vol. cXXXvi, no. 2
T he UniversiTy
of
ToronTo’s sTUdenT newspaper since 1880
ARTS & CULTURE
14 sepTember 2015
STUDENT LIFE
Anomymous online threats target feminists at U of T Students criticise university for “inadeqate” response IRIS ROBIN NEWS EDITOR
40 years of the Toronto International Film Festival: A retrospective PG 16 Reviews of two of the most anticipated festival debuts PG 17
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
New required TCard documentation poses challenge for refugee and international students Students must prove legal status to obtain essential U of T identification card JENNY XIAO
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
For University of Toronto students, their TCard is an everyday necessity. It is required identification for exams, as well access to campus resources such as libraries and athletics facilities. It also allows students to photocopy and print on campus, and purchase food, or activate their meal plans at select campus locations. Getting a TCard, however, might not be as easy as you think, as new documentation, besides proof of enrollment, is now required for the official U of T student photo identification card. Effective summer 2015, incoming U of T St. George students must now provide proof of citizenship, permanent residency, registra-
tion under the 1985 Indian Act, or immigration permission in order for the TCard Office to issue the identification. Students whose citizenship information does not match their status in the university’s records will not be able to obtain a TCard. “The university is always reviewing processes to see where improvements can be made. This one was identified in discussions with divisions; we felt that UTM and UTSC had a strong process in place and have adopted it for St. George,” said Richard Levin, the executive director, enrolment services and university registrar. According to Levin, the new regulations were implemented due to provincial funding regulations that require the university to
report on domestic and international enrolments. “Requiring documentation of status ensures that we are reporting accurately and complying with these regulations,” Levin said. “The process ensures that student records are accurate and that international students have government-required documentation.” “Because I am having some issues providing identity proof documents it is possible that I won’t be able to obtain a TCard until December and in the meantime I don’t know what to do,” said Gloria Liu, a second-year student. Liu is therefore unable to obtain an official school email and is unable to access university library resources online. She is hoping to resolve this issue before December so that she will be able to fully utilize the services that Continued on PG 3
The University of Toronto has increased its police presence across all three of its campuses following an anonymous comments section post on a blogTO article encouraging readers to shoot U of T feminists. The comments, which have since been removed, include the user’s assertion that feminists and professors who teach Women and Gender Studies (WGS) or Sociology classes at the university should be shot. The user also recommended sources for aqcuiring a gun to carry out such an act. Students in Women and Gender Studies classes received an email on September 12 outlining the increased security measures being implemented as a result of the threats. “WGSI and the university are putting in place a security plan for each class, and next week’s classes will only be held if instuctors are satisfied with these efforts,” read a portion of the email. “Such measures might include having uniformed or plainclothes security personnel outside or inside classes, the requirement that everyone have a U of T photo ID to enter Continued on PG 3
INSIDE Student Apathy
Youth vote remains untapped in lead up to Federal election Comment PG 11
TPASC
State of the art Pan Am facility to open to the public Sports PG 25
FEATURE
Student App Developers U of T students making a push to compete with Waterloo for the title of Silicon Valley North PG 12