Friday, March 15, 2013 by Western Gazette

thegazette Friday, March 15, 2013

Cam Smith News Editor

Pat walks into the office late for our interview. Understandable, as the previous night had been a long one—he had attended a ninehour council meeting that persisted until 4 a.m. Despite this, Pat shakes my hand energetically and grinning asks, “How are you doing, sir?” It’s this familiarity that really distinguishes Pat from other political figures. Alone, away from the cameras and microphones, he appears down-to-earth and relaxed—a far cry from the powerful rhetorician he was at the debates. “I like to keep really busy. But when I’m not, when I have time to unwind, I’m a friends guy. I have very strong friends from Hamilton that I keep daily contact with, and I have five unbelievable roommates,” he explains. “If I’m not doing stuff on campus, then I want to be hanging out with my friends, having a beer and watching crappy television.” So what encouraged this laid-back man to campaign for presidency? Pat explains he noticed a lack of USC connection with students, something he wanted to remedy. This led to the creation of his enormous platform, which addressed all the shortcomings he felt he could improve as president. Despite the immense detail Pat put into his platform and campaign, his victory still left him stunned and enthralled. “It was a shock, it was a huge shock. So many people had put so much work in,” he reminisces. “When [Pashv Shah] f***in’ announced it, there was this eruption from all sides around me, it was just surreal. It was an out-of-body experience.” The road to his victory in the USC presidential race last month was a long one. At the end of the fall, with the new slate structure in place, Pat began to recruit the team that would eventually see him succeed in his campaign for USC president. “It was late November, and I was in Social Science Building cramming for an essay, and he called me up and we just sat down and figured it out and decided to run,” Amir Eftekharpour, vice-president external affairselect, says to me over the phone while making tacos. Amir explains he was a member of another campaign team at first, but switched to Pat’s after discovering how closely their visions aligned. “It was the stunning good looks,” Amir laughs, and then assumes a more serious tone. “I had actually switched campaign teams onto his from another campaign because I sincerely believed what he was saying more than what the other guy was saying.” Sam Krishnapillai, vice-president internalelect, mirrors Amir’s sentiments about Whelan’s goals. “I don’t like complimenting him to his face,” she laughs. “I hate that he’s going to read this. But he’s really selfless. He will put the students before himself—even if he has to take a hit. But if it benefits students, that’s what he’ll do.”

I’m definitely a big sing-along guy. I’m the guy you don’t sit next to at the concert because you can’t hear the actual artist. It’s a family trait. The Whelans are big sing-along people, my mother especially. —Patrick Whelan

University Students’ Council president-elect

Like everyone, Pat has distinct character traits, habits, obsessions and flaws. Behind the president figure, there truly is a human being. “He’s very human. He’s very obsessive sometimes. He’ll pick up a habit and keep going at it for years. Things like James Bond— he’ll just never shut up about James Bond,” Amir quips. “He’s a person, he’s flawed, but he’s got a lot of good qualities.” “He’s just this kind of goofball that’s really tall,” Sam says with a smile. “I think he thinks he’s a good singer. He sings along to stuff a lot, but I’m not a big fan.” Pat begrudgingly agrees with Sam’s assertion about his singing. “Yes,” he groans. “I’m definitely a big singalong guy. I’m the guy you don’t sit next to at the concert because you can’t hear the actual artist. It’s a family trait. The Whelans are big sing-along people, my mother especially.” In spite of his idiosyncrasies, or perhaps because of them, Pat was able to appeal to the 3,366 students who voted for him. Irrefutably comfortable in front a crowd, Pat is able to maintain an honest disposition without stooping to political rhetoric. “He is very engaged. He’s very energetic. He says a lot of dumb things and steps on people’s toes every now and then, but that’s just who he is,” Amir says. “I don’t really see him as a politician in that sense, but I guess he is now whether he wants to be or not.” “He’s a good person, a good leader,” Sam adds. “I wouldn’t want to work with anyone else, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else being president.” Looking forward, Pat intends to remain true to himself regardless of the inundation of politics he will inevitably face. He wants to carry on the same honesty and genuine compassion for the students of Western he displayed during his campaign and subsequent election. “I have no secrets. Like I said from the beginning, I’m going to be me,” he says. “I guess if you know me, you know me.” Pat is a man who likes a pint of beer, singing loudly and sporting daring red trousers. He’s the man who wrote a 21-page presidential platform, more than double his opponents’. He’s the man with the indefatigable grin and infectious chuckle. He is our next University Students’ Council President, Patrick Whelan.

Cameron Wilson Gazette

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thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

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westerngazette.ca/news Your Weekly Horoscope

The week of March 15 – 21 This horoscope is intended for entertainment purposes only.

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Are you ready for surprises? If not, loosen up a little Someone you can trust will be by your side this week bit because there is a little excitement in store for when you need the most support. He or she also can you. It will come when you least expect it. help with sorting through financial concerns. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 You may need an extra dose of patience this week. You may need to take a look at your finances and Some difficult tasks are ahead and you will be in any things you can do to address any issues. Tweak charge of getting things back to normal. things that have not been working as you had hoped. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Though many things can induce stress, the infec- Make some concessions if it means keeping the tious sound of children’s laughter will quickly take peace around the house. Sometimes you have to you out of a slump. Take some time to enjoy the simply sit back and let others be in the spotlight. simpler things in life. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Some issues that require your attention arise at the office even though you may feel you have already devoted enough time to work responsibilities this week.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Take a few moments to think about what you expect from a particular person and then develop a strategy that will bring you to that end. It sounds easy, but it will require effort.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 A memorable night is on the horizon. It may be Sometimes things last, but other times they fizzle Wednesday or Thursday, so plan to look your best away. You may not be able to predict the outcome of on those days. Romance could be in the air as well. everything, but you can take steps to protect the things you want to save. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Before reacting to something this week, take a few Others will quickly figure out that there is no one deep breaths before saying or doing anything. This quite like you. You are a great friend to be around. way you can be sure you are not engaging in a knee-jerk reaction. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 17 – Kurt Russell, Actor (62) MARCH 19 – Glenn Close, Actress (66) MARCH 21 – Gary Oldman, Actor (54)

MARCH 18 – Adam Levine, Singer (34) MARCH 20 – Kathy Ireland, Model (50)

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News Briefs

Purple Bikes to end year in the black At Wednesday night’s University Students’ Council meeting, it was announced that for the first time since its founding, Purple Bikes will finish off its fiscal year with a budget surplus. “As of February 28, Purple Bikes is at a $500 deficit,” Tony Ayala, vice-president finance for the USC, said. “Our fiscal year-end is May 31 though, so we are projecting to finish the year off at a surplus of $2,000.” One of the reasons why Purple Bikes will not be at a deficit this year is because the operation was exempt from paying occupancy. However, the surplus is not expected to last. “This year, Purple Bikes was given free space as an in-kind contribution,” Ayala said. “Since it has grown as an operation, it will be charged occupancy next year, so it has been given a conservative budget projection to run at a $15,000 deficit.” Purple Bikes is undergoing renovations after recently moving from the third floor of the University Community Centre to the first. However, according to their official website, the operation should be back up and running soon. As to how popular the services offered are, Kevin Yaraskavitch, Purple Bikes coordinator, said during the warmer months, all 30 of the bikes are regularly rented out. However, according to Yaraskavitch, the cycling culture at Western is only in its budding phase. “It’s often a debate between taking the bus or buying a car,” Yaraskavitch said. “The bus system is bad, but [most students] can’t afford a car. Cycling is rarely brought up as an option, but it’s a great option.” Students interested in giving cycling a try are encouraged to check the official Purple Bikes page at the USC website for information regarding its reopening. —Aleks Dalek

Crossword By Eugene Sheffer

United Way donations bigger than expected United Way of London & Middlesex raised a record $8,752,222 in this year’s annual fundraising campaign—despite last month’s projected shortfall of roughly $150,000 on their original $8.75 million target. “We knew when we set the goal that it would be a challenge given the local economy,” Kelly Ziegner, director of community engagement, said. “But at the same time, we were hearing from our funded agencies that the need was greater. It’s a double-edged sword—when people don’t have the money to give [is the time] there is more need for it.” The majority of the expected shortfall was attributed to the loss of several major donors, such as the Ford St. Thomas plant. “They ran big workplace campaigns that would raise money for United Way annually,” Ziegner confirmed. Western stepped up as a major contributor, donating almost $750,000—the biggest donation ever received by United Way. In fact, United Way and Western have been partners for decades. The money raised will be reinvested in the London community by supporting the 83 initiatives delivered by the 47 London social service agencies United Way supports. —Zoe Woods

The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.

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thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

Council passes 2013–14 budget Iain Boekhoff Gazette Staff After two hours of spirited debate, the 2013–14 University Students’ Council budget passed at the first half of the Annual General Meeting Wednesday night. The budget made it through the debate intact, meaning main campus students will see a $22.69 increase in student fees. Tony Ayala, vice-president finance for the USC, was pleased the budget was passed in its entirety. “This is an exciting budget for students next year,” Ayala said in an interview. “It includes some amazing growth for the USC, such as reallocations to increase the number of paid student internships with the organization, re-align our operations with students’ needs with the creation of the new Creative Services and allocating more funds to the grants system.” Jordan Coop, president of the Faculty of Information and Media Studies Students’ Council, and Michael Zawalski, president of the Undergraduate Engineering Society, led the charge against the budget in the debate. Coop was concerned with the lack of alternatives to a new $2 service stabilization fee, as well as increasing the cost of education when the USC has been saying it should be more affordable.

Zawalski thought the planned cash injection of $250,000 to help offset an anticipated budget shortfall meant the USC was engaging in risky behaviour when it could be making cuts to services where too much money was being spent.

I think it’s rather complacent of us to just sit here and sign off on this budget. —Michael Zawalski

President of the Undergraduate Engineering Society

“There is a very real risk that, by approving this budget as it exists, the USC could fall below its minimum $1 million cash balance threshold,” Zawalski said at council, referring to a USC policy mandating council maintain a minimum of $1 million in its bank account. Ayala said the $1 million cash balance policy is an internal policy, and it in no way means the USC is in financial trouble if it falls below that threshold. “I think it’s rather complacent of us to just sit here and sign off on this budget and say, ‘We need to maintain service levels. We can’t make the cuts now because we don’t know what cuts to make,’” Zawalski said in

CHRW signs off on station upgrades

the debate. “I think it’s true. We don’t know what the cuts that need to be made are in this budget, but I think to say that there are no cuts in this budget that could be made is completely unfair.” Concerns were also raised about the accessibility of the budget to councillors and students, how effectively money was being spent for each student, as well as how input from councillors and students was being incorporated into the budget. “During the consultations for the weeks prior, many councillors voiced that they wished for new budget policies in the future. It was discussed in the weeks prior that there was a possibility of many new innovations to the budget process, and the USC supports many of these changes but wanted to discuss them on the open floor of council,” Ayala said. “The USC will be looking at its budget process and how to incorporate student input earlier on.” When all was said and done, the budget was passed by the majority of council, with only a few against the motion. “A budget should never pass without constructive discussion and debate. Councillors work to ensure that students interests are being addressed in the budget,” Ayala said. “Upon completing a very constructive dialogue about the budget and process, the budget was passed by an overwhelming majority.”

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AT TENTION STUDENTS USING SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES We would like to remind you that you must meet with a counsellor at Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in the Student Development Centre, to arrange academic accommodation for your 2012/2013 winter courses. If you have not yet requested accommodation for your courses, and you wish to use accommodation for April 2013 exams, you must meet with a counsellor by Wednesday, March 20th. Accommodation for April 2013 exams cannot be arranged by SSD if requested after this date.

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Kaitlyn Oh Gazette Staff During Wednesday night’s council meeting, CHRW announced their plan to make $130,000 worth of improvements to their existing studio space. The money will go toward major upgrades in their production studio and live floor, which is the area where bands perform live to air. The changes will primarily involve sound-proofing the live floor, purchasing a new professional-grade recording console and aesthetic renovations. Grant Stein, station manager for CHRW, emphasized how the improvements would provide students with more opportunities. “We’re doing the changes so we can bring live bands in to play and showcase local talent and Western talent,” Stein said. “It will also give an opportunity to students in general—especially students who aren’t in the music faculty—to perform in a live-to-air environment.” The opportunities will not only extend to performers and artists, but would also help budding music producers. “We’re hoping to integrate training for students who are interested in areas like music production,” he said. “They’ll be able to come in and learn from local professionals about how to work professionalgrade equipment or tackle harder

technical tasks.” Jeremy Santucci, vice-president communications for the University Students’ Council and the chair of CHRW’s board of directors, echoed these sentiments. “Ultimately, we are hoping the studio improvements and service will draw more students to the station and provide more value and opportunity to students in the Western community who fund a large portion of CHRW’s budget.” Adam Fearnall, USC president, initially proposed these upgrades in his election platform last year. “Adam brought the idea forward to CHRW early in his term,” Santucci said. “The board approved the idea for the music studios service in principle after the station manager Grant Stein provided us with some more information on what the project would entail.” Fortunately, the $130,000 plan will not cost students any additional money. “CHRW receives their funds from a student fee, but there will be no increase because of this project. It all comes out of CHRW’s standard student fee,” Stein confirmed. “We have basically been saving this money up over a series of years, and every so often a project comes up that we think is worth investing into.” Construction on the improvements is set to start this summer and finish before September.

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thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

Arts&Life

funfact On St. Patrick’s Day, about 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed around the world. On a regular day, only about 5.5 million pints of the Irish stout are consumed.

Getting stuck in Two Hours Traffic Sarah Prince Gazette Staff Some Western students may have missed Two Hours Traffic’s last local concert to attend Homecoming festivities instead. Thankfully, the Canadian band is returning to London on Tuesday to promote their new album Foolish Blood at Call the Office. Their latest tour began at the end of February and recently included a stop in Texas for the SXSW festival. No matter where they perform, Liam Corcoran, lead vocalist for Two Hours Traffic, emphasizes he values his eastern Canadian heritage. “The sound we have is kind of reminiscent of the Halifax pop sound,” Corcoran remarks. “Between the way we write songs and the way we sound, I think we belong to a kind of family of bands that started out in Halifax. Also, [it seems] we must have an accent, although I don’t really notice it.” Two Hours Traffic is content living in Prince Edward Island, but Corcoran has his eye on Toronto as his future home. Corcoran admits America’s song-writing capital, Nashville, Tennessee, is a particularly appealing alternative too. “We have a lot of friends [in Toronto], and family as well. We know the city really well,” Corcoran

FILE PHOTO

EXPECTING HEAVY TRAFFIC. Halifax rockers Two Hours Traffic return to London for their 15th show in the city as part of the tour promoting their new album, Foolish Blood.

says. “I’ve never seriously thought about anywhere other than Toronto, [but] I daydream about a few places.” Recognizing concerts with major headliners are relatively rare in Canada’s remote areas, like the Northwest Territories, Corcoran likes playing there because everyone truly appreciates the opportunity to see them play live. Two Hours Traffic’s Canadian

roots are reflected on the cover of Foolish Blood. Phil MacIsaac, a close friend of the band’s, who also designed many of the band’s posters and T-shirts, created the interesting album art, featuring a Canadian landscape. “In terms of the colours, we wanted it to look similar to our other albums,” Corcoran explains. “Phil had a couple ideas and he really

just ran with it and he did a really cool job.” The band’s catchy hit song “Jezebel” has been featured on many film and television soundtracks, including episodes of popular teen shows like One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl. Eager to interact with fans that discovered them on such TV shows, Corcoran and his fellow bandmates tend to hang around the

merchandise table after concerts. Two Hours Traffic has already performed in London about 15 times, and they’re looking forward to playing at Call the Office again. “We like the stage of the club and the vibe of the club, so we’re really happy to play there again,” Corcoran says. “There’s a sense of community in the crowd because you feel like everybody there knows each other. There’s a little more excitement and generally a young crowd, which does help to have an energetic show.” Corcoran promises to bring a fresh show for their upcoming performance, hoping to balance their new and old material. “It’s just all about designing a set list that mixes the old stuff people want to hear with the new songs that keep us interested and motivated. You never want to play the exact same stuff at every show. You know, it’s all about balancing all the new material,” he says. Acknowledging March is a hectic time at university, Corcoran insists their track record is good. “If you want to just [go] to blow off some steam, sing along and dance a bit, [going to the show] is probably better than sitting around, just drinking at the bar.” Two Hours Traffic will play at Call the Office Tuesday, March 19 at 9 p.m.

Working with words for worthy cause Leah Mahoney Contributor

With comedic performances, a penny auction and a photo booth, Play on Words is shaping up to be a promising night at the theatre. This evening, The Grand Theatre is hosting Play on Words, a charity improv show in the style of the popular television series, Whose Line is it Anyways? The night includes performances by two comedy troupes—The UWO Comedy Club and Shut the Front Door Improv. A photo booth, complete with costumes and a penny auction, accompanies these performances, where guests can bid on a variety of prizes. Proceeds from Play on Words will go toward The Grand Theatre’s newest youth program, WordPlay, an outreach group for youth aged eight to 12. Through the program, youth work closely with artists and educators to write and perform short plays to learn about creativity and collaboration. Play on Words is the brainchild of five students from the arts management and not-for-profit management programs in continuing studies at Western. The charity fundraiser initially began as a class assignment, where the students soon discovered a fundraiser for The Grand Theatre was a perfect fit for them. “My group decided we wanted to do a fundraiser for The Grand Theatre because we’re all interested in the theatre and the arts,” explains Shannon Charnock, the

Courtesy of Brandon Rudd

ROFLOL. Members of Shut The Front Door Improv, one of the comedy groups performing at Play on Words tonight, get in tune with their characters for a show.

project manager. “This program called WordPlay came to our attention and it seemed like an incredibly worthy project to raise funds for.” Shut the Front Door Improv, a London-based improv and comedy troupe, were also initially attracted to Play on Words due to the project’s partnership with The Grand Theatre and WordPlay. “We are very happy to be number one, helping parts in London, but additionally, youth and something in our backyard,” says Brandon Rudd, Shut the Front Door’s artistic director. “[Play on Words] was really easy to say yes to.”

Shut the Front Door Improv specializes in both improv and sketch comedy, with more of an emphasis on improv comedy. The Play on Words audience will be treated to purely improvisational comedy from the group. Alternatively, Play on Words will feature comedy sketches written by The Write Club, and performed by members from The UWO Comedy Club. The Write Club is a club within The UWO Comedy group and has been writing sketches for over a year. The club has even more ambitious goals of creating a feature-length film compiled entirely of their sketches, some of

which they may perform tonight. Play on Words promises to be a fun evening where the audience is given the opportunity to watch two groups of people perform material that they love. “It’s going to be just a fun, silly night. Being on the 15th, it’s a bit of a warm up to St. Patrick’s Day,” Charnock jokes. With lots of comedy, penny auctions and a photo booth with silly costumes, Play on Words plans to live up to its energetic hype. Play on Words, a 19+ event, is tonight at The Grand Theatre. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:30. Tickets are $10.

Mike Laine Gazette

thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

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thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

Opinions Fee increase warrants discussion After many hours of debate Wednesday night, the University Students’ Council narrowly defeated a motion to impose a three-year freeze on increasing the $77.46 base student fee. Instead, council approved a motion to implement regular audits of USC operations and services. Over the past five years, student fees have increased by 92 per cent, from $360.38 in 2008 to $661.33 this year. No matter what side of the debate you fall on, it’s hard to say this is a sustainable trajectory. Something needs to be done to stem our skyrocketing fees. As several councillors opposed to the freeze pointed out at the meeting, students approved many of those fee increases through referenda, such as the 12-month bus pass and dental insurance. But it’s easy to vote in favour of dental insurance if we aren’t asked to consider the big-picture effects over time. It was also argued a freeze would unfairly “handcuff” future councils, limiting their power to do what’s best for students. But USC speaker Brent Duncan debunked this argument at the meeting, explaining no decision of council is absolutely binding on future councils— if the USC decided in the future that to increase the base student fee was absolutely essential, they would have had the power to overturn this freeze. In reality, the “freeze” would have served as an incentive to find alternative efficiencies and revenue streams, instead of increasing fees as a first resort. Furthermore, some of the very same people who called a freeze unfair to future councils voted in favour of completely overhauling the structure of the USC earlier this year. Are future councils not handcuffed by that decision as well? And what about the USC’s 10-year capital plan, introduced last year? Council exists for the very purpose of improving the student experience in the future. To suggest council shouldn’t make decisions with long-term implications is ridiculous. The freeze was defeated by only three votes, and that’s a shame. Audits and service reviews may find efficiencies, but they lack the teeth of a full freeze. Instead of worrying about what’s best for future councils, perhaps the USC should consider what’s best for future students. We have been nickel-and-dimed to death over the past five years—$2 here, $0.82 there. It adds up.

Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.

—William Butler Yeats, Irish poet

Long-time fans boast mistaken superiority Holmes is on the Case

Brent Holmes Arts & Life Editor

“I liked that band before they were cool”—it’s a line used so ironically by our culture it has really lost any meaning it may have had. I found myself looking through the comments on a music video after hearing the song in the latest Game of Thrones trailer. Several comments noted those individuals liked the song before Game of Thrones used it. These statements really got me thinking— and not just about why it is a waste of time to go into the comments on YouTube—but about the nature of what “before it was cool” really means. Now, I have been a huge Tragically Hip fan since I was a fetus—and when I went to my first Hip concert last summer, I found myself annoyed by those in the crowd who weren’t there because of the Hip’s lyrics or onstage antics. It was easy to fall into the belief that my understanding of what was being shown was somehow greater than theirs—and therein lies the core of the “before it was cool” idea. The “before it was cool” mantra is the assumption that liking something before it gains mainstream acceptance gives a greater understanding than what others would have. This goes right down to the simple act of posting “first” on a comment board. The problem of these assumptions is not entirely that there are multiple ways of appreciating music, or other forms of art. Artists are people who hide meaning in plain sight and

sometimes that understanding can be lost in the mainstream drone. The problem is these assumptions have us defensive about our taste in music and other forms of art, which limits our ability to see other opinions and thus limits us from attaining a deeper understanding. In an era of Facebook, Twitter and the Internet hive mind, we have become people who seek validation of our own understanding. The claim of liking something before it was popularized is thus a statement that reveals a greater problem in our society—the desire to validate our own way of thinking and an unhealthy desire to be the first, and be somehow set apart from the rest. The horror of living in a postmodern society with a blogosphere of millions writing into a vacuum is that this validation is a lie. Try as we may, there is no escaping the reality that our own subjectivity leaves us in a place where our version of reality has no claim over the other ones that exist. The reason for such aggressiveness on online forums, and the desire to get as many ‘likes’ or ‘retweets’ on a status update, can be characterized as a feature of a society that has not been able to, on an individual level, accept the enormous collection of thoughts, ideas and approaches that exist in the world. Thus, we can explain the hipster memes about something being ironic or liked “before it was cool” as attempts to legitimize our subjective experience in terms of a world full of different and unique experiences. As a society, we need to move beyond this limited way of thinking about the world into one where our opinions can be improved by the many ways of approaching the world, rather than one that claims superiority for being first.

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Next year, the USC will charge students a $2 “stabilization fee” to keep services like Western Connections and conference room booking free. What do you think? The USC shouldn’t have to charge us more for that. 44% We can book conference rooms? 40% It’s necessary to keep these services available. 16% Vote on next week’s poll at westerngazette.ca

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Your anonymous letters to life. Dear Life, Why the hell do the microwaves in the UCC never work?! Dear Life, Does anyone read Archie anymore? Dear Life, Why do I even start The Gazette crossword every day? Dear Life, Of all the problems that exist in the world, why does it feel like life or death when I’m sprinting for the bus?

Submit your letters to life at www.westerngazette.ca /dearlife. Letter to the Editor

Agreement helpful to Brescia To the Editor: Re: Affiliate agreement hurts everyone, March 12, 2013 The articles surrounding the affiliate agreement and the comments of the editorial board have misrepresented the overall significance of the affiliate agreement. The purpose of this agreement was to fairly share the burden of student fees across Western and eliminate the duplication of services for affiliate students, who were overpaying, but underserved by the University Students’ Council. The characterization of the affiliate agreement within these pieces is grossly inaccurate. Consider the case at Brescia— the Brescia University College Students’ Council levied some of the money saved by the agreement to increase the function, efficiency and service provided to Brescia students. This money was used to fund scholarships for students, increase funding for programming, allow for a partnership with The Circle to sponsor an International Women’s Day speaker and, finally, increase financial accessibility for sophs by subsidizing the cost of uniforms. The affiliate agreement has allowed the BUCSC to begin the process of incorporation, an option previous not available due to a lack of resources. In addition, Brescia students also saw student fees decrease $23.59. It should be noted affiliate students continue to pay 38 per cent of both the base student fee and University Community Centre fee. In reality, the agreement is not wholly harmful. Rather it provides significant benefit, specifically to affiliate students whose best interest the agreement is intended to represent. —Samantha Goverde Brescia IV

Photography Andrei Calinescu Ritchie Sham Cameron Wilson Graphics Naira Ahmed Mike Laine Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Liwei Zhou Online Julian Uzielli Web Cameron Wilson Video Chris Kay

• Please recycle this newspaper •

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thegazette • Friday, March 15, 2013

Much anticipated fight could go either way GSP Georges St. Pierre has proven himself as one of the most elite fighters in the world, second only to Anderson Silva himself. GSP is well-rounded, with his wrestling and athleticism complemented by solid kickboxing and good defensive jiu-jitsu. Finding a chink in GSP’s armour will be a great challenge for Diaz. GSP’s greatest advantage in this bout is the best advantage a fighter can have—he will get to decide where it takes place. As such, it will be Diaz who will have to adapt. Combine this with Diaz’s tendency to be frustrated easily, and GSP has a solid advantage in

DIAZ

almost every area except perhaps aggression. Look for GSP to keep the fight standing initially. This will frustrate Diaz and eat into his stamina. GSP will probably stay away from engaging Diaz on the ground until the later rounds, when Diaz’s submissions will be less dangerous. GSP is only really in danger early, when Diaz will come out swinging for the knockout. If GSP can weather the early storm, I expect him to cruise to a decision victory and remain welterweight champion. Robert Armstrong Gazette

Diaz is an odd challenger, as he’s coming off a loss to GSP’s last opponent—Carlos Condit. Clearly, Dana White and Joe Silva have faith that Diaz still presents a threat to the champion, and they’re right to give him a shot at the title. Diaz has a brawling style of boxing that has inflicted serious damage to his opponents. Despite his dangerous standup, Diaz’s biggest weapon is his bottom-game jiu-jitsu. The Cesar Gracie prodigy possesses the most dangerous offensive guard in the game. While GSP will get to decide

where the fight takes place, Diaz is unlikely to be bothered as he has confidence in all areas. Look for Diaz to come out swinging in hopes of knocking out GSP early. GSP’s chin has been in question since the beginning of his career, and Diaz knows this and will seek to take advantage. If this doesn’t work, there’s a possibility that Diaz will pull guard. If Diaz can avoid being frustrated, he has a serious shot at the title. Unfortunately, Diaz’s temper typically gets to him, and I expect this fight to play out in a slow, grinding fashion, ending in a GSP win. —Richard Raycraft

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ARE YOU SINGLE? Participate in online surveys created by UWO Psychology researchers and receive up to $45 in Amazon gift certificates in appreciation for your contribution. For more information, please contact Kristi Chin (uwosingles@gmail.com).

UPCOMING EVENTS WESTERN ADVENTISTS PRESENT “Taste & See Healthy Living” with Dr. Shon Darcy. Learn simple, practical tips on how to improve mental, physical and spiritual health. March 21, 22 & 23 @ 7 pm nightly in UCC Council Chambers. http://westernadventists.wix.com/club WESTERN ADVENTISTS PRESENT the documentary film “Forks Over Knives” on Wed. March 20 at 7 pm in UCC 41. Discover how a whole foods, plantbased diet can combat degenerative disease. Free admission.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS THE TA AND Post Doc Union’s Foodbank distributes grocery store gift cards of $50-100 to members in need. Stop by the office (1313 Sommerville Hall) or apply at psac610.ca WESTERN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Society presents: Annual Charity Coffeehouse, Wednesday March 20, 7:00pm, Mustang Lounge.

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Sports

factattack The Sacramento Kings were the third team in NBA history to be at least 15 games under .500 and beat a team with a winning record by 40+ points.

Rundown >> The Mustangs ringette team will head to Nepean, Ontario to challenge the best teams in Ontario for Provincials this weekend | The men’s squash team will be competing in the Jesters Team Championships this weekend.

Cross-country coach Bob Vigars retires Coach and professor to make departure after 45 years Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor

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He’s been here 45 years, won 14 national championships—more than any other coach at Western— and made an impact on countless student athletes. But for veteran cross-country coach Bob Vigars, it all started, quite simply, with being in the right place at the right time. It was 1968 and Vigars had just received his master’s degree from California State at Los Angeles. It was also the height of the Vietnam War, and the Ontario native was told if he gained immigrant status to receive rightful employment in the United States, he would be drafted almost immediately. He considered the army, briefly, until a friend told him he was nuts. Next thing he knew, he was knocking on the door of the physical education department—now the kinesiology department—looking for a job. And, as luck would have it, Western was in dire need of a track and field instructor, as well as a coach for the men’s track and crosscountry team. Vigars easily filled the hole and began immediately. This coming fall, Vigars will lead the Western cross-country team for the 46th time. It will be his final season—and it’s been one heck of a run. “You realize just how lucky you were to have that kind of level of athletes, because you don’t win national championships with an average student athlete,” Vigars says about the success he’s achieved during his tenure. “They have to be extremely talented, and so to be that lucky to have that many—it just blows me away.” Vigars won his first men’s crosscountry national championship in 1970—the first national championship for Western athletics. In total, Vigars led 11 men’s and women’s cross-country teams and three women’s track and field teams to the top of the national podium. But his legacy runs deeper than just trophies. During his career, Vigars fought for the advocacy of both cross-country and track and field. He describes a time when those sports were treated as second-class citizens in the realm of university sport. Not enjoying this treatment, Vigars vowed to fight until they received the recognition they deserved. When Vigars took on the program, he describes it as “Mickey Mouse.” Years later, it’s in much better shape. “Now track and cross-country have achieved high levels and are well-respected,” he says. Vigars was also instrumental in advocating for female sport. In 1974, before women were permitted to compete in cross-country, he started a female team at Western. “Eventually, over time, I was able to convince other coaches at other universities,” he says. “And then, eventually, we pushed and we got women’s cross-country to become an official sport in Ontario University Athletics.”

That was 1977. And in 1980, Canadian Interuniversity Sport, thanks to Vigars’ efforts, recognized women’s cross-country as well. Thérèse Quigley, director of sports and recreation services for Western, says Vigars’ influence on Canadian university sport is undeniable. “He’s one of the most respected coaches, I would say, within university sports across Canada,” she says. “Amongst his peers in track and field and cross-country, as well across all sports.” Jim Weese, dean of Western’s faculty of health sciences, shares a similar sentiment. “If you go to events where alumni are back, people are asking about Bob and people are looking to visit with him,” he explains. “He has made a significant influence and impact, and I told him when we were discussing his retirement, ‘You’ll never know where [your] influence and impact ends, because it’s passed on from generation to generation.’” Deciding to hang up his trademark bandana was difficult, Vigars says, but even harder was sharing the news with his team. “I had a hard time getting the words out,” he admits. Vigars will return next fall for one last hurrah—both as a coach and teacher—before he officially retires in December 2013. He’ll teach his usual course, sport biomechanics, during the fall term, as well as coach the cross-country team through one more season. And with Western hosting the CIS national championships, it will be an appropriate send-off to a coach who’s been instrumental for both Western and national sport. However, Vigars insists he wasn’t thinking of himself when he decided to stay on. “I didn’t want to walk away now. I wasn’t thinking about any glory for me, but I was just thinking, I played a key role in us having the national championship so I didn’t feel right about it,” he says. Vigars will leave as a professorcoach, just the way he started. But he will also leave as something more—a legacy, a mentor, a friend. “He is a man who is a role model to many,” Scott Leitch, a fourthyear track and field athlete, says. “Although I knew him through sport, the life lessons I learned from Bob will stay with me long after I’m done competing and apply to whatever I might go on to do—I am sure of that.” Vigars poured his heart into his coaching and teaching, and always wanted the best for his student athletes. At times, Leitch says, Vigars was outspoken, but in the end, everything he says is paired with the best of intentions. But now, Vigars says he will ride off into the sunset, and head south, escaping the cold of Canada—and Thompson Arena. Just as he once filled a hole, now he leaves one behind. Though this one, certainly, will not be easy to fill.