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Editorial, Opinion

An apolitical BoD is in everyone’s best interests

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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On Jan. 14, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Board of Directors (BoD) ratified the Judicial Board (J-Board) ruling on the case of Glustein v. Koparkar. The J-Board received an appeal after the Oct. 23 Fall General Assembly (GA), when students passed a motion to vote on each BoD member’s ratification individually—the Board is traditionally ratified as a bloc. As a result, three nominees’ positions on the board—Noah Lew, Josephine Wright O’Manique, and Alexander Scheffel—failed to be ratified. The J-Board decision, released on Dec. 31, declared the motion to split the vote unconstitutional, ruling that all BoD members must be ratified as a bloc. The BoD was subsequently ratified online on Jan. 19, with an 84.5 per cent “Yes” vote.

Regardless of the fates of the individual directors or the GA voters’ motivations, the attempt to split the vote speaks to students’ increasingly politicized perceptions of the BoD and its members. These are exacerbated by the Board’s largely unchecked power as SSMU’s highest decision-making body. In addition to four SSMU executives, unlike Legislative Council, the BoD consists of eight student members-at-large appointed via a somewhat invisible internal nomination process. It ratifies or rejects all motions passed at Council, GAs, and referenda periods before they come into effect, as well as all J-Board rulings.

The majority of the time, the BoD’s role is a formality—a rubber stamp approval on a decision made democratically, through the Legislative Council, as it should be. However, recently, the BoD has exercised its power to interfere in SSMU procedures. For example, at its Oct. 29 meeting, the BoD passed a motion to add a question to the Fall 2017 Referendum proposing to raise the GA quorum to 350 students. While the decision was preempted by a student petition, the Board challenged SSMU regulations by adding the question to the referendum period after the Oct. 25 submission deadline. Merits of the motion aside, the fact that the Board went against SSMU internal regulations sets a dangerous precedent. Circumventing SSMU’s democratic decision-making processes flows from a misunderstanding of the BoD’s purpose and constitutes an abuse of the BoD’s power.

In light of recent controversy over the BoD membership and its power, moving forward, further mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that the BoD remains as transparent and apolitical as possible.

As a corporation in Quebec, SSMU is required to have a board of directors. The BoD “supervises the management and administers the business and affairs of” SSMU. Because it is internally appointed, the Board lacks the democratic mandate that the student-elected Legislative Council has. As a result, the Board’s main responsibility should be to ensure that decisions coming out of SSMU Council do not expose the Society to financial or legal liability. Because it is an unelected body, it is essential that the Board not stray from this narrow mandate. In light of recent controversy over the BoD membership and its power, moving forward, further mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that the BoD remains as transparent and apolitical as possible.

As part of an unelected body, Directors are responsible for checking their own political agendas at the door, and serving the student population. Given that there are no checks on the power of the BoD—not even the J-Board is allowed to rule on matters directly concerning the BoD—a Board that makes unilateral political decisions has the power to negate decisions made by the student body or its elected representatives. This leads to fears that members of the BoD will use its power to protect their own political views and interests. That their expressed interests could ultimately be ignored discourages students from participating in democratic SSMU proceedings, which already have infamously low participation levels.

In the future, to prevent further controversy around the BoD, improving the Board’s transparency is crucial. BoD weekly meeting minutes must be updated regularly—the most recent minutes currently available online are from October 2017, and the BoD resolution book hasn’t been updated since June 2016. Moreover, SSMU should make the nominating process for directors more transparent, so students have less of a reason to question the individual members. Still, there should be appropriate channels in place for students to voice concerns about individual board members if they arise.

If the Board remains apolitical and functions as it is meant to, existing simply to protect SSMU’s legal and financial interests and handle various business affairs, there is no need for members to be ratified individually. It should not matter who the individual members of the Board are, as they should all be working towards that same apolitical goal. As the J-Board determined, the BoD is meant to be an appointed body, not an elected one. But that should not preclude McGill students from accountable and transparent leadership at the topmost level of their student society.

 

Martlets, Sports, Volleyball

McGill women’s volleyball victorious in duel with Laval

by Selwynne Hawkins on

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On Jan. 21, the Martlet volleyball team (11-2) squared off against the Université Laval Rouge et Or (8-5) in Love Competition Hall. Fresh off a win against the then league-leading Université de Montréal Carabins, the Martlets handed the Rouge et Or a 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21) loss in their third meeting of the regular season.

Laval pulled ahead with an early lead in the first set and never relinquished control. The Martlets showed signs of a mid-set resurgence when third-year right side Clare Nishikawa came off the bench to hammer home two consecutive aces. Despite McGill’s best efforts, Laval managed to contain the outburst and rode the set to a 25-22 final score.

The start of the second set mirrored the start of the first, but this time, the Martlets succeeded in recovering from an early four-point deficit. McGill drew even at 12-12, prompting a Laval time out. When the two squads returned to the floor, the Martlets put up three quick points to earn their first strong lead of the game. With a pair of big blocks from second-year right side Rowan Fletcher and fourth-year middle Myriam Robitaille, the Martlets widened the gap. A late Rouge et Or revival prevented an easy Martlet win, but the home side was still able to close out a comfortable 25-18 finish.

An even start marked the beginning of the third stanza, but several consecutive McGill gaffes allowed Laval to pull ahead. After calling a time out, the Martlets cleaned up their game and regained lost ground. The two teams entered the technical time out separated by only one point, with the Rouge et Or leading 16-15. The sides repeatedly traded points to reach a 23-23 tie, neither able to establish momentum. In a collective effort, the Martlets fought through a long rally to take the game to 24-23, and a momentous block by setter Catherine Duchaine and middle blocker Érika Cournoyer brought the third set to a well-earned Martlet win.

The third set showcased McGill’s focus and mental fortitude. Second-year power Claire Vercheval outlined the team’s mentality throughout the tight competition.

“When it gets really intense, both teams start talking a lot, screaming a lot,” Vercheval said. “So we just [needed] to stay on [our] own side, concentrate on [our] things, and that’s what we did.”

Similarly, in the fourth set, neither side was able to pull ahead until the end of the period, when the Martlets established a 20-17 lead. Finally, up 24-21, the McGill squad maintained composure through a back-and-forth rally—including a huge block by Cournoyer and a merciless hit by Vercheval. The game drew to an anti-climactic close when two Laval players collided and failed to return the ball.

The win places the Martlets back in a tie for first place atop the RSEQ conference, level with the Carabins. Their next home game is on Jan. 25 against the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins. With seven games remaining, McGill is focusing on short-term objectives to set themselves up for a strong regular season finish.

“The goal is, when you play high-level like this, is to really work it out one game a time,” Head Coach Rachèle Béliveau said. “We know we have a good team [….] As we train, we want to improve, and we want to get better, and I think that’s going to carry us for a long time.”

 

Moment of the game

Fifth-year middle Érika Cournoyer hit the deck to save a cheeky backward tip from a Laval setter, allowing her team to cement a 20-14 lead in the second set.

 

Quotable

“I think since Christmas, we’re really more focused and more stable in the back, [….]  If we [can control] the ball at the net, we can be perfect, almost.” – Fourth-year power Emilie Matte de Grasse on her team’s priority for the rest of the season.

 

Stat Corner

Cournoyer tallied five aces—more than Laval’s team total of four.

McGill, News

Mental Health Awareness Week promotes wellness for every student

by Julie Guichard, Daniela Garabito, Laura Oprescu & Jacqueline Yao on

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From Jan. 15 to 21, the 2018 Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) featured a variety of events to spark discourse on mental health and strategies for improving it. Student organizers led workshops and panels on topics ranging from sleep habits, managing mental health while living in university residences, mental health in academia resources on campus. MHAW culminated in the annual Students in Mind Mental Health Conference, which included an exposition of McGill’s mental health resources, six panels, and a keynote speech.

Sleep Hygiene Workshop – Julie Guichard

Led by Peer Health Educators Alyssa Wooster, U3 Arts, and Rawda Baharun, U2 Arts, the Sleep Hygiene Workshop on Jan. 15 investigated sleep-related topics, including common barriers to falling asleep and strategies for resting. The workshop began with a presentation from Wooster and Baharun, followed by a roundtable on sleep habits. Among other tips, Wooster advised students to avoid doing homework or job-related activities in bed.

“Try to keep your bed just for sleeping and sex,” Wooster said. “Studying in bed associates a place for relaxation to school stress.”

Wooster also stressed the importance of MHAW as a space for students to ask questions about mental health without having to go to a counsellor, which many students find intimidating.

“It can be very useful to hear information from a peer,” Wooster said. “It can be difficult to have these conversations with an adult or personal advisor.”

More broadly, the goal of the Sleep Hygiene Workshop—and MHAW more broadly—was to help students claim greater agency over their own mental health.

“One in five Canadians suffer from mental illness, but five in five have [suffered from] mental health [issues],” Wooster said. “The aim is to provide students with information so that they can make [their own] healthy choices.”

Mental Health in Rez: Seeking Support and Stopping Stigma -Daniela Garabito

Held at Carrefour Sherbrooke on Jan. 16, the Mental Health in Rez panel was designed to teach first-year students how to navigate McGill’s Counselling and Psychiatric Services.

The panel featured several McGill students, including floor fellows, who shared their experiences tending to their mental health while in residence. They discussed barriers they faced with McGill’s Housing and Food Services, such as the lack of mental health support for floor fellows and inaccessibility of cafeterias for students with eating disorders.

Additionally, the panelists discussed ways to tackle mental health stigma within their residences, and concluded by recommending self-care habits for first-year students, such as organizing their schoolwork, leaving the McGill bubble, and—most importantly—embracing the mistakes they make during first-year.

“Self-care is accepting that you’ve done enough, and it won’t be perfect,” Ffion Hughes, panelist and U1 Arts, said.

Mental Health and Academia: An Open Discussion -Laura Oprescu

The Mental Health and Academia discussion on Jan. 16 was organised by SSMU Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Isabelle Oke as part of the Know Your Rights campaign, an effort by SSMU to make information about students’ academic rights more accessible. The discussion, open to contributions from audience members, focused on balancing academics with other areas of student life, and explored methods of reducing the burden of academics on mental health.

“Once [your parents stop] taking care of every aspect of your life, you realise how much of a responsibility one person is,” Oke said. “That can be hard to balance with academia.”

Priya Dube, U2 Political Science, who attended the discussion, believes that students’ real and perceived inability to speak out against their professors on academic issues can contribute to poor mental health.

“Breaking through power structures, taking control of your learning space, getting the return on your investment, [all are ways] students should be able to call out professors for saying things that may be offensive without fear of being penalized,” Dube said.

Students in Mind 2018 Mental Health Conference -Jacqueline Yao

The 2018 Students in Mind conference on Jan. 21 consisted of six panels exploring mental illnesses and various methods for improving mental health. Following an exposition of the mental health resources offered at McGill, keynote speaker Beatrice Deer, an Inuk activist and health advocate, chronicled her own struggles with mental health.

“I wasn’t ashamed of talking about what I was going through,” Deer said. “I try to know my limits now so [that] I don’t fall back into depression because I understand that once you’ve gone through depression, you are prone to going through it again.”

Jasmin Chahal, a third-year Ph.D Microbiology and Immunology candidate at McGill, led a workshop on self-expression through writing, and encouraged overwhelmed undergraduates to look at the bigger picture.

“[Undergraduate students are] stressed about people and how they’re doing, and their [own] life in general revolves around grades,” Chahal said. “I was once told that life is like a pizza. School is just a piece of it.”

Commentary, Opinion

Put your phone down!

by Gabriel Rincon on

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A Jan. 12 Globe and Mail editorial warned smartphone users of the dangers of overusing their phones; however, its conclusions were less than satisfying. The Globe proposed that the government look into the addictive qualities and other consequences of phone use. Yet, there is already a large amount of research into the health risks of smartphone use—and it seems rather obvious that students and youth could do with spending less time on Instagram. Accordingly, there doesn't seem to be a good reason to wait for the government or tech companies to do something. After all, users are still the ones responsible for how long they spend on their phones, regardless of the challenges presented by their addictive qualities.

The litany of health concerns of from smartphone overuse is alarming. These range from well-documented effects on sleep, to the possible carcinogenic properties of the radio waves they receive and emit. Above-average smartphone use has been linked with sleep issues, especially when used at bedtime. However, what has tech experts most concerned are not the health implications of the devices themselves, but the addictive properties of the apps they carry.

Several whistleblowers in the tech industry have come forward voicing their concerns about the applications they’ve created. Former Google employee Tristan Harris asserts that applications are designed to keep people using them for as long as possible—think of autoplay on YouTube and Netflix. Harris thinks the tech industry has been too effective in this goal, to the point where mobile devices are taking up far too much of the population’s time due to their addictiveness. Harris even compares scrolling down an Instagram feed or refreshing one’s email inbox to pulling the handle on a slot machine. Phone users pull down their screens looking for instant gratification from new notifications.

A 2016 study by Gutiérrez et al. titled “Cell-phone Addiction: A Review” in Frontiers in Psychiatry seems to corroborate Harris’s concerns, confirming the existence of smartphone addiction and linking it to a variety of health concerns like anxiety, stress, and depression. It seems clear that users would benefit from moderating their smartphone usage. Given that phone withdrawal, while difficult, probably isn’t dangerous, there isn’t much downside.

Smartphone users don’t need another study to tell them how much harm their devices are doing to them. Rather, we should all be more mindful of how we use our devices.

John Stuart Mill contended that individuals who habitually wait for the government’s direction on how to act will have their facilities only half-developed. Even if the government studies the health risks of smartphone usage further, the onus still lies with the individual to change how they use their phone. Ironically, there’s an app for that. Moment is an iPhone screen-monitoring app that shows the user’s phone usage and breakdown by app and gives tips for healthier phone usage. Perhaps if users see how much time they spend on time-wasters and social media, they’ll become more mindful of how they allocate their time.

Another example is Surfblocker, an app that can help students be more productive by blocking time-wasting sites. Surfblocker also helps parents educate their kids on how to moderate their app usage. Changing society’s phone addiction starts with parenting; moderation in device usage is a new responsibility for today’s parents to raise their kids with healthy habits. For example, I still don’t let myself play video games during the week, even though my mum can’t stop me anymore. These apps and good habits can help users develop more self-control and overcome a possible addiction. Users and parents hardly need the government to tell them these things.

The jury is out: Modern society is overusing its smartphones. Smartphone users don’t need another study to tell them how much harm their devices are doing to them. Rather, we should all be more mindful of how we use our devices. Time is the most valuable resource we have, and it is key for our development as autonomous humans to learn how to allocate it. Certainly we can find better uses for our time than scrolling through countless Snap stories and memes.

 

 

 

 

Gabriel is a U2 Economics student at McGill. He loves cooking and sharing his food with his friends and family.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 

 
McGill, News

SUS debates improving its General Council

by Ayanna de Graff on

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The Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) General Council (GC) convened for its first meeting of the year on Jan. 17, giving the Vice-Presidents (VP) External of the various science departments an opportunity to meet with the SUS executives. Topics discussed at the meeting included the role of the GC, upcoming social events, the 2018-2019 SUS election dates.

 

Deliberation about the role of SUS Council

Early in the meeting, VP Internal Soud Kharusi put forth a motion to hold a discussion on the GC’s function and purpose. Typically, GC is a forum for departments to update one another on their activities, but Kharusi wanted to brainstorm how to maximize its effectiveness.

“We wanted to see if there were ideas that anyone else had in here of things we could do differently that would make it better for you and for us to be here, and how can we make it more productive,” Kharusi said.

Councillors debated using the GC as a platform for interdepartmental event planning. The majority of speakers in favour, but some expressing reservations.

“I think that part of the idea is that we can do that on our own, in our own departments,” VP External for the McGill Society of Physics Students Liam Halloran said. “We’re using the SUS [for] doing larger scale things, but [the departmental VP externals are] just the liaison.”

President Jasmine Leung then suggested expanding the membership of GC beyond the VP Externals of the departmental councils, which would allow them to share their responsibilities with the other members on their respective councils. However, several executives were concerned that departmental associations would not approve of mandatory attendance at the GC.

Many councillors also expressed their confusion over the appropriate use of Robert’s Rules—the rules governing the procedure of all Council meetings—and cited them as a substantial barrier to open communication.

“I also think that motions or the way we do things […are] a little intimidating,” Physiology Undergraduate League of Students VP External Marissa Aycan said. “If you have a small idea or sort of like the beginnings of an idea that you’d want to maybe bring up […] until it’s more developed I feel like it’s difficult to bring it up at GC […] just because of how motions seem to have worked in the past.”

After a brief debate, Council agreed to allow the Speaker to relax Robert’s Rules at their discretion for all subsequent GCs.

 

Councillors discuss upcoming events and activities

Leung started with a reminder of the upcoming gala to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the SUS. The event will take place on Feb. 9 with Leung expecting tickets to cost around $20.

VP Academic Ellie Joung announced that SUS will hold Academia Week—a weeklong series of events educating students about contemporary issues in science and research—from Feb. 5 to 9. The event will feature speakers, lab tours, and science-oriented activities such as an MCAT challenge.

Kharusi also presented upcoming events within his portfolio. SUS intends to organize a ski trip on Feb. 17 with $40 tickets, a dodgeball tournament on Feb. 3, and a St.-Patrick’s day apartment crawl.

Next, SUS VP External Michelle Guo announced the release of the SUS survey on mental health. The SUS initially released the survey in October, but took it down shortly after in order for Dean of the Faculty of Science Bruce Lennox to review and approve it, as per McGill’s Survey Policy. However, according to Guo, the SUS will unilaterally resume the survey due to delays in the faculty approval process.

“The main goal for this survey is that we’re just going to collect data on student status quo,” Guo said. “We’re only using the data to make future advance within the SUS Mental Health Committee, so [the survey is] just for [the SUS’] use.”

Finally, Science Senator Salma Youssef updated members on McGill Senate activities, highlighting its new initiative to encourage teachers to use accessible education resources.

“We want to try to get professors to adopt free textbooks for students rather than having [students] pay […] or students ending up not buying textbooks just because they can’t afford to and jeopardizing their grades in class,” Youssef said.

Motion for SUS election

Council brought forth a Motion to Approve 2018-2019 SUS Election Dates, which passed. The nomination period will take place from Feb. 3 to Feb. 14, with polling dates set for Feb. 20 to Feb. 23.

The SUS Council will meet next on Jan. 31.

Hockey, Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen hockey wipes out Ravens in annual Carnival game

by Jordan Foy on

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McGill Redmen
4

Carleton Ravens
0

On Jan. 19, the Redmen Hockey (19-4-1) team took on the Carleton Ravens (14-5-3) in a physical and exciting Carnival matchup. Ultimately the Redmen proved victorious, taking the game 4-0. Over a thousand fans were in attendance, many sporting furry onesies as part of the Management Undergraduate Society’s annual Winter Carnival.

Both teams established high-tempo play in the first frame, resulting in chances at both ends and an emotionally charged contest with frequent scuffles. McGill was first to draw blood when third-year forward Jerome Verrier dipsy-doodled around a Carleton defender and wired a shot on net on the power play. Later in the period, McGill again found success on the power play with second-year forward Samuel Tremblay’s ninth goal of the season. McGill led 2-0 after the first period, but shots on net were even at eight apiece.

The Redmen had the majority of the scoring chances in the second stanza, gaining control of the game. They added to their lead with a third power-play goal when Verrier found the back of the net for the second time.

“I took the puck and I really wanted to pass it […, but] the puck fumbled just before I shot [it],” Verrier explained. “So I said, ‘never mind just shoot it’ and it went in.”

Despite not seeing much action in the period, Redmen goaltender Louis-Philip Guindon was excellent in thwarting the few Raven attempts on goal. He was especially heroic at the tail end of the stanza, making a crucial save on a shorthanded Carleton breakaway. Heading into the final period, McGill was up 3-0, outshooting their opponents 20-10.

The Redmen continued to dominate the Ravens in the third period, although the emotional nature of the game resulted in some scrappy shenanigans. Both teams traded power play opportunities, but neither was able to convert. Guindon stood strong in net, shutting the door on the Ravens’ attack. The game concluded with a 4-0 scoreline after first-year forward Antoine Dufort-Plante chipped in an empty netter in the final minutes.

The rowdy Carnival crowd’s energy provided a welcome boost for the Redmen, who enjoyed when fans cheered on the Redmen and jeered their opponents throughout the entire game.

“The atmosphere was amazing,” Redmen captain Nathan Chiarlitti said. “Huge shout out to all the fans, the students. It’s an absolute blast playing in an atmosphere like that, and hopefully we gave them a good show.”

The team’s victory was driven by its power play efforts. Head Coach Kelly Nobes explained that McGill’s success came from executing the basics.

“We were shooting the puck at the right time, and getting pucks to the net quickly,” Nobes said. “We didn’t score on the rebound tonight, but we did have good net traffic.”

Overall, Nobes credited the win to a complete team effort.

“We had everybody going again tonight, and I think that’s been a key for us,” Nobes noted. “It’s not just one or two lines, it’s everybody going, everybody contributing, offensively and defensively.”

The following evening, on Jan. 20, the Redmen took on the Ottawa Gee-Gees (11-7-4) but fell 4-3 in overtime.

 

Moment of the Game

While on the power play, third-year forward Jerome Verrier caught a puck out of midair, dropped it to the ice, and scored a goal in the same sequence, putting the Redmen up 3-0.

Quotable

“When I was younger I [would get nervous], but honestly this might be the last couple months of my career, so I’m just trying to soak it in.”  Redmen captain Nathan Chiarlitti on his mindset in big games.

Stat Corner

McGill went three for eight on the power play (37.5 per cent).

A previous version of this article stated that the Ottawa Gee-Gees held a (11-7-3) record. In fact, their record was (11-7-4) at time of publication. The Tribune regrets this error.

Off the Board, Opinion

The guilty male conscience in the age of #MeToo

by Domenic Casciato on

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On Jan. 13, the website babe.net published the controversial exposé, "I went on a date with Aziz Ansari. It turned into the worst night of my life,” sparking conversations across the media about the #MeToo movement, verbal consent, and women’s’ agency. The report—and the conversations it provoked—diverged from the dominant contemporary sexual assault narrative in a number of notable ways: It did not involve a criminal accusation, and the accuser, called “Grace,” relied primarily on nonverbal cues to express her dissent. However, these distinctions opened the floodgates for the most striking divergence of the episode. Unlike in the cases of Harvey Weinstein, Roy Moore, and Louis C.K., the Ansari exposé incited a bombardment of op-eds—penned predominantly by women—criticizing the story for disempowering women, diminishing their agency, and inspiring a supposedly undeserved witch hunt against Ansari.

A day after the story was published, I got into an argument about whether Ansari deserved to have been humiliated by having his compromising night with Grace placed under a national spotlight. I have never met Ansari nor has he ever been my role model, and yet, while discussing the article, I felt protective—almost as if I was being personally attacked. I later realized that this is the exact opposite of how I, and other young men, should have responded to Grace’s experience.

In the age of #MeToo, many young men have felt the same defensive instinct. In strained online messages and hushed conversations I have borne witness to, university men with otherwise thorough understandings of consent and human decency guiltily disclose their fears and consternations about consent discourse. The subtext of these conversations, often, is anxiety that their sexual behaviour might be brought under a magnifying glass and undeservedly condemned.

As young men with the time and opportunity to grow, we should read the babe exposé, examine how Grace describes feeling throughout her encounter with Ansari, and reflect upon how we can avoid causing that same discomfort and anguish.

When reading the babe story, one line in particular struck me: "Grace compares Ansari’s sexual mannerisms to those of a horny, rough, entitled 18-year-old. […] But Aziz Ansari isn’t an 18-year-old.”

Many of the men sitting in the lecture halls at universities across North America have been that horny, rough, and entitled 18 year-old. Many continue to be. Unlike the stories about accused male celebrities with long histories of systematic, intentional abuse of female acquaintances, the Ansari exposé described a situation that some young men could envision finding themselves in.

What stood out about the line was not its condemnation of Ansari, but its tolerance for young men who make similar mistakes. Many of them carry deep-seated fears—rooted in deep misunderstandings about consent discourses—of being scrutinized, outed, and witch hunted for what they believe was damning misconduct during their early years of sexual development. However, consent discourses are concerned primarily with growth and understanding—not with condemnation. Young men’s anxieties often block them from recognizing tolerance for their faults in women’s responses to exposés about sexual assault. Rather than inspiring self-reflection and growth, memories of the rough, uncomfortable, and sometimes painful nights they caused during their sexually formative years often leave young men feeling guilty and doomed to self-exclusion from these conversations. But, as with most facets of our personal development, it is necessary that we are able to recognize and accept the faults of our past if we hope to grow in the future.

Accordingly, it is important that progressive young men refrain from going on the defensive in the debate about whether Ansari deserves to have had his date with Grace exposed. It is also not productive for us to engage in performative, self-congratulatory condemnations of Ansari’s behavior. McGill students of all people should be aware that even those who have ingrained themselves into consent culture and memorized its glossary often lack respect for even the most basic tenets of consent.

Instead, as young men with the time and opportunity to grow, we should read the babe exposé, examine how Grace describes feeling throughout her encounter with Ansari, and reflect upon how we can avoid causing that same discomfort and anguish. Whether you believe Ansari is the subject of a witch hunt or that he has received his just desserts is irrelevant. Fear of public shaming is not a substitute for an understanding of consent. In response to stories like Grace’s, it is paramount that young men take their space to reflect and grow—lest they become adults whose only standard of moral sexual behavior is avoiding public condemnation or prosecution.

Student Life

Hangover tips to get you through McGill’s drinking season

by Mary Keith on

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‘Tis the season of drinking! With McGill’s competitive drinking season in full swing, and the cold weather prompting students to drink more to stay warm while going out, there are plenty of hangovers to look forward to this semester. In order to help you survive the next few weeks, The McGill Tribune has compiled a list of tips to avoid a hangover and what to do when the inevitable occurs.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

First and foremost, it’s essential to stay hydrated the day before a night of drinking. As alcohol dehydrates the body, you need to make sure to drink extra water before going out in order to maintain normal hydration levels. To prepare for your night of drinking games, make drinking water a game. Setting time marks on a clear water bottle can help to meet drinking goals throughout the day. Otherwise, every time you get up from your seat in McLennan, always make a point to finish your water bottle and go refill it during your break.

Eat before drinking

Secondly, eat! It is well known to students that by skipping out on dinner, they will be able to get drunk a lot quicker. Without any food in your body to slow down the alcohol absorption process, much more goes directly into your bloodstream. It’s important to eat proteins, fats and dense carbohydrates before drinking. Although greasy and fried foods are great to eat before drinking, it may be wise to avoid the post-party poutine and $2 chow mein at Chez Mein, which may make hangover nausea worse the next day.

Steer clear of dark-coloured alcohols

Additionally, clearer and lighter liquids tend to cause fewer hangover symptoms—they don’t have as many congeners, a chemical formed during the alcohol’s fermenting process. Congeners, found in most dark liquors such as brandy, bourbon, darker beer, and red wine, give many types of alcoholic beverages their flavor but can contribute to hangovers or worsen their severity. With this in mind, try to stick to either tequila, vodka, or white wines when choosing your drink for the night. Instead of perusing the SAQ or a nearby dep without an idea of what to drink for the night, make a plan of what to buy—then get in and out!

Keep a tally of your drinks

Once it’s time to hit the party and start drinking, be sure to alternate your drinks with water to keep up the hydration. A good way to keep a tally of how many drinks you’ve had is by marking them with a pen on your hand. Once you’re home, eat a high-carb food, such as an apple or some pasta, and drink more water to help you avoid getting a hangover the next day.

If you get a hangover…

Hangovers come with all sorts of symptoms; from pounding headaches and exhaustion, to mood swings and nausea. Yet, there are measures you can take to treat the pain. Drink lots of water, eat some carbs, and replenish your electrolytes with a bottle or two of Gatorade. Although it often helps to sleep off a hangover, don’t take that as an excuse to stay in bed all day–getting some fresh air and a little exercise is a great way to alleviate hangover symptoms. Alcohol serves as a depressor, so exercise will help by releasing endorphins and improving your mood throughout the day.

You don’t always have to drink

In all honesty, the best way to avoid a hangover is to not drink at all. If you really need to avoid a hangover the next morning but don’t want to miss out, perhaps consider skipping the drinking and going out anyway. While not the same experience, going out as the sober friend can make for some unforgettable memories. Hopefully, the above remedies to prevent and treat a hangover work for you, but if not, at least the symptoms can’t last forever. To students going out this winter semester, have fun, stay warm, and remember to prepare for the inevitable and dreaded visit of everyone’s dear friend, the college hangover.

News

Increased departmental funding discussed at AUS Legislative Council

by Cherry Wu on

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On Jan. 10, the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Council held its first meeting of the Winter semester. Council deliberated new ways to allocate the Arts Computer Lab Fund, and to incorporate funds from increased student fees into the Society’s Winter budget.

 

Council conducts straw poll on computer rentals

Following the Fall 2017 Referendum, the semesterly fee for the Arts Computer Lab Fund was reduced from $9.80 to $3.85 for full-time Arts students. Desktop computer usage in Arts facilities has steadily decreased over the years. However, demand for laptop lending has doubled or more every year since the program’s introduction. AUS President Erik Partridge suggested removing the computers from either the Ferrier Computer Lab, the Leacock lobby, or the AUS Student Lounge.

“Many have suggested that the Ferrier Computer Lab should be transformed into an open study space,” Partridge said. “The Leacock Lobby will retain two desktop computers, which could possibly become OPUS [card] loading stations.”

Partridge called for a straw poll, which resulted in a majority favouring the removal of computers from the Ferrier computer lab. A formal vote will be taken at a future Council meeting.

 

Departmental funding allocations discussed

In a second straw poll, Council voted on how to allocate revenue from the AUS base fee, a non-opt-outable fee for students in the Faculty of Arts used to fund departmental associations in the Faculty. An increase in the AUS semesterly base fee was ratified in the Fall 2017 referendum, resulting in a fee of $16.50 for full-time students and $8.25 for part-time students each semester, starting in Winter 2018.

With the fee increase, total funding allocated to each AUS department increased 10 per cent. In the straw poll, Council also voted in favour of a $3,500 baseline funding increase for every department.

 

Debate on how to spend budget surplus

According to Vice-President (VP) Finance Noah Lew, AUS revenue will increase by approximately $11,000 by the end of the fiscal year on Apr. 30, due to the base fee increase. Council discussed funding possible new projects, including the Journal Fund and a textbook lending program.

“There is currently a lot of money in the bank accounts,” Lew said. “If there is a need [to fund different programs], we can definitely run a deficit this year. It is actually financially feasible to do so.”

Patridge noted that it is also possible to substitute a budget deficit with the underused funds of the Financial Management Committee.

“The Committee allocates funds such as the Journal Fund to undergraduate student-run journals,” Patridge said. “But most of the time, the funds are only spent to around 50 per cent. Therefore, it is also possible to utilize these funds before running a budget deficit.”

VP Academic Madeline Wilson suggested using the surplus on a textbook lending program—which would provide textbook rental services for high-enrolment classes within the Faculty of Arts—to aid students who cannot afford the purchases.

“Ideally, we would like to buy enough [textbooks] to cover at least around 10 per cent of the enrolment [of each class],” Wilson said.

 

Motion to Amend the Allocation Decisions of the Arts Student Employment Fund Committee

The final item on the agenda was a motion to reduce the funds AUS allocates to the Arts Student Employment Fund (ASEF)—which supports extracurricular academic opportunities for students—from $16,850 to $13,850. Wilson put forward the motion, and noted that two Arts professors still have leftover money from other AUS funds granted to them in past years.

This motion carried. AUS Council will reconvene on Jan. 24.

McGill, News

Québec Studies Student Association hosts semester kickoff event

by Arvaa Balsara on

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The Quebec Studies Students Association (QSSA) hosted its Kickoff Event on Jan. 12 to celebrate its recent founding and to raise awareness about the Quebec Studies program at McGill. This is the QSSA’s first speaker series since its formation in November 2017 to negotiate the continued existence of the Quebec Studies program, which had its major component cut last semester after a series of low enrollment numbers.

Politicians and community leaders shared their experiences in municipal politics at the bilingual speaker series. Organizations such as Apathy is Boring, which aims to promote youth engagement in politics; Sun Youth, a humanitarian organization operating in Montreal; and L’Itinéraire Magazine, which provides a platform and resources for traditionally marginalized voices, were all present.

With a program focused on local government, speakers at the Kickoff Event encouraged young people to participate in their communities at a political level. For QSSA Vice-President Finance Véronique Leblanc, student organizations should prioritize making entry into formal politics more accessible to students.

“Politics isn’t something that is happening far away from us, nor is it something that we can’t participate in,” Leblanc said. “It is accessible and there are many points of entry but it is the responsibility of student organizations to make these points of entry more accessible to students.”

The event began with a speech about the importance of a dynamic political arena from Kathleen Weil, an elected member of the National Assembly of Québec. Citing her experience as the Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness and as a member of the Comité ministériel du développement social, éducatif et culturel, she emphasized the important role played by committees that target community-specific issues. According to Weil, such committees not only address the needs of constituents, they also provide an avenue for students to debate politics and create observable change in their cities.

“We need a minister responsible for the community, otherwise [programs] get lost and sometimes programs are not well adapted,” Weil said. “One of the things we want to do is create internships so that students can figure out if they want to work in the government.”

Cathy Wong, the speaker of the Montreal City Council, then discussed the role of citizens in their communities, arguing that democracy is a process that takes place throughout the year.

“Although we participate in democracy online, through newspapers, and [through] other publications, we must remember that many decisions are made at City Hall on a daily basis that concern us,” Wong said. ”We must participate in democracy there also, where the elected officials represent us.” *

Younes Boukala, a Political Science student at Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and the Project Montréal party Lachine borough youth ambassador for the 375th anniversary of Montreal, discussed his own experiences as a leader in his community. To Boukala, there are far too few young people involved in formal politics, and addressing this is a key step to increasing political engagement and improving Quebec society.

“The easiest place to start, where we can make the most concrete changes, [is] at the municipal level,” Boukala said. “Young people are the future so we must be in politics.”

Due to the separation of power between the federal and provincial governments in Canada, provinces have autonomy in many policy areas. As a result, Quebec’s policies could serve as a framework from which other other provinces may seek inspiration. Thus, politics in Québec not only affect the immediate Quebec society, but have the capacity to create noticeable change in the wider Canadian context.

 

*Translated from French to English.

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