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Campus Conversation: How can SSMU regain students’ trust?

by Greta Hoaken, Connor Spencer, Maya Koparkar, Muna Tojiboeva, Elaine Patterson, Anuradha Mallik, David Naftulin, Jemark Earle on

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Editor's note:  This past semester has seen a seemingly unprecedented number of scandals stemming from the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU), and has left many McGill students feeling disillusioned and disengaged from with their representative body. In light of this, we asked members of the community, including incoming SSMU executives, how SSMU can regain students' trust. 

Content

Greta Hoaken | Connor Spencer | Maya Koparkar | Muna Tojiboeva | Elaine Patterson | Anuradha Mallik | Jemark Earle | David Naftulin

Greta Hoaken, Director on the SSMU Board of Directors 

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) must change its culture from within to become more open, transparent, and welcoming to newcomers. To me, this starts with prioritizing bringing in new members that represent previously underrepresented identities. Given SSMU’s self-recognized “systemic issue of sexualized and gendered violence,” actively encouraging more women to become involved must be a core component of its strategy moving forward.

SSMU’s loss of legitimacy as a representative body starts and ends with problems from within. While some point to apathy about student politics as being the culprit, we cannot expect students to want to take ownership of their student union if it does not look like them, or if it is dominated by a small group of decision-makers. If SSMU is to regain students’ trust, it must look inward, and make a meaningful attempt to bring new, diverse talent into the institution.

Throughout my four years at McGill, I have been a strong critic of SSMU, and have never sought any position within the Society. I have been involved on campus in various capacities and in various clubs and activities, but I never felt the desire to associate with SSMU. I have long believed student politics at McGill to be too male-dominated, too self-serving, and too closed off to newcomers. After the resignations of the Vice-President (VP) External and the President this past semester, I became enraged, and applied to an open position on the Board of Directors (BoD). Now a Director, I am seeing more and more of SSMU’s potential to do good on campus and to truly represent its constituents, but also how much the institution must change to realize its full potential. While I am incredibly optimistic given the candidates that put their names forward this year–and the executive team that was ultimately elected–there are many other positions, elected and appointed, within SSMU that are in dire need of new blood.

In my case, anger may have spurred my involvement, but SSMU cannot expect that anger alone will translate into a permanent, sustained change for the institution. I was heavily encouraged to apply for a BoD position by individuals that were already involved with SSMU. Without their support, I would not have felt like I had a place at the table. Many students have been angry with SSMU for a long time, but they have not become involved because they have not been made to feel like there is room for them to do so. Put simply, SSMU cannot expect those that have been left out of the conversation for so long, and that have been negatively affected by the actions and policies (or lack thereof) of the institution, to come running to save it in times of crisis. Rather, those who currently hold positions within SSMU must make an active effort on both individual and institutional levels to seek out, encourage, and prioritize bringing in new, diverse representatives in the coming year.

The decision of the BoD to designate VP Student Life Elaine Patterson as Acting President and Chloe Rourke as Chair of the Board are fantastic steps in that direction; however, these changes are not long-term. If we want to see a shift in the organizational culture of SSMU, it is important for all members of the Society to encourage women, minorities, and previously uninvolved but skilled students to come to the table. Hiring decisions must prioritize candidates based on this goal. Individual leaders must take responsibility to seek out qualified individuals from outside the existing SSMU community. If SSMU wants to regain the trust of students, it must make itself accessible and transparent to students. It’s not enough to tell us to lean in or that SSMU cares about the students it has previously ignored or discarded. SSMU and the individuals that comprise its structures of power must be willing to make an effort to help students, especially women, who want to see positive change.

 

Connor Spencer, 2017-2018 SSMU VP External Affairs

How can SSMU regain students’ trust? It can’t. And it shouldn’t pretend to. Not in just one year.

In order to regain students’ trust, SSMU needs to create a new track record over many years that outweighs the current SSMU track record that has led to a culture of distrust among its members. That takes time. And one of the most important steps on this road will be the transition between the incoming and outgoing executive teams. The incoming team needs to prove that they will ensure that the incredibly important conversations and concerns that have been raised because of recent events on campus will continue into next year–even if the anger or urgency around the subject matter loses steam over the summer break.

SSMU has realized it has a whole lot of listening to do. It cannot continue to simply take positions or make statements. As part of its accountability process, SSMU needs to take steps to ensure that the proposed SSMU Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy, and the work that surrounds it, is as bottom-up as possible. The Society must support, advocate for, and listen to the grassroots groups that already exist on campus who have worked and will continue to work tirelessly around these issues, such as Silence is Violence, the Community Disclosure Network (CDN), the Sexual Assault Centre of McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), and Consent McGill–groups that are all primarily survivor-led. This is why it is incredibly important that SSMU is working with CDN, and that CDN is facilitating closed focus groups for members of the community that have experienced sexualized violence.

Beyond the creation of a Gendered and Sexualized Violence Policy, members of the incoming executive team must all take steps to ensure that there is as much communication between their offices and their members as possible. A lack of dissemination of information between offices was repeatedly highlighted as a problem throughout this year’s campaign period, and steps must be taken over the summer to make sure that better communication systems are in place by the time students return in September. I can only speak concretely to the actions that the External Office will take, such as collaboration with a campus newspaper on the creation of a small weekly section listing all upcoming events and demos relating to external affairs, and promotion of its Facebook page.

Working towards accessibility in these ways is only a part of many steps on the road to winning back the trust of the membership–and one that is easy for incoming executives to identify—as shown by how much it came up during campaigning. However, where the challenge comes will be in recognizing and validating steps that come from the student community  in addition to those from within the executives and our own platforms.

One can say that the incoming executive team has a lot to prove, but I’d rather say we have a lot to do. Just by looking at who was voted in, we can see that the membership was interested in seeing change. It’s up to the new team now to make sure that the change is not just symbolic, but lived within the work as well.

 

Maya Koparkar, 2017-2018 SSMU VP Internal Affairs

There's no denying that this year has been an incredibly tumultuous one for SSMU. However, I am incredibly excited to get to work with the rest of the new executive team. I believe that we all are more than passionate about working to re-establish the student body's trust in SSMU, and all intend to work hard to achieve this common objective. 

There are a couple different ways in which this can be accomplished. One of the easiest ways to start is by engaging directly with students and making ourselves, as an executive, more present within student body affairs and events that might not necessarily be a part of SSMU. A lot of people feel disconnected from SSMU simply because executives tend to not be the most visible. However, participating and attending different events, such as socials, performances, events, and the like–organized by departmental organizations, clubs, or committees–is a great way to make ourselves known and more relatable to the student body. It also sets the precedent that we are there to engage with students and hopefully by doing this we can open up the space for students to feel more camaraderie with SSMU. This camaraderie will hopefully allow students to feel comfortable enough to open up dialogues about SSMU affairs and increase participation as a result. At the end of the day, SSMU executives are also students, and I think this is a characteristic of the executive team that tends to be glossed over, but is actually quite an asset.

Beyond this, we also simply need to be the most competent executives we can be. Rebuilding trust with the student body means holding ourselves–and each other–to the highest standard of conduct, and being receptive to feedback from our peers. We also need to be proactive about implementing methods to approach problems within the executive team should they occur. I believe this is something each of the incoming executives are more than aware of, and making sure we have those conversations as soon as possible is definitely a priority.

Finally, rebuilding trust with our student body starts with maintaining trust within the executive team. We need to be able to trust each other before we are able to move forward in reconciling this organization with our peers. If we cannot put our faith in one another–not just to do our jobs well, but also to hold one another accountable–it makes for an unstable foundation for the rest of the student body to put their faith in. That being said, I am looking forward to working with the rest of the incoming executives in the months ahead. We have already had many chances to come together and discuss our various beliefs and objectives for this year. Rebuilding trust is at the top of the agenda for all of us, and I believe that with diligent effort from all of us, we can show the student body that we are committed to achieving this goal.

 

Muna Tojiboeva, 2017-2018 SSMU President

Trust in SSMU is at an all-time low following several scandals and a multitude of student representative resignations. These scandals and resignations are illustrative of deep-rooted institutional failures within SSMU. However, students have not trusted their student society for quite some time now–it is not an entirely new phenomenon. It becomes especially clear that distrust for SSMU has been steadily growing if we look at the constantly decreasing voter turnout as well as the alarming number of abstentions in SSMU elections and referendums.  

Nevertheless, many lessons can be learned by looking back at this past year in order to ensure that these mistakes are not repeated in the future and to improve SSMU’s ability to serve McGill students.

First, we need to implement concrete action policies, such as the Sexual Violence Policy, since this year’s disastrous handling of scandals illustrated that one should not rely solely on executive leadership.

Additionally, I think it is up to the executive team to ensure that students understand all the terminology that SSMU employs in its communications with constituents. For example, clarifying what “gendered violence” means would be a good idea since most people I have talked to are unsure about what ‘gendered violence’ means in the SSMU context and are afraid to mention this in conversation for fear of being embarrassed.

Another good step, mentioned to me by a fellow student, is publishing a clear set of guidelines online for what one ought to do in a situation when someone discloses an instance of sexual assault or gendered violence. This way, students and student groups on campus can have a clear, step-by-step action guide that they can consult and follow if necessary.

This also brings me to my next point: Information on the SSMU website should be easily accessible and comprehensive. It is not the case right now and needs to be adapted as soon as possible. Without making information accessible to students, SSMU cannot regain their trust. A good first step in regaining students’ trust would be to start publishing governance documents online–for instance, none of the BoD meetings minutes are currently published on the SSMU website.

Furthermore,  SSMU suffers from a severe accessibility problem that urgently needs to be addressed. SSMU is simply not accessible to the average McGill student because, in order to actually understand what SSMU does, how it can be useful, and how it can make their McGill experience more enjoyable, most students have to spend a lot of time and energy navigating a poorly updated website and a convoluted bureaucratic system.

We should employ SSMU’s vast resources in order to facilitate students’ experiences: McGill’s bureaucracy is already complicated as it is–there’s no need to have a second complicated SSMU-reaucracy system.

I realize that we’ve got a lot of work to do. But I am looking forward to making SSMU an institution that all McGill students can be proud of, fulfilling all of my campaign promises, and bringing McGill back into the national news for all the right reasons.

 

Elaine Patterson, 2016-2017 SSMU VP Student Life and Acting President

Before I had the opportunity to work at SSMU, I knew very little about the organization and the scope of what it offered to students. Thousands of undergraduates are involved in student groups that fall under SSMU’s umbrella, but that’s likely the extent of their knowledge of the society. I can’t say I blame them: Why should anyone need to know more about what SSMU has to offer?

But, as per the preamble of our constitution, the three pillars of SSMU are service, representation, and leadership. I prefer to look at these pillars as more of a foundation for the organization–fundamentally, these three things should encompass most of what SSMU does. So, in an effort to regain students’ trust, I think it’s necessary that SSMU restabilize its foundation.

The range of services that SSMU provides is what most students recognize. From room bookings to a student bar to safety resources, such as Walksafe, Drivesafe, M-SERT, and more, there’s a lot that SSMU offers to its members. Perhaps SSMU needs to revisit how it advertises and offers these services to students to ensure that they’re being used and accessed to their fullest extent.

In terms of representation this year, I think many members of the society were failed by SSMU. Our team of elected student representatives was largely white, male-dominated, and lacked a diverse set of viewpoints. McGill boasts one of the most international campuses in Canada, and it’s a shame that this year’s executive team was unrepresentative of its student population. However, the incoming team of executives better mirrors this diversity, so I hope that students can trust that they will be better represented in the 2017-2018 academic year.

Finally, I want to encourage the incoming executives to strive to be the best leaders that they can be. I think that students underestimate the value of leadership when voting for their representatives; people tend to pay more attention to the tangible changes or initiatives candidates lay out in their platforms. But, if there’s one thing I have learned thus far in my term as an executive, it’s that things like leadership and communication are necessary skills for any position of responsibility. With those fundamentals, learning about the individual portfolios will come in time.

Although it won’t happen overnight, I think by continuing to offer necessary services to students, being more representative of the student body, and by demonstrating quality leadership skills, the SSMU can work to regain students’ trust.

 

Anuradha Mallik, 2017-2018 SSMU VP Sustainability & Operations

I ran for the position of SSMU VP Sustainability and Operations because I wanted to help return the society to its roots as an organization built to serve its constituents. I have seen what SSMU has been through over the last few years, and I stand in solidarity with the students that have been affected by its tumultuous history. Students at McGill have lacked faith in SSMU and its ability to represent the McGill population; it has only entered the public consciousness of the university whenever controversy arises, and that is something that needs to change.

As a newly elected Executive, it is my responsibility to start changing the conversation around our student society; I believe a big part of that is engaging more personally with the general student population. Being more comfortable with the student body would help ensure the student body is more comfortable with their representatives, and having a larger presence on campus would contribute to this. Whether that means being present at SSMU events, or having a “Meet the Executives” table or event at the beginning of the year, there are multiple avenues that are, as of yet, unexplored.

Communication has to be bidirectional between SSMU and the student body. Having open forums of communication and consistent feedback methods would allow executives to remain aware and in touch with the needs and desires of the constituents, and make sure students know they are heard. As executives we represent the population, and we must allow their voices to be heard. Publicizing office hours and expanding the use of feedback forms would allow a constant channel of communication and enable better dialogue between us and the students that we serve.

 

Jemark Earle, 2017-2018 SSMU VP Student Life

I, like a significant number of McGill students, have difficulty putting my trust in others. I have been hurt and taken advantage of time and time again. Because of my experiences, I am empathetic to the general feelings students have towards SSMU and I stand in solidarity with all of you whose trust and faith in SSMU has been lost. This year, I had the pleasure of attending the Canadian Conference on Student Leadership. The trustworthiness of student leaders was a recurring theme at this conference, and I wanted to share a quote I heard that resonated with me:

"Trust is about giving people the ability to believe they can achieve your goal. Not thinking that they will do what you want them to.”

Regaining trust in SSMU will not be easy. It is not something that can happen in a day, in a month, or even in a year. The members of SSMU have been hurt. They need time to heal. It is our duty, as the incoming executive team, to create and foster a space where they can do this.

I believe that all of our incoming executives have wonderful ideas on how we can create this space. By collaborating with one another, I am confident that we will be able to achieve this goal.

First, we SSMU executives need to do a better job familiarizing ourselves with our constituents. This can take many forms, such as meet and greets, livestreams, appearances at campus events, or increased communication with campus media.

Second, there has been a lot of talk about adopting a policy that holds student executives accountable for their actions. While a policy adopted specifically for executives would ensure the accountability of their actions, executives should be held to the same standards as the rest of the student body. SSMU should ensure that there are no policy grey areas or loopholes that executives can use to avoid being responsible and accountable for their actions.

Third, we must continue to increase awareness on what exactly SSMU does, through some of the means of communication mentioned earlier.

Lastly, SSMU needs to encourage student involvement. Without the engagement of the student body, SSMU can only do what it thinks will help students. The executive consists of only seven members; without the student body, there would SSMU would not exist. Both parties need to be proactive in engaging with one another to find out what is needed, and what can be done. We have a long road ahead of us in reestablishing trust. The members of SSMU voted in an executive team for 2017-2018 that I am confident will begin this process. 


 

David Naftulin, Arts Student

SSMU has a credibility problem. Plagued by scandals and fixated on dangerously divisive issues, SSMU has had a rough couple of years. But with a new year ahead and a new crop of leaders, change is possible. If SSMU follows its own constitution, holds its leaders properly accountable, and once again becomes inclusive for all of its students, then it can begin the process of regaining the trust of the student body.

Recent shockwaves spread through campus as two SSMU executives, former VP External David Aird and former president Ben Ger, resigned from their positions because of issues surrounding sexual and gendered violence. Further allegations that SSMU had attempted to deal with Aird’s behavior internally, instead of reporting it to the necessary authorities, certainly did not help. This incident left students seeing SSMU as an unaccountable and unrepresentative organization that does not look out for the safety of the student body or the ethics of its leaders.

Yet SSMU compromised the trust of some students even prior to these allegations, through its inadequate response to Arts Representative to SSMU Igor Sadikov tweeting "punch a zionist [sic] today,” on Feb. 6. I attended the ensuing SSMU Council meeting on Feb. 9, outraged by the tweet and ready to voice my opinion. When questions from the gallery began, I was disappointed with how SSMU handled the session, which deteriorated from a discussion on the issue of student safety to the singling out of the only Zionist councillor for her beliefs. If SSMU wants to regain the trust of students that were harmed by Sadikov’s tweet, it must improve its response to instances of such divisive and alienating rhetoric.

Just as disheartening, votes held by both the SSMU Board of Directors and the Arts Undergraduate Society failed to impeach Sadikov. Although Sadikov eventually resigned from his positions, this was not until after intervention from the McGill Administration and allegations arose of Sadikov’s emotional abuse of an ex-partner. Thus, for the mainstream Jewish community and its allies, SSMU has come to represent alienation and division on campus.

SSMU’s loss of credibility and its recent history of failing to represent its constituents, does not have to be permanent. The recent landslide election of Muna Tojiboeva as SSMU President, who campaigned on a platform of cleaning up SSMU, is an encouraging start; however, Tojiboeva and the rest of the incoming executive team enter SSMU with a hard job ahead. SSMU must abide by its own constitution, stay away from divisive and alienating politics, and must promptly and swiftly respond when their executives violate either Canadian law, SSMU’s constitution, or both. Actions, not words, are what will matter going forward. Only when they do this can students place trust in SSMU’s leadership again.

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Sketch Republic presents ‘The Peter ’n Chris Show’

by Ariella Garmaise on

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St. Patrick’s Day is not a holiday commonly associated with comedy. Nonetheless, Théâtre Sainte-Catherine Café-Bar was particularly abuzz on Friday March 17, as the Sketch Republic—“Montreal’s premier monthly sketch comedy night”—prepared to host its long awaited “Peter ‘n Chris Show,” featuring two-time winners of the Just for Laughs’ Montreal Fringe Comedy award in 2012 and 2013, Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson. Founded by Erin Hall, Sketch Republic hosts monthly events, “featuring a rotating line-up of the best local and visiting troupes at venues all around town.” Leading up to headliners Carlone and Wilson, the show featured two sketch troupes—Goddamn Bear and Pickle Party—and local stand-up comedian Rachel Gendron as host. The diversity of comic styles and experience levels made for an evening that felt well-representative of the wide spectrum that is  Montreal’s comedy scene. 

Goddam Bear, made up of members Andy Assaf, Laura Buchanan, Jason Grimmer, and Dimitri Kyres, was first to take the stage. The troupe opened with a sketch about trendy DJ’s inappropriately hosting a “Benefit for Sick and Ugly Children.” While the bit was a little messy and at times hard to follow, the scene was not without well-crafted one-liners. 

“I am now going to play for you the slowest music ever head on the earth, inspired by my time with the whales,” deadpanned one DJ. 

In another scene, the group plays an improv team, pushing teammate Grimmer to his breaking point in a workshop. Grimmer’s emotional but articulate outbursts were symbolic of the juxtaposition between improvisational comedy’s spontaneity and sketch comedy’s carefully crafted structure. 

Following Goddam Bear was Pickle Party, comprised of duo Emily Bilton and Martha Graham. Less verbose, but more physical than their openers, most of Pickle Party’s sketches featured dance. In their best and final scene, Bilton and Graham played performers auditioning to play the Monkees. However, as the eponymous song, “Hey Hey We’re the Monkees” began to play, Bilton became overwhelmed by ape-like urges. Graham is the perfect straight-man, maintaining her goofy choreography even as her partner begins throwing bananas at the audience. 

Both groups incorporated video into their set. Pickle Party’s “Tofu–Nature’s Crumble” advertisement was an overdone attack on the bean curd, and Goddam Bear’s take on modern meditation ran too long. Still, it was interesting to see the groups experiments with non-traditional mediums in a live forum. 

While entertaining, these performances were not without amateurish moments. At one point, host Gendron forgot the word “troupe.” Bilton had to ask the sound manager to make the music louder so she could concentrate better. Nonetheless, both troupes delivered strong performances and were suitable openers for the especially skilled Peter ‘n Chris. 

Duo Peter ‘n Chris are a Canadian sketch comedy phenomenon. The local celebrities brought excitement to the small café. Each of their sketches were perfectly timed and performed—the seamless execution highlighting not only their natural chemistry, but also the expertise that comes from years of friendship and experience. Their sketches varied in length and style, showcasing a repertoire that highlighted their broad skillset. Some of their sketches were just one-liners—in one, Wilson is “Gandalf the Crossing Guard”– shouting “You shall not pass!” at pedestrians. In another quick bit, Carlone is a man perplexed by his air-guitar, which is not making noise. The two are also capable of longer, more situational pieces. In an especially witty sketch, cop Wilson arrests Carlone for harassing a neighbour with a story that has gone on for too long. 

Even so, Peter ’n Chris’ best moment was when they brought all previous performers up onstage in a convoluted fight sketch. The scene itself was not especially memorable, but the shared spotlight was a nice ending for an evening focused on camaraderie. 

Science & Technology

Coffee-naps: A scientifically based life hack

by Kate Lord on

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University life is known for many things, but an overabundance of sleep is not one of them. The endless onslaught of lectures, papers, labs, and midterms that McGill throws at its students is not conducive to getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep every night. For many students, the most appealing option to combat their sleep-deprived states is to schedule a nap into their busy day, if not in a bed then at least on their library desk. While there are not many parallels that can be drawn between a university student and a toddler, the unreserved and delirious desire that the demographics share in regards to napping stands out as a point of similarity.

The other obvious option to restore mid-afternoon alertness is to consume copious amounts of caffeine. As the world’s most widely used and popular psychoactive drug, caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant that activates the central nervous system, staving off lethargy and encouraging mental acuity. While coffee, Red Bull, and Monster are all attractive options at three in the morning when your essay is due at noon, the side-effects—which can include jitteriness, headaches, aggravated anxiety, and/or sleep-disorders—may not be similarly desirable.

While it might initially seem counterintuitive, there is increasing evidence to suggest that a student in search of a much-needed burst of energy might have the most success by combining caffeine and napping. A ‘coffee-nap’ is the act of quickly consuming caffeine, most conveniently in the form of an espresso or an iced-coffee, before setting a timer and taking a 20-minute nap. In one study published in Psychophysiology in 1997, scientists found that taking a coffee-nap was significantly more effective in reinvigorating an individual in comparison to just napping or drinking coffee alone. Discovered two decades ago, the revelation of the coffee-nap is not a new one, but it certainly deserves more attention.

What explains the extra power of a coffee-fuelled power nap? Caffeine is chemically similar to adenosine, a molecule with a specialized receptor in the brain. Once enough adenosine builds up, the result is that groggy, tired feeling; however, when we drink caffeinated beverages, the caffeine competitively binds to the adenosine-receptors and thus blocks the adenosine from attaching. Taking a nap, on the other hand, is a process that naturally clears out the adenosine that builds up in the brain. As it takes about 20 minutes for the caffeine molecules to bind to the adenosine-receptors, a 20-minute coffee-nap allows for the perfect combination of clearing adenosine and binding caffeine, resulting in a more effective power nap overall.

The correct timing of the caffeine consumption is essential, as the power nap is designed to end before deeper sleep, or REM (rapid eye movement) cycling, begins. A 15- or 20-minute nap will usually limit the individual to the NREM (non-rapid eye movement) stages of sleep, and prevents sleep inertia, or the hangover-like grogginess that often results from a longer nap. The coffee-nap, therefore, allows the napper to hit the ground running after 20 minutes, and is the ideal solution for students who needs a quick break in the middle of their busy lives.

Private, Student Life

Safety on the trails with gendered violence in the background

by Grace Bahler on

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Content Warning: Graphic image. 

Running makes people happy, gets them fit, and adds years to their lives—it’s no wonder the sport is so popular. For many, running is the ultimate release; it’s a temporary escape from the bits of life we don’t like, and it just so happens that pounding the pavement is chock-full of health benefits. But despite its vast following, safety while running remains a common concern for many.

On March 5, Seattle, Washington runner Kelly Herron was washing her hands in a public washroom mid-run in Golden Gardens Park when she was assaulted. The attacker, a registered sex-offender, beat Herron and attempted to rape her, but she fought back and survived to share her story. In an Instagram post, Herron recalls the incident as her “biggest running nightmare” becoming reality.

 

 

 

My biggest running nightmare became reality- 4 miles into my long run Sunday afternoon, I stopped to use the restroom and was assaulted by a man hiding in a stall (that is my GPS in red lines). I fought for my life screaming("Not today, M**F**er!"), clawing his face, punching back, and desperately trying to escape his grip- never giving up. I was able to lock him in the bathroom until police arrived. Thankfully I just took a self-defense class offered at my work and utilized all of it. My face is stitched, my body is bruised, but my spirit is intact. #fightingchanceseattle #ballard #runnersafety #marathontraining #womensselfdefense #myballard #fightlikeagirl #fightback #dontbeavictim #nottodaymotherfucker #youcantbreakme #instarunners #garmin #garminvivosmarthr

A post shared by Kelly Herron (@run_kiwi_run) on

 

 

Unfortunately, this is a common narrative within the running community. ‘Woman abducted while running’ and ‘female jogger stabbed’ are just a few examples of common headlines.  

Megan Cheung, a first-year Master’s student and the vice president of Marketing for the McGill Students’ Running Club (McRun), is an avid runner, and she is alert to the world of gendered violence.

“Maybe it’s a stereotype in society [that females are] vulnerable, smaller, less able to physically compete if we had an attacker coming onto us,” Cheung said. “It’s good to be guarded, still [….] It is good to be cautious because [assault and harassment] still do happen.”

Though Cheung has never felt threatened while running, it is because she often sticks with a pack. For her, running within a group guarantees safety.

“Maybe I’m so biased because I’ve been exposed to running in groups, but I think that [running with others] is safety,” Cheung said. “[….] We’re always together, and there’s that sense of togetherness that you feel like, if something were to happen to you, somebody knows about it.”

However, for some, running with anyone at all may be neither an option nor a preference. Alexandra Yiannoutsos, U2 Arts, always finds time for running in her busy schedule, but often goes alone and at night—and that has proved to be enraging in some situations. From the pervasive male gaze to the occasional man stalking her, Yiannoutsos is well-aware of the realities women face when they’re out on the trails or on city sidewalks.

“I am catcalled almost every time I am out. That’s not frightening, it’s infuriating,” Yiannoutsos said. “They don’t know me, they don’t know my worth, but they choose to intimidate me because of my sex [….] It’s not flattering. I am not there for men to ogle at.”

Equipped with bear spray and emergency money, Yiannoutsos is always prepared for the worst—yet she remains outraged that those precautions are necessary.

“It’s bullshit that we are responsible for our own safety against violence because we are not the source [of this violence],” Yiannoutsos said.

She is not the first to address the problem with placing the burden of gendered violence on women, rather than on their attackers. Following the deaths of three female runners in Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts over the course of nine days in August 2016, writer and runner Meghan Kita published an article in Runner’s World Magazine addressing sexism in the running community. As a response to the multitude of articles on ‘staying safe,’ Kita called out the community for insinuating that victims of attacks are responsible.

“Women know ‘what to do to stay safe,’” Kita wrote. “The best practices of being aware of your surroundings, trusting your gut instincts, and staying within shouting distance of people who might be able to help in case of emergency are instilled in women from an early age, and they’re not just useful while running.”

Most women are familiar with the 101 on safety and strangers that they were given as young girls. From being aware to being visible, there are many techniques that could potentially save one’s life mid-run. While it’s frustrating that the burden of these precautions falls on women, they have proven they know how to fight back—and that they will.

Joke

Marty the Martlet elected SSMU president

by Joe Khammar on

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McGill mascot Marty the Martlet was announced as winner of the presidential contest for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) for the 2017-18 school year. The gigantic bird fought a hard campaign against Jane Darnold, ultimately finding success with his “Just Wing It,” platform.

Upon hearing the news, Darnold was upset.

“He can’t even speak! He’s a literal gigantic plush bird,” Darnold said. “The debate was just a series of shrugs and dances. I don’t think he even knows he was running.”

Despite her qualms, hopes are high for the Martlet’s presidency. Students were positively atwitter about his optimistic demeanor in the face of adversity.

“I just loved how he always put his best tail forward,” U2 Arts Student Aaron Sanders said. “With everything going on at SSMU this year, I feel like I needed a friendly face—someone to make me feel better about all the controversy.”

Upon hearing the news, Marty enthusiastically hopped up and down with what could possibly be described as glee. Unfortunately, because he cannot vocalize, his communication was limited to dance. 

How this limitation will impact his presidency going forward remains a question. That said, his victory serves as a sign of hope.

This article is a work of satire and is part of the Joke Issue.

News, SSMU

SSMU Council votes to remain an observer at AVEQ

by Joe Khammar on

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“Order an Angelot” Campaign

At the March 24 Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council meeting, Lev Bukhman and Marie Gauthier, national coordinators of “Sans Oui C’est Non” (Without Yes, It’s No), and Alliance pour la Santé Étudiante au Québec (ASÉQ) presented on the “Order an Angelot” campaign. The initiative helps bar patrons feel safe by giving them the option to pretend to order a fake drink known as the “Angelot.” This code word will alert bar staff to a situation in which a patron may be in danger, so that they can react accordingly.

“The campaign aims to create a very simple and clear and certain way for people to get help if they do not feel safe, are in danger, or are victims of sexual assault,” Bukhman said. “The idea is to create a very simple code word that is widely known [and] widely understood.”

Councillors raised concerns over who the program would target. Specifically, it was criticized for not consulting sexual violence survivors and relying on bartenders, who may be poorly trained in handling such incidents.

“I am concerned about this campaign,” Nursing Representative Mckenzie Gingrich-Hadley said. “Mostly because it seems like they have not done any consultation with survivors of sexual violence at all at how this can be helpful. It has also been painfully obvious, recently, that consent education is not necessarily an effective way to stop sexual violence from happening.”

 

Motion on Participation in AVEQ

SSMU passed a motion to continue observer status on the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ) and consider joining it as a full member in the Fall 2017 referendum. AVEQ is a provincial-level student association that was designed to increase the bargaining powers of Quebec university students. Following students’ vote against SSMU affiliating with AVEQ in the Winter 2016 referendum, SSMU has had observer status on AVEQ. 

While this guarantees SSMU no more than the ability to observe AVEQ sessions, AVEQ encourages its observers to participate in the decision-making processes. At Council, questions were raised about the organization’s budget, which Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Sobat claimed may have been overestimated.

“I recognize that maybe some of the updates and information on what was happening with AVEQ and the deficit could have been more actively reported,” Sobat said. “This motion is to ensure we are continuing to be at that table and are able to voice the concerns of SSMU members to this federation.”

After further deliberation, the motion was passed with 14 in favour, six against, and three abstaining.

 

Motion Regarding Endorsement of “No” Vote for Athletics & Recreation Fee Increase

Finally, the Legislative Council passed the motion to endorse “No” for the Athletics & Recreation Fee Increase. Sobat cited the same concerns that led to the recent motion against ancillary fee increases, which was invalidated due to an existing contract between SSMU and the McGill administration. The previous motion, which passed at the Winter 2017 General Assembly, would have had SSMU not approving ancillary fee increases until McGill met certain obligations.

Sobat critiqued McGill for its lack of transparency when increasing funds, raising his concern with the fact that Athletics & Recreation overhead charges have increased by 40 per cent since 2014. With reference to McGill Athletics specifically, Sobat highlighted the lack of investigation into sexual violence by McGill athletes.

“I’ve had many conversations with the deputy provost about this where I most recently asked on the February Student Services meeting,” Sobat said. “I asked him where these overhead charges were going and how they justified the deductions. They have no formula for actually determining them.”

The motion passed with 13 in favour, four against, and five abstaining.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Beauty, trauma, and remembrance in new documentary ‘Cameraperson’

by Noah Sutton on

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Watching Cameraperson, the latest film by Academy Award-winning documentary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson, feels more like a slow walk through an art exhibit than a film. Cameraperson consists only of clips from past documentaries labeled by the location in which they were shot—the film thus remains opaque to the viewer for most of its 1 hour 40 minute runtime. But in a single moment, the narrative clicks together and reveals itself as a meditation on a lifetime spent observing through the eyes of a camera. 

At it’s core, Cameraperson is an attempt to reconcile the documentation of trauma with the memories surrounding it. The bulk of the films Johnson has worked on deal with trauma and death. Through her work, Johnson has collected the stories of victims of war crimes, rape, racially motivated murder, poverty, and terrorism. The film shows us scenes from across the world, such as a victim of a rocket strike in Afghanistan, a survivor of rape during the Bosnian civil war, and an African-American woman speaking about her decision to terminate a pregnancy. 

Often, we view remembrance as honouring—but remembering can renew trauma that victims may have long-struggled to move past. How does a filmmaker proceed with the work of preserving memories, when memories themselves can be traumatic? This question becomes poignantly relevant when the matriarch of a Bosnian family is pressed on her experiences during the war. The woman  vehemently denies that anything happened to her family. She remains defiant until she’s asked instead about her style of dress, and her face brightens up. The woman doesn’t tell us about the war, but through this exchange the viewer witnesses one of many coping mechanisms deployed in response to the lasting effects of trauma.       

Johnson’s choices of what to include in her film are also a method of coping with the trauma she has witnessed. After a difficult birth in an under-equipped Nigerian hospital, a midwife remarks that the infant needs oxygen—which the hospital doesn’t have. Although the scene ends with the door closing, shutting the viewer out of the outcome, Johnson and her crew did not have the luxury of ambiguity. By excluding a possibly-tragic outcome, Johnson’s construction of that narrative is evidence of the documentary genre’s ability to manipulate narratives. Cameraperson is an exploration into when to forget and when to remember—and how filmmakers can control what is entered into collective memory through editorial omissions. 

The play between remembering and forgetting, and showing and hiding, is central to this film. In one scene, a speaker from the “Syrian Dissident Film Collective,” tells his audience that when the media focuses on violence, it can remove the dignity of the victims. In Susan Sontag’s book Regarding the Pain of Others, a rumination on the effect of wartime photography, Sontag argued, “the only people with the right to look at images of suffering of this extreme order are those who could do something to alleviate it.” One of the questions implicit in a film about documentary filmmaking is that of whether the viewer has any power to affect change in response to the trauma they witness. If empathy is not a tool for change, documentary films collapse into voyeurism or hollow sympathy.

Cameraperson captures the uncomfortable pairing of tragedy and beauty. The film moves throughout history and across the globe, but the most personal moments for Johnson are the clips of her mother, who is slowly succumbing to Alzheimer's. Perhaps her mother’s loss of memory is a harrowing metaphor for documentary filmmaking in the face of the passage of time: No matter how hard we try to preserve stories for the future, the impermanence of all things prevails.   

Cinema Political Concordia will be screening the Montreal premiere of Cameraperson with the director in attendance on Monday March 27 at 7:00 p.m. Admission is on a by donation basis ($5-10 suggested). The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

Album review: Khalid – ‘American Dream’

by Morgan Davis on

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Khalid released his debut single“Location” weeks before his senior prom in hopes that the song could earn him the title of Prom King. The song earned him the crown, in addition to over 50 million Spotify plays. Less than a year later, the artist has released his first album, American Teen.

The record is inspired by the trials and errors of transitioning from teenage years to adulthood. Communication and youthfulness are central themes of American Teen, as Khalid sings of graduating, living with his parents, and the “stupid shit that young kids do” on the track “8TEEN.” The album is refreshingly honest in uncovering the frustrations of developing deep social connections as a young adult in 2017. 

American Teen follows a coming-of-age journey. The record is populated with fun, bubbly songs about the splendour of youth and the freedom to make mistakes. On the cusp of adulthood himself, Khalid’s lyrics have a sense of youthful innocence. The songs are upbeat and catchy–the chorus off ‘Young, Dumb, and Broke’ is a true earworm. Although his expressive lyrics are accompanied by an energetic tempo, Khalid’s vocals are what truly sets him apart from other pop singers of today. His honeyed voice has a lulling quality that pairs nicely with heavy beats on songs such as “8TEEN.” 

Despite being musically influenced by soul and early R&B, Khalid’s lyrics are startlingly contemporary. His debut single, “Location,” uncovers a smitten teenager asking a love interest to send him her IOS location. On the same song, “I don’t want to fall in love off a sub-tweet” references the phenomenon of referencing someone on Twitter without explicitly mentioning their name. It’s lyrics like these that remind listeners that Khalid has just recently turned 19–he came of age in the 2010s. Many tracks on the album speak of young love in the digital era. 

Khalid spoke about his lyrics and writing process with Urban Outfitters’ blog. 

“A lot of people my age don’t wanna accept the feelings that we have for other individuals… Because times have changed,” he explained. “Social media is a very big influence. It’s the distraction, it’s the lack of emotion, you can’t really feel something behind a couple of text messages the way you would feel something if it was said verbally to you. So that’s why I write songs about love.”  

The album follows a pattern of seemingly cheerful songs that through closer observation are tales of heartbreak and growing pains. Towards the end of the album, songs such as “Hopeless” and “Cold Hearted” begin to meld together as the lyrical themes become repetitive and tiring. Thankfully, we have much more to expect from Khalid after such a promising debut. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Standout lyric: "What's fun about commitment when we have all life to live?" (Young, Dumb, and Broke)

Standout songs: Winter, 8TEEN, Angels

Sounds like: Anderson .Paak, dvsn, Frank Ocean

McGill, News

“Ethics of Immigration” event addresses moral aspects of border control

by Laura Oprescu on

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On March 9, Georgetown Assistant Teaching Professor of business ethics and Director of the Institute for Liberal Studies Peter Jaworski delivered a talk to approximately 150 McGill students on the ethics of immigration. The talk was co-hosted by the Institute for Liberal Studies and the Research Group on Constitutional Studies.

Jaworski began by questioning the legitimacy of borders and aimed to answer the question of whether human beings have a moral obligation to be open towards immigration.

“Personal liberty is a presumption,” Jaworski said. “Under this presumption, as barriers to our personal liberties, borders require moral justification. While states have a right to enforce borders, having the right doesn’t make it right.”

Jaworski also discussed the logical implications of borders. He argued that if there is a criterion to bar someone from entering a country, that same criterion should be grounds to throw someone out.

“If culture, crime, jobs, and social insurance are reasons to keep immigrants out of Canada, then it follows that they are sufficient reasons to kick people out,” Jaworski said. “Yet no one has proposed citizen deportation if individuals do not meet the same stringent guidelines set for refugees.”

Several of Jaworski’s points were devoted to debunking myths about refugees, focusing on job security, and social insurance.

“For every job given to an immigrant, there is one fewer job available for a Canadian,” Jaworski said. “But Canadian children will slowly begin to replace older generations in the workforce. If we limit immigration for job security, it follows that we should limit or license parents for having children.”

Jaworski addressed fears of the consequences of immigration, giving historical examples to support his argument.

“One concern is that a ‘flood’ of immigrants will cause overcrowding and saturate the job market and health care systems,” Jaworski said. “Historically we have seen two major ‘floods’ to the American job market–U.S. soldiers and women after World War Two–both of which we were equipped to deal with. If the health care system cannot handle additional strain from a few immigrants, the problem is with the health care system.”

When an audience member asked about his opinion on non-assimilation, Jaworski stated that assimilation is unnecessary.

“Provided immigrants can learn the law, I’m alright with non-assimilation, at least with respect to learning the language,” Jaworski said. “There’s nothing wrong with staying in a self-contained community.”

An audience member raised concerns about cultural values that differ drastically from Canadian values, particularly those that might be discriminatory towards women.

“The problem only comes when your values are diametrically opposed to your country’s values, but even this is not a sufficient reason to bar immigrants from Canada,” Jaworski said. “Laws have been put in place to prevent crime and Canadian culture is not this fragile.”

Tomlinson Professor of Political Theory at McGill Jacob Levy attended the event and weighed in on the discussion, using an analogy relevant to the student-populated crowd.

“Universities only admit the students with the highest marks–students that they expect will perform incredibly well,” Levy said. “Some students will retain their high GPAs, but some will drop down to C-average. This is not enough to drop out, but we also don’t kick them out for failing to meet expectations. The same should hold true for refugees.”

Jaworski argued that the situations were different, but agreed that his argument had been too symmetrical.

“Sending refugees back to their home countries will not make their situations drastically worse, it will just land them back where they started,” Jaworski said. “We don’t kick C-students out of school because it would make things disproportionately bad for them.”

The event attracted both students and staff and was largely seen as a success by its organizers. Leila Feng, U1 Science, said that recent visa issues surrounding Trump’s executive order were a likely reason that the event was so popular.

“[…] Jaworski’s PowerPoint slides were concise, containing statistics that effectively supported his arguments,” Feng said. “His arguments on jobs and culture assimilation were well-delivered–particularly his point that native-born children will replace more jobs than refugees.”

Baseball, Sports

2017 MLB breakout players

by Erich Rothmann on

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1. Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola

With one of the best curveballs in the league, Nola pitched like an ace before he suddenly lost his control and went down with a UCL sprain in his throwing arm in July 2016. He still finished the season with 121 strikeouts and a 3.12 FIP–a statistic similar to ERA, but solely focusing on outcomes that the pitcher has the most control over, such as strikeouts and homeruns. Barring another injury, expect him to develop into a household name by the end of 2017.

2. Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman

Bregman rapidly progressed through the Astros’ minor league system before making his big-league debut during the second half of last season. He started off 1-for-34 but eventually displayed his excellent contact ability and well-rounded skill set. A 2017 All-Star game appearance is a legitimate possibility for him.

3. Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi

Benintendi is currently viewed as the best prospect in the league. His swing is flawless and he will contribute in all phases of the game. After hitting .295 during his brief stint with the Red Sox last season, he will start in left field to begin 2017. He should win AL Rookie of the Year.

4. Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Zach Davies

While Davies will never be mistaken for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, he could become this season’s version of Cubs SP Kyle Hendricks. His underrated changeup and elite command demonstrated by his league leading 3.5 per cent Called Strikes Above Average (CSAA)–a proxy for command developed by Baseball Prospectus–should allow him to thrive in 2016.

5. Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton

Buxton was widely considered to be the top prospect of 2015. He possesses five above-average tools, including premier base-stealing speed. His struggles with making contact resulted in multiple minor league stints last season, but his nine homers and .287 batting average with the Twins in September indicate that he may have turned the corner.

6. Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez

While his versatility helped the Cubs end their championship drought, Baez must learn to limit mistakes in the field before earning an everyday role at second base. However, during the postseason, he displayed superstar potential with his premium bat speed and power.

7. Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kevin Gausman

Gausman’s strong finish last season should give Orioles fans confidence that he can establish himself as one of the top pitchers in the American League. While his fastball velocity can reach the upper 90s, increased confidence in his breaking pitches was the main reason he posted a 2.83 ERA after Aug. 1. In order to take the next step, he needs to do a better job of preventing home runs.

8. Minnesota Twins outfielder Miguel Sano

Sano possesses jaw-dropping power and impressive plate discipline. On the other hand, he is prone to strikeouts, which could prevent him from attaining his All-Star ceiling. If his contact rate improves, he could finish 2017 at the top of the home run leaderboard.

9. Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jose Peraza

Cincinnati traded 2B Brandon Phillips to the Braves last month knowing that Peraza is ready to become the starting second baseman. He lacks power and needs to work on his plate discipline, but this athletic infielder should make contact at an above-average rate, steal more than 40 bases, and play decent defence.

10.  Chicago White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada

Moncada was acquired from Boston during the offseason in the Chris Sale deal and likely will start the season in Triple-A to work on handling breaking balls. Regardless, he is one of the most physically gifted players in the majors and could be this year’s version of Gary Sanchez.

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