting styles climax into a sensationalized ‘coming undone.’

Regardless of this hackneyed narrative arc, the play’s interactive component, which engaged the audience from start to finish, was outstanding. While I stood in line waiting to get inside the theatre, Camille Novak (Katie Cohen) frantically stormed about the stage in search of an undisclosed object. The play hadn’t begun, and it was hard to tell what was going on, but that didn’t matter, as it succeeded in getting our attention.

While fumbling around to find our seats, we were greeted by a freeze-frame of the cast sitting still in place, staring off into the distance. The stillness was punctuated by Henry and Camile’s boisterous scurrying and teasing each other before vanishing, marking the beginning of the play. Adding to the show’s interactivity was an invitation to explore the immaculate arrangement of the Novak’s apartment, which many did before the play began.

Although, at times, the acting felt exaggerated, the actors ultimately did a remarkable job, and the roaring laughs of the crowd were a testament to their success. Ultimately, God of Carnage is an entertaining exploration of individuals who, in an attempt to act their age, find themselves unreasonably childlike, which is the very reason they met in the first place.

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Biking in a winter wonderland ugene hao, owner o UTS

i e repair shop, offers ad ice or i ing in the cold

MARIAN MENDOZA VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Winter is here, and it’s not leaving anytime soon. According to Bikechain’s president, Eugene Chao, that doesn’t mean you should stop riding your bike. If you haven’t tried winter cycling before but are looking to save money on TTC expenses, The Varsity’s got you covered. We checked in with the owner of U of T’s not-for-profit bicycle repair shop to get tips on braving the cold on two wheels.

The Varsity: Why cycling?

Eugene Chao: "Even with the onset of winter, cycling remain[s] a superior mode of transportation in terms of speed and convenience.

Traffic is already terrible in the city, and only gets rapidly worse with the appearance of snow, so I find that I continue to make better time on my commute than in a car. As for transit in the city, which, on the best of sunny summer days, is prone to overcrowding and failures, the appearance of snow adds so many uncertain factors that you're as likely to get to your destination as to be stuck in a tunnel for half an hour with no explanation or apology.

And even when it does work properly, do you really want to bookend your day by paying to shuffle onto a slushy, overcrowded bus where most of the passengers look like extras out of a Dayquil commercial?"

TV: What gear should you use?

EC: "Get some good lights. The days are so short in the winter that I am often racing the

loose rocks, dirt, and gravel. When used on snow instead, the snow tends to pack into the grooves. As the tires roll and the friction causes the snow to melt slightly, you get an ef-

stroke with less effort. Because you'll then be exerting less force per stroke, it allows you to stay balanced and centered on your bicycle, making smaller, more easily controlled movements."

TV: What’s the greatest struggle of winter biking?

EC: "The greatest challenge to cycling in the winter is probably the packed down icysnow mixture that cars leave in their wake.

The heavier the vehicle, the worse the packed snow. Short of black ice, which is a challenge to everyone, I find it to be the winter terrain most challenging and unpredictable to cycle on. Unpacked snow, unless it is very deep, is actually quite easy to move through. That, and the visions of what my commute might be like if I had gone to school in California."

NOOR NAQAWEH/THE VARSITY

sun to get home in the evening. I would also like to take a moment to dispel the popular, but mistaken, notion that mountain bike tires are ideal for winter cycling. I think the idea stems from the associations of ruggedness and tough terrain conjured up by the phrase 'mountain bike', but the truth is that that tread design is intended to accommodate travel over

fect similar to that of ice skates, and suddenly you are careening wildly along Bloor on your well-intentioned ice disks. You're much better off with a wider tire with less pronounced tread intended for road use. Finally, for the bicycle itself, I would recommend ensuring you have access to a lower gear ratio on your bike. This will allow you to push each pedal

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TV: Any final advice?

EC: "Ride within your ability, and take it slow. There's a lot of bravado and machismo associated with the perceived 'toughness' of a winter cyclist, and a lot of misplaced zealotry in the idea that to be a real cyclist you have to ride all through the year in all weather. I didn't start winter cycling till I had built up the comfort and confidence in my own abilities, and you shouldn't either; ride when and where you feel up to it."

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Keeping up with the culture When staying on top of popular culture becomes a chore

MIA CARNEVALE/THE VARSITY

DANIEL KONIKOFF VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

At some point in your Internet travels, you’ve likely stumbled upon a picture of a project management triangle, or at least a variant of it.

In this image, you are presented with a triangle containing the words ‘good grades,’ ‘social life,’ and ‘enough sleep,’ written near each of the triangle’s three corners. You, a university student, are asked to ‘pick two,’ suggesting that if you want good grades and a social life, prepare to suffer some sleepless nights; but if you want to party and also get enough shuteye, you best be willing to watch your GPA plummet like a thermostat in cold weather.

The problem with this triangle is that, well, it’s a triangle. It only presents you with three choices. In reality, the life of a U of T undergrad is far more complex than three angles and 180 degrees can handle. What is omitted from this ‘pick two’ test is what is essentially the cornerstone of every university student’s diet: consumption of media. It’s a no-brainer, really — find me a student who doesn’t binge-watch TV, scarf down movies, pig out on music, or devour books for leisure and I’ll eat my hat.

The biggest difficulty with media consumption is that there’s a lot to consume. Gone are the days of three channels, or movies that only ran once in theatres before disappearing forever. There’s an infinite amount of content

out there, and new media is popping up all the time. All this backlogged content can and will pile up, and chipping away at it can be as laborious as schoolwork. In a way, media consumption is almost like academic consumption, in that students struggle to keep up with both. You’ll always be behind on your readings, just as you’ll always be behind on House of Cards and Jonathan Franzen’s bibliography.

Although some people laugh at me when I complain about my multimedia backlog, it’s as serious as a heart attack or an HBO drama. Netflix releases at least two ‘must-see’ series’ every month, but I’m still trying to get through my DVD’s of Battlestar Galactica, which concluded in 2009. I’ve already given up hope on my bookshelf, which is so heavy with unread literature that it’s starting to sink.

The only album of note I listened to last year was Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly — Grimes’ Art Angels and Jamie xx’s In Colour remains untouched. I’m very behind.

Media consumption is so much more than a mere distraction, and so much more than simple procrastination. It’s almost like a job, or some sixth course that doesn’t show up on your timetable. Because of the importance of certain works of art within the cultural zeitgeist, keeping up is crucial if you want to be taken seriously by your peers, or if you want to be able to talk about Empire without making a fool of yourself. By consuming media, you are, in a way, getting something done. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading a new book, watching a new superhero series, or seeing a new Tarantino flick; you’re chipping away at that great mountain of art, improving your fluency in all things pop culture, and consuming piles of media before they consume you.

But let’s not forget that while demolishing media may sometimes be a chore, it’s primarily enjoyable, and can serve as a remedial anti-

dote to the metaphorical poison of academia.

Without a show to watch and ‘tune out’ to, or without a favourite album to calm your nerves, this metaphorical poison can start to wear you down, free to corrupt you from the inside out. Making time to consume media is not a luxury — rather, it’s a necessity.

This brings me back to the project triangle.

For students, media consumption is a difficult variable to balance with other responsibilities.

For some, it is a top priority, with ‘achieving pop culture omniscience’ nestled somewhere above ‘good grades’ and ‘enough sleep.’ For others, it is completely neglected. For most, it’s a harbinger of moral conflict.

Some students may feel guilty when they watch a show when they should be doing a reading instead. You need not feel this guilt, for all media consumption is an accomplishment: in watching a show or listening to an album, you’ve done something for yourself — either for your own pure enjoyment or for your continual survival in a media-crazed twentyfirst century.

What’s essential is that you find a balance — one that allows you to stay up-to-date on pop culture and classwork, and allows you to enjoy the media you consume without feeling overwhelmed by it, find a balance that doesn’t jeopardize your GPA, your ‘me’ time, your ‘friends’ time, or your sleep cycle.

Whatever you do, don’t feel obliged to ‘pick two.’ Like an acclaimed miniseries or a Kendrick Lamar concept album, it’s so much more complicated than that.

If you don't look around once in a while, you could miss it The Gladstone's Hotel's Come Up to My Room exhibit is an homage to Ferris Bueller ARJUN KAUL

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

The first thing you notice when you walk into the Gladstone Hotel’s Come Up To My Room exhibit is the snoring.

In their attempt to recreate every detail of teenage icon Ferris Bueller’s bedroom, exhibit curators Sarah Keenlyside and Joe Clement have managed to replicate, perfectly, the pitch, tone, and comic timing of the movie’s famous background noise. For the sake of analyzing art, I would love to say that it symbolizes something, but the exhibition is about nostalgia, and nostalgia alone.

If this seems somewhat contrary to Ferris’ famous motto, then maybe that’s the point.

The part of the exhibit that elicits the biggest grin is the perfectly-restored, grey IBM computer sitting in the corner of his bedroom.

The computer displays Bueller’s grades, as they're being changed to his liking. The ‘80s Pepsi cans, the monolithic TV, and the heap of dated music references feels like stepping into a time capsule. Rest assured, though, that Keenlyside and Clement have also included other irreplaceable details: the mannequin

(complete with robotic puppet-shuffling), the massive flags, and the stag head — an object that was out of touch even in the movie, being the product of a pretentious teenager hoping to appeal to other pretentious teenagers.

Then again, who was Ferris Bueller if not out of touch?

To be completely honest, I’m a firm believer in the theory that, once you get older, you’re meant to realize that Cameron is the real hero of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. In a way, the exhibit serves to reinforce that realization.

Ferris Bueller was one hell of a spoiled child.

If you re-watch that scene where Ferris steals Cameron’s father’s Ferrari, any sane person will go from identifying with Ferris’ mocking stare to Cameron’s earnestly pained face. Of course, we can’t deny that Ferris was the life of the party, but the exhibit pushes us a little further away from the coming-of-age hero.

The two curators stated that they intended the exhibit to show the “last stages of innocence” of teenage years, before high school-ers discovered the Internet or the cynical wonders of the information age. Stepping into the room certainly makes you feel that way. The film itself always felt like a wry commentary

Come Up to My Room recreates Ferris Bueller's bedroom. MATTHEW MANHIRE/THE VARSITY

on John Hughes’ own filmography, perhaps poking fun at the culture of teenage innocence that grew around them. The fact that there’s a Simple Minds poster on Ferris’ wall — something I’d never actually noticed before — probably legitimizes that feeling a little bit.

Rather than simply replicate the film, Come Up To My Room compliments Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Looking back at the 1980s from the 2010s, the exhibit is a trip down memory lane.

SCIENCE

var.st/science

25 January 2016

science@thevarsity.ca

U of T’s surgeons perform Canada’s first successful hand transplant assi e colla orati e effort results is a surgical landmar in anadian history NYIMA GYALMO VARSITY STAFF

A

The surgery was a joint effort by 18 U of T doctors. PHOTO COURTESY OF UHN

fter five years of planning, Canada’s first succesful hand and forearm transplant was recently performed on a 49-year-old recipient by 18 surgeons from the University of Toronto.

“When the patient was listed, there was increased anticipation and when a donor match was found, I had some disbelief that it would really happen. When the surgery started it was all business and went according to our plan” said Dr. Steven McCabe, director of U of T’s Hand Program and director of University Health Network’s (UHN) Hand and Upper Extremity Transplant Program at Toronto Western Hospital.

The procedure, which lasted roughly 14 hours, was lead by McCabe and included a UHN multidisciplinary team composed of surgeons, psychiatrists, immunologists, and other medical and adminstrative staff.

ree e on

“I am really happy we could bring this procedure to Canada and specifically for our patient. There have been a lot of meetings and a lot of planning to bring this about,” emphasized McCabe.

Since her surgery, the patient “has started a program of hand therapy to keep her joints mobile and her tendons gliding until her muscles are re-innervated,” McCabe explained.

A surgery of this calibre requires the donor’s upper limb to be attached by connecting bone, muscles, major arteries, nerves, tendons, veins, and soft tissue. “The peripheral nerves must regenerate from the site suture to the target muscles. This could take several months to regain motion,” McCabe added.

The past few years have seen significant improvements in the areas of patient selection and the surgical procedure itself. “Our patient is a healthy, well-informed, intelligent woman who was highly motivated to

have this operation,” McCabe commented.

To date, there have been 110 hand transplants completed around the world.

McCabe expressed both optimism for the future, as well as pride for the group’s accomplishment after the surgery was completed. He said, “I am reassured and proud to be a small part of this history. Advances in transplant immunology have the potential to revolutionize plastic and reconstructive surgery. This hand transplant is a small step to that end, as we will learn more information about transplantation by hand and upper limb transplants.”

Each phase of the surgery process, which included the evaluation prior to the procedure and the post-surgery rehabilitation, required the involvement of different experts and personnel. “The logistics and medical care are quite complicated and luckily we have a superb, experienced transplant center

and TGLN [Trillium Gift of Life Network] to help guide the process. It is amazing to be a hand surgeon at this time and a lucky confluence of events for me personally,” McCabe added.

For this procedure, through their MultiOrgan Transplant Program (MOTP) and their Hand and Upper Extremity Transplant Program, UHN gathered expertise on immune suppressants and the prevention of rejection, while the TGLN oversaw the organ donation process.

Ultimately, this achievement could not have occurred without the support of a hand and forearm from the family of the donor.

With respect to the patient’s confidentiality and privacy, the name of the recipient and the date of the surgery will not be released by the hospital.

S research progress continues

espite consistent unding towards a cure, research results remain stagnant FARAH BADR

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Right next to canola and potash, innovation in ALS research is one of Canada’s greatest exports.

One of the key contributors to U of T’s innovation is Dr. Michael Strong, dean of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. In addition to being a prominent researcher and educator in the field, Strong is also a former member of the ALS Society of Canada Board of Directors.

In a talk hosted collaboratively by the Royal Canadian Institute of Science (RCIS) and the Gairdner Foundation, earlier this

month Strong spoke to the current state of ALS research in Canada.

Despite generous funding, rigorous institutional effort, and the unprecedented media attention in the form of the viral “ice bucket” challenge, ALS research is progressing at a relatively slow pace.

As Strong described it, the main obstacle in finding an ALS cure is the nature of the disease itself. ALS results from any number of genetic mutations or glitches, all leading to a multitude of cellular abnormalities that vary greatly from one patient to another. “I liken this to coming across a train wreck: I can only arrive at the end” Strong said.

During the lecture, Strong discussed his own

recent findings on the development of ALS at the cellular level. Strong and his team noticed that three highly crucial filament-like proteins, FUS, TDB-43, and RGNF — previously known to be complicit in one specific pathway leading to ALS — together formed an abnormal protein ‘bundle’ in nerve cells, as observed in a series of spinal cord autopsies.

This structure stops the proteins from performing their usual function of delivering important genetic code known as “mRNAs” to various parts of the cell. Ultimately, this lack of signalling leads to cell death and the atrophy of nerves and muscles.

Strong believes it is no accident that these detrimental proteins happen to mutate simal-

taneously. He speculates that an injury to the nerve cells must have occurred very early on, to which the cells respond by sending a ‘repair package’ composed of a number of important proteins. These proteins malfunctioned in some way, however, which lead to the development of the disease.

This represents a fundamental shift from our previous understanding of ALS wherein cellular abnormalities, such as the formation of protein bundles, were thought to be ground zero for the manifestation of the disorder. This knowledge could define the next series of experiments in the field, prompting scientists to take a few steps back and look for a common root cause.

M O N DAY 25 J A N U A R Y 2 016

T H E VA R S I T Y

SCIENCE 19

var.st/science

Innovations in immunotherapy give some hope for a cancer cure a oratory

edicine and atho iology Student Union hosts an annual con erence on de elopments in the eld

IFRAH SAEED

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Will a U of T student one day discover the cure for cancer? The Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology Student Union (LMPSU) certainly hopes so.

Last week, the group hosted its annual conference “Innovations in Immunotherapy: Conference on Curing Cancer and Autoimmunity” on the treatment’s medical potential.

Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight disease, and is currently being developed for treating autoimmune diseases and cancer, which currently affect 50 million North Americans.

Cancer kills about 78,000 people per year in Canada alone.

Co-presidents of the LMPSU, Charles Lee and Jelena Tanic, explained that they focused on immu-

notherapy precisely for the promise the treatment demonstrates. “Although it is in its infancy, immunotherapy can overcome numerous limitations of traditional treatments, and we wanted to highlight its promise,” Lee explained. “Some of the most amazing discoveries are being made right here at U of T. We wanted other undergraduate students to be inspired and also pursue research in these exciting fields.”

With over 200 attendees and seven distinguished researchers as speakers, the conference led to lively discussion and debate. Whether or not immunotherapy will be as successful as one hopes to be remains to be seen. As noted by Dr. Alan Lazarus of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, “[It’s] exciting when you don’t know the answer … You don’t know which [method] will be successful.”

The conference began with a lecture from Dr. Juan Carlos ZúñigaPflücker, the chair of U of T’s Department of Immunology, on his research in generating functional T cells in vitro for bone marrow transplants in individuals with defective or no T cells. As a patient’s cancer treatment progresses, there is often a period of immune deficiency that could be mediated with these transplants.

Zúñiga-Pflücker’s talk was followed by a talk from Dr. Goetz Ehrhardt, also from U of T’s immunology department, who presented his research on using antibodies from sea-lampreys to diagnose cancer with greater accuracy than the antibodies in use today.

As the third lecturer, Lazarus discussed the use of intravenous immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies to treat autoimmune dis-

The conference succeeded at educating the public about immunotherapy. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES K LEE

orders. He specifically spoke about thrombocytopenia, a condition characterized by a decreased platelet count in the body.

Later in the day, a panel discussion on the concerns surrounding immunotherapy began. Since immunotherapy is just beginning clinical trials, there are concerns about its effectiveness and whether or not it can

reasonably extend a person’s life more than if the patient were left untreated.

Overall, the LMPSU’s conference was a success; it managed to educate the general public on what immunotherapies are and what they can do for treating disease. In the future, one can only hope that research can be translated into successful treatments.

RESEARCH IN BRIEF DID YOUR CHILD LEARN TO LIE EARLY? THIS MAY BE WHY

ARE SMART PEOPLE LESS RACIST?

CHEAP JEWELRY, HIGH COST

In our society, the ability to lie can be harmless and sometimes — as in the case of white lies — necessary for social interactions in adulthood.

Typically, lying emerges in children aged twoto-three years old and develops rapidly from the third to the seventh year. How is it that lies come about though, and why are some children more likely to verbally deceive than others?

A team of researchers, including Xiao Pan Ding and Dr. Kang Lee from U of T’s Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, are among the first to link lying in children to their understanding of individual mental states.

According to their recently published study, the more a child grasps that their own beliefs, desires, intents, and perspectives differ from others, the more they will lie.

In the study, three-year-old children who were initially incapable of lying were split into two groups. Half of them underwent mental state training in the form of story-telling, verbal exercises, games, and executive-functioning tasks; the other half received non-mental state training involving more quantitative tasks.

After twelve days of training, follow-up tests determined that the mental-state training group had a significantly higher likelihood of lying than the control group. The effects of lying persisted for a month after the practise.

This year’s lily-white Oscar nominations list has once again sparked a debate on racism in Hollywood. A recent study from the University of Toronto is adding to this already searing-hot debate by indicating that, while the smarter population of white people are less likely to be prejudiced against black people, they are no more likely to support policies that remediate racial inequality.

Researcher Geoffrey Wodtke analyzed the data from a survey of over 44,000 white respondents, which was conducted between 1972 and 2010. The survey showed that white people with higher verbal ability are less likely to hold anti-black prejudice and more likely to support racial integration in principle. For example, 46 per cent of the respondents who scored the lowest on the verbal ability test think that “blacks are lazy,” while only 29 per cent of those who scored the highest agreed with that.

There is a catch, though: the same white people who had been deemed smarter were found to be no more likely to support remedial policies, such as government aid for black people, tax incentives for businesses to move to largely black areas, and increased funding for predominantly black schools. They are even less likely to support preferential hiring policies.

So, are the smart ladies and gentlemen who voted in the white-only Oscar nominees racist? This study suggests that there is no simple answer to this question.

While you think you’re paying a low price for the latest trendy jewelry at Aldo and Ardene, you may actually be gambling with your health.

In a recent investigation by CBC Marketplace involving researchers from the University of Toronto and École Polytechnique de Montréal, 50 pieces of costume jewelry from different stores were tested for cadmium, a carcinogenic heavy metal. Seven pieces from Aldo and Ardene were found to contain between 15 and 7000 times more cadmium than deemed childsafe by Health Canada. A pendant hanging from one Ardene necklace was comprised of almost pure cadmium — the highest quantity Canada has documented for an object like this.

The risk does not lie in wearing the jewelry but in chewing or ingesting it. If chronically exposed to this toxic metal over a long period of time, issues such as kidney failure and bone loss could arise. Cadmium can also damage the central nervous system, affect blood pressure, and cause other complications. Cadmium exposure is particularly dangerous for children, as their bodies absorb cadmium more easily.

An Aldo bracelet charm, which contained 79 per cent cadmium, would be enough to release dangerous amounts of it into the body of a small child if consumed. According to Health Canada, there have so far not been any reported cases of sickness from ingesting cadmium jewelry.

Regardless, Aldo has still stated that it would remove the toxic jewelry from stores, while Ardene said it would look further into the matter.

— Laura Nguyen

— Hariyanto Darmawan

— Sophia Savva

STUDY SAYS POOR SLEEP MAY INCREASE STROKE RISK FOR SENIORS

If you are not yet convinced that lack of sleep and physical health are intimately intertwined, another study has come forward, this time showing a new link between stroke risk and a poor night of rest.

The study, which has contributions from the University of Toronto, showed how sleep fragmentation — waking repeatedly during sleep — is associated with brain blood vessel damage and increased stroke risk.

The study assessed sleep fragmentation and brain blood vessel damage in 315 autopsied individuals. On average, participants experienced seven disruptions per hour of sleep.

The team, which was led by Dr. Andrew Lim, an assistant professor of neurology at U of T, found that sleep fragmentation was associated with arteriole (small arterial blood vessels) wall thickening and tissue death. This effect was due to inadequate blood flow in an area of the brain called the subcortex.

Lim and his fellow researchers noted that such associations remained statistically significant even after controlling factors such as total daily rest and activity, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, pain, and depression.

Lim explained in a press release that the types of damage observed can result in chronic progressive cognitive and motor deterioration, in addition to increased stroke risk.

Lim, however, cautioned against inferring a causal relationship between sleep fragmentation and blood vessel damage. According to Lim, it is possible that blood vessel damage caused the sleep disruptions, or that there was an underlying mechanism that was the cause of both issues.

— Hannah Fung

20 SCIENCE

T H E VA R S I T Y

M O N DAY 25 J A N U A R Y 2 016 science@thevarsity.ca

We are all #UnitedByTheStars New planetarium series from the Dunlap Institute to deliver aid to Syrian refugees JASMINE CHOPRA VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

With Canada welcoming approximately 25,000 Syrian refugees this year, U of T is full of exciting student initiatives to raise funds that will help landed refugees resettle. These initiatives include a special series of planetarium shows organized by graduate students, Jielai Zhang and Pegah Salbi of the University of Toronto’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The show is called “Astronomy’s Golden Age,” and the students intend to give 100 per cent of the proceeds from ticket sales to Red Cross Canada. The Varsity sat down with Zhang and Salbi to discuss the upcoming series.

TV: How did you come up with this idea?

JZ, PS: We had been watching the news and heard about this huge problem about people being displaced both in Syria and to the neighbouring regions. There were all these problems about people not having enough food to eat or places to stay and everyone was helping to solve this issue. So we thought that we should do something to help them too. We thought that there is a planetarium in

our department, and we should use astronomy to educate people and at the same time, they can do good too by supporting Syrian refugees. We set a target for raising $10,000 and we are already at 20 per cent [of that amount].

TV: When you first came up with this idea, how did the department respond?

JZ, PS: We first pitched this idea to the graduate students, because we wanted to see what the response would be, and also because we couldn’t do all the shows and advertisement by ourselves. The response was phenomenal and very positive.

All the people in the department also helped us to take care of the financial and administrative aspect.

TV: What is the show about?

JZ, PS: We wanted to relate the show somehow to the cause that we’re trying to raise money for. One of our colleagues gave us an idea of representing Islamic contributions to astronomy so we can relate the show to Syria. There are a lot of connections between modern-day astronomy and Islamic astronomy. For example, a lot of the stars’ names are derived from Arabic. Astronomers present our

planetarium shows, and they start from Earth and can travel to different planets, etc. The room is a black dome, and it can simulate the night sky.

TV: Why did you choose to support Red Cross Canada?

JZ, PS: Red Cross has many programs designed to help refugees, and we were interested in two of them.

One of them is focused on internally displaced Syrians as well as refugees in neighbouring countries, and the money directly goes to buying them food, emergency kits, medication, water, and basic survival needs. The other program helps Syrian refugees coming to Canada resettle smoothly and help them transition into the Canadian culture. The reason we picked Red Cross was because it is one of the most efficient organization[s] in terms of providing food, healthcare and shelter. Ninety-five per cent of the funds go directly to helping the Syrians. In total, we have scheduled 24 shows up to March. Each show holds 26 people.

TV: What was your favourite part about organizing the shows?

JZ, PS: Our favourite part was the enthusiasm and positive energy we

ARO

N OW S

E

CIENC

D UN T

LMPSU ACADEMIC SEMINAR: FOREST PATHOLOGY he P is hosting its first academic seminar o eaturing r. ichael . Pollanen chie orensic pathologist o ntario ho ill e speaking a out his recent humanitarian orensic medicine mission in ra .

Monday, January 25 6:00–8:00pm Medical Sciences Building 1 King’s College Circle Rm2170 Admission: Free

BIOETHICS SEMINAR – ETHICS AND EPIDEMICS: REFLECTIONS ON LESSONS LEARNED r. oss pshur o ioethics pro essor and head o clinical pu lic health ill speak on the topics o ethics and epidemics in light o the recent ola out reak.

Wednesday, January 27 4:00–5:30pm Health Sciences Building 155 College St. Rm106 Admission: Free

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE

From arbitration to community outreach, this program offers the unique skills you will need to launch your career as an arbitrator, conciliator, employee relations officer, mediator and many other exciting career options.

business.humber.ca/postgrad

lot o the stars names are deri ed rom ra ic. RUESHEN AKSOY/THE VARSITY

received from the department to pursue our idea. We have four people who [have] worked endlessly to formulate the presentation[…] We have been working on this project for the past two months, [and] about 30 people have been a part of this process.

TV: Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the readership?

JZ, PS: As an endnote, we want to pose a challenge for the rest of the U of T community to support the Syrian refugees in any way possible. We, as astronomers, are teaching about

astronomy so we want to see what other departments and faculties can do to support the refugees. By investing in their health and well-being, they will become resettled in Canada, and they will gain knowledge and may advance the field of science.

The stars unite us all, and humanity should too.

The series will be held at the planetarium at 50 St George St. Tickets are $10; the first show is scheduled for January 22 and the second for January 28.

var.st/sports

SPORTS 25 January 2016

sports@thevarsity.ca

The thrust of fencing Swordplay as much a battle of wits as a feat of strength

Much of mastering fencing is dependent on nailing the fundamentals, like footwork. SANDY MA/THE VARSITY

IRIS ROBIN NEWS EDITOR

I started fencing in 2008 after my parents urged me to take up some form of physical activity. What began as an acquiescence to fitness soon became an exhilarating experience, a sport that was mentally and physically demanding. The mythology of fencing captivates many, yet it remains uncommon enough to warrant classification as an obscure sport. I spoke to Tom Feore, Varsity fencer and third-year neuroscience and philosophy student, to bust some myths and share some insights.

“A lot of people have this sort of conception of fencing as this romantic, [anachronistic practice] — you’ve seen The Princess Bride, you’ve seen any rapier kind of swashbuckling film — and people think that’s what it is. It’s not,” said Tom, adding that the technicalities of fencing set it apart from stage fighting.

In fencing, there are three weapons and each has a different set of rules that govern their use: the foil (a light thrusting weapon and a common weapon of instruction), the épée (a heavy thrusting weapon), and the sabre (the cutting weapon).

For foil, the target area — parts of the body on which a hit will score points — is the neck, chest, and groin; in épée; the whole body is fair game, and for sabre, everything from the waist up counts.

Foil and sabre are both ‘priority weapons’ and are played according to a rule known as the ‘right of way.’ “When you have a fencing match, very often two people will hit each other simultaneously, or what appears to lay observers, simultaneously,” said Tom. In circumstances when this happens, ‘right

of way’ indicates that it is the job of the referee to determine which fencer initiated the attack. Sometimes the giveaway is obvious, like with a straight attack or a parried hit, but sometimes the ‘simultaneous’ contact will occur in the middle of a skirmish. “What you’re looking for would be like if I go and continue and if you stop and I capitalize on that stopping, you begin to see how tactical it is in terms of distance and time,” he said. As for the épée, there is no ‘right of way;’ if both fencers hit, they both score points.

“Other people have other sorts of ideas about it, that it’s akin to regular combat, like if I hand you a rapier you’d be competent... no,” said Tom. One of the differences between a fencing match and a fight is that in fencing, the objective is to accumulate points, which you do through hitting your opponent. Each hit scores a point. Tom emphasized that the goal of fencing is not to avoid being hit by your opponent, it’s to rack up points. Being hit is inevitable. “You see a lot of beginning fencers, they’re very difficult to fence sometimes because they fence and fight instinctively,” Tom said.

“They’re wild, they don’t use the stance properly, they move reactively, they’re brutal, they’re swatting because they feel like they’re fighting.”

“If you watch a real rapier fight or if you’ve done any stage combat, you know that these things are brutal; people have daggers, people are elbowing each other in the face.

[In fencing] you’re not fighting to survive,” Tom said. “I’m dancing with you. I’m not fighting.” Force alone will not bring victory. Fencing is a battle of wits as much as it is a feat of strength. “It doesn’t matter how hard you hit someone. It’s not a matter of having a high pain threshold,”

he said. “It’s sort of its own inherently competitive, but strategic, physical endeavour.”

Tom described it as “all the tactics of chess with all the satisfaction of fighting, which he finds an enjoyable challenge.

He called mastering the physically demanding en garde stance “ineffable” and described the reward of properly executing a strategy as “a sense of ownership.” It all requires discipline.

Shockingly, you can’t just pick up a sword and expect to know how to use it.

Tom’s advice is to get the fundamentals down and appreciate their value. Up to an hour of each of Tom’s practice sessions can be devoted to strength training and footwork exercises, which he says aren’t always immediately rewarding but are absolutely crucial.

“The best fencers in the world can do whatever they want.

Nine times out of ten, they win on very, very simple things because those things are there so well, they’re so smart, and if those things weren’t there exceptionally well, but they knew a whole bunch of advanced manoeuvres, they wouldn’t do nearly as well.”

It’s never too late to start fencing; Tom started fencing around the age of 15, which for many competitive fencers, is late. Some people even take it up when they come to university. If you’re learning to fence for the first time, U of T offers a beginners’ course. If you’re already a fencer, you can get in touch with the university’s coach or manager whose contact details are available online.

22 SPORTS

T H E VA R S I T Y

M O N DAY 25 J A N U A R Y 2 016 sports@thevarsity.ca

SPORTS IN BRIEF SEAN SMITH & ALEC WILSON

SENIOR COPY EDITOR & EDIITOR-IN-CHIEF

LEAFS DROP 3-2 TO HABS OVERTIME LOSS BRINGS TORONTO’S REGULAR SEASON RECORD TO 17-20 The Toronto Maple Leafs were desperate for a win going into Saturday night’s meeting with the rival Montreal Canadiens.

The Leafs, having won only one of their last eight games, were every bit as hungry as the Canadiens, who going into the match had lost five straight. The Canadiens hit the ice hard with David Desharnais opening the scoring less than two minutes in, beating leaf goalie James Reimer to take the early lead. With less than two minutes remaining in the period, Tomas Fleischmann followed up by scoring his first goal in 15 games, which put the Habs ahead 2-0.

The second and third periods saw a goal each for the Leafs.

Despite registering only 15 shots on net, the Leafs’ Nazem Kadri was able to capitalize in the second period, while Joffrey Lupul scored the equalizing goal in the third to force the game into overtime.

After a scoreless OT period, the game was decided in a shootout. The Leafs’ Peter Holland scored their lone goal in the shootout, with Max Pacioretty and Lars Eller scoring for the Canadiens to eek out the 3–2 win.

The Leafs will travel to Florida on Tuesday to face the Panthers, who at the time of publication, were leading the Atlantic Division.

SUPER BOWL SLATE SET NFL action this past Sunday saw two high-stakes conference championship games, with the winners headed to face off in the fiftieth iteration of the sport’s highest showcase.

The American Football Conference (AFC) Championship was wrestled from Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots by Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos in the seventeenth playing of one of the sport’s most historic rivalries. Despite throwing for two scores, an aging Manning turned in a mediocre performance while the Broncos relied on their top ranked defense. The Patriots failed to convert on a first quarter touchdown when placekicker Stephen Gostkowski missed his first extra-point in 523 attempts. The early misstep ultimately cost the Patriots the game as they drove the field in the dying minutes of the game in an effort to close up an eight-point differential.

Though Brady was able to find tight end Rob Gronkowski in the back of the end zone with less than 20 seconds remaining, a crucial two point conversion eluded the Patriots and rewarded the Broncos with a 20–18 win.

In a decidedly less competitive match-up, prospective league MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers dismantled an anaemic Arizona Cardinals squad in National League Conference (NFC) play. The Cardinals’ offense was unable to get anything started throughout the night while their defense was completely overwhelmed by the Panthers, who racked up 49 points to the Cardinals’ 15.

The Broncos and Panthers will duke it out in the San Francisco Bay area at the newly constructed Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, February 7 in the fiftieth edition of the Super Bowl.

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RAPTORS WIN EIGHT STRAIGHT, BEAT CLIPPERS 112–94 Heading into Sunday night’s game with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Toronto Raptors were riding a seven game win streak just two and a half games behind the Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. First quarter action saw the Clippers shoot out to an early lead, outscoring the Raptors 34–27. The second quarter, however, was a different story. The Raptors were able to shut down the Clippers offense limiting them to only 15 points and headed into half-time leading 62–49. The Raptors cruised through the second half, ultimately beating the Clippers 112–94. Kyle Lowry scored 21 points and Terrence Ross lead the team in three pointers, sinking five of seven attempts.

The Raptors will play the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. If they win they will tie the franchise record for the longest winning streak.

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New Year’s Fitness Resolutions How to ensure another resolution doesn’t go out the door by mid-February RAGHAD A.K

off with once or twice a week, and work your way up to packing a lunch daily. Invest in a good quality water bottle and take it everywhere; this will help you cut back on sodas and juices, plus you can make use of U of T’s hydration stations.

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

Now that it is the end of January, many of us will have realized that the resolutions we made in the lazy haze of the holidays aren’t exactly coming to fruition: the chances of someone following through with their New Year’s resolution for an entire year is slim. The most commonly broken resolution is losing weight. At U of T it’s easy to fall into a routine of going to class, studying, eating out, and staying up late — conditions that aren’t exactly conducive to keeping up a health-related resolution.

If you’re serious about improving your health and bettering yourself for next year, while still maintaining a steady GPA, here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your 2016: 1) JOIN A FITNESS CLASS It’s okay to step out of your comfort zone by joining a new club or fitness class to change up your workout routine. U of T’s athletic facilities offer different types of classes like: kickboxing, yoga, Zumba, pilates, and many more. Changing up the traditional free weight and cardio machine workouts can also help your body resist plateauing, and if you take a Zumba class, you may even dance away with some new moves to show-off the next time you go out.

2) HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER If you’re excited about working out but the thought of going to the gym without knowing what to do sounds about as appealing as cutting your own arm off, then U of T’s personal training services can help. U of T ath-

4) SET GOALS There’s a difference between a resolution and a goal. Resolutions are more generic — for example, lose weight or become fitter — whereas goals are smaller milestones you can set in order to fulfill your resolution. Achieving small goals makes your resolution more attainable, because seeing regular progress can be the best form of encouragement. It can also be helpful to keep track of your progress by using a fitness app or journal; writing down your progress will get you that much closer to achieving your goals. Talking about your future goals with people that are close to you can also help you keep them.

MIRKA LOISELLE/THE VARSITY

letic services offer one-on-one sessions with certified personal trainers who are usually U of T students themselves. Their job is to help you develop a workout routine that suits your personal needs and goals. They will also show you how to use the different machines in the weight room, guide you through cardio exercises, and give you pointers on eating better, and help you adjust to a healthier lifestyle.

3) SAY NO TO JUNK FOOD Probably the biggest hindrance to your weight loss and fitness goals is your diet, so cutting back on buying fast food is crucial. Although this is probably one of the hardest changes to make, eating healthier doesn’t have to mean a complete dietary overhaul. Try packing a lunch or a few snacks that will come in handy when you have a long day on campus. Start

5) BUY WORKOUT CLOTHES A trick that works especially well for broke university students is investing in workout clothes. For most university students, money is scarce and OSAP is cruel, so the thought of wasting money is sickening. Buying workout clothes will motivate you to go to the gym — not because you’ll look good, but because you don’t want to waste the money you spent on those Lululemon or Nike leggings. A good workout apparel starter-kit includes: running shoes, thick socks, leggings, and a T-shirt.

Don’t be a dope Part two of a series explaining the significance of doping and drug testing in sport NICOLE BIANCHI

VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR

For many North American athletes, whether Olympic hopefuls or professionals, collegiate athletics is the first step to a professional contract or gold medal. Shifting from amateur athletes requires an increased amount of time dedicated to more intense training regimes, and it also brings with it stricter rules: especially when it comes to doping.

Any athlete who is a member of either of the two major collegiate sporting bodies in North America, Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), is required to follow the world anti-doping code, established in 2004 by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

This code covers many different classes of substances, and perhaps most importantly, emphasizes the fact that it is the athletes themselves who are ultimately responsible to ensure that they are not violating any of its policies. If an athlete is found to have violated any part of the code, whether intentionally or not, they may face serious consequences.

So what exactly do the CIS and NCAA do in order to help educate and protect their athletes? The CIS, in conjunction with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES),

have created an anti-doping program for all its athletes. The program consists of courses athletes must take in order to be cleared to play. Each athlete’s CCES account also gives them access to further educational resources, including the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), a quick reference card on the policies in place, and the ‘prohibited list,’ taken directly from WADA’s website.

The NCAA has a similar practice in place.

Each athlete must sign a consent form at the beginning of the year indicating that they understand the rules, and that they give their consent to be tested at any time. If they do not sign this form, then they are not able to play. Finally, NCAA athletes must submit a student athlete statement, which provides the NCAA with more drug use information.

Both organizations also warn against taking any nutritional supplements due to the fact that they are poorly regulated and may contain banned substances, which could lead to violating the code for an athlete. On their websites, the CCES and NCAA provide additional resources which athletes can consult in order to determine whether or not something they are taking is classified as a banned substance or not.

Closer to home, and in addition to completing the online courses through the CCES, many Varsity Blues athletes attend anti-dop-

Although not as prevelant in university athletics, doping is an extreme measure athletes take to try and win. NATHAN CHAN/THE VARSITY

ing seminars during orientation week each year. This seminar is organized and run by members of the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic, and it serves to further inform the athletes about anti-doping policies and the potential dangers of doping. If an athlete is caught, they can face a number of consequences, including but not limited to suspensions, revocation of their title, or being banned from competition.

In a 2013 TEDx talk at U of T, Doug Richards, medical director of the David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic, and an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology and physical education, mentioned that the culture of risk that is associated with the ‘winning at all costs’ mentality in sports can lead to using performance enhancing agents. “Look at the behaviour of athletes in respect to doping” said Richards, “they’re willing to take dangerous substances, subject themselves to potential bodily harm, they’re willing to cheat and potentially get caught and kicked out all in the name of increasing their

probability that they might win.” Doping is not only a choice an athlete makes in order to increase their chances of winning, but it is also an extreme reaction to the culture within sport where winning has traditionally been the only predicator of success.

So why do athletes dope in the first place?

Well, the short answer is to increase their chances of winning. With over 284 purported doping cases in professional sport in 2014 and the recent state-sponsored Russian doping scandal, it doesn’t look like anti-doping education is as effective as it can be. It is clear that doping is a very complex issue in collegiatelevel and professional sport, but the system could wbenefit from an overhaul by changing the emphasis on the individual to focusing on the sports community to take the pressure off of winning.

Until that point, we will have to rely on information sessions and tests to commit athletes to ‘playing true.’

M O N DAY 25 J A N U A R Y 2 016

T H E VA R S I T Y

DIVERSIONS 24

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DOWN

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9. Tibet’s ... Lama . m ulance o ficer 13. Recede 15. Moved slowly 16. Aussie stockman 18. Did business 19. Home 21. Lamented 22. Sea-going defence force Answers from Issue 13