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a, Martlets, Sports

Martlets send Saints marching out

by Ben Carter-Whitney on

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There is no match in the CIS for the dynamic duo of Gabrielle Davidson and Katia Clement-Heydra. Davidson, a sophomore winger exploded for a total of five goals and an assist, while Clement-Heydra, a senior centre scored two goals and added five assists,   leading the no. 1 ranked Martlets (7-0) in back-to-back victories over Concordia (1-5) and NCAA opponent St. Lawrence at McConnell Arena this weekend.

The Concordia matchup on Friday night was a thoroughly one-sided affair, much like the past 50 encounters between the two teams—all McGill victories. Following a fruitless first period in which the Martlets tested the Stingers with 16 shots on goal, Clement-Heydra opened up the scoring just 30 seconds into the second stanza. Concordia responded minutes later, but Davidson soon put the game out of reach, registering three goals in under six minutes. Clement-Heydra finished the job with another tally in the third, bringing her point total for the game to five to seal a 5-1 Martlet victory. Davidson’s hat-trick was enough to put her atop the CIS leaderboard in goals scored despite playing in five games fewer than the next highest scorer.

Saturday afternoon’s showdown with the St. Lawrence Saints proved to be a greater test for the Martlets, who had to rally from behind to seize the 3-2 victory in the dying minutes of the game. The Saints, who sit in fifth place with a 4-2 record in the NCAA’s ECAC division, came out strong and jumped to a 2-0 lead early in the second period.

(Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)
(Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

McGill began its comeback with a timely goal from Davidson, but despite sustained pressure, was unable to strike again for the remainder of the period. Down by a goal at the second intermission, Martlet Head Coach Peter Smith urged his team to carry its momentum into the third period. Once again, Davidson obliged, tying the game on a low shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle just 14 seconds after the opening draw.

“We talked about reinforcing the good things that we were doing in the second period, and one of the things that we wanted to do is shoot quickly,” Smith said. “[Davidson] came out—and she’s got probably the quickest release on the planet—and really did a good job in scoring a nice goal.”

The deciding marker took a bit longer to materialize, but it arrived just in time. With only a minute-and-a-half left in regulation, Leslie Oles neatly deflected a saucer pass from Davidson into the top corner, before crashing into the net herself. The speedy fourth-year was slow returning to her feet, though Smith later confirmed that she had not sustained any serious injury on the play.

The Martlets were able to hang onto the lead to clinch the 3-2 victory, a retributive result for the team after last year’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Saints. This was the seventh of McGill’s eight matchups with NCAA teams scheduled for this season, of which they have won four. Smith praised his team’s ability to come away with the win in a very close game.

“We’ve had a couple games this year that we ended up losing that I thought we should have won—the Providence and Northeastern games come to mind—and today I thought we deserved to win,” he said.

Although they do not count towards RSEQ standings or CIS rankings, the Martlets prepare for these exhibition matches against American foes as they would any other, and see them as an opportunity for growth, especially considering their dominance against conference opponents.

“The NCAA teams are strong, so for us it’s trying to compete and show them that Canadian teams can be as strong as them, and I think it’s a good test for us,” Davidson said. “It really helps in our development.”

The Martlets will look to build on this weekend’s momentum next Saturday in Ottawa where they will take on the Gee-Gees (5-3), before returning home to host the Montreal Carabins (4-2) at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

If Shakespeare had written Lost…

by Alex Kpeglo-Hennessy on

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The Tempest, the latest production by McGill’s Players’ Theatre, is the third installment in a season where the mission is “to juxtapose reality with what is magical and imaginative.” This play, believed to be the last written work of William Shakespeare, certainly does just that. Director Juliet Paperny blurs the lines between audience and actors, frequently breaking the fourth wall in order to expose the fragility of the world the characters inhabit. The set is not ornate, but presents the island locale as isolated and unidentifiable.

The comedy concerns itself with an exiled Italian noble Prospero (Ashkaan Mohtashami) who was left shipwrecked on a distant island with his young daughter Miranda (Katie Scharf). The architect of his banishment was none other than his own brother Antonio (Malachy Clearly), seeking to usurp Prospero’s position. Fortunately for him, Prospero possesses potent magic, which he uses to dominate   the spirits that inhabit the island. He presides over each event, smirking from above as he nonchalantly engineers everything. It is with this power that he raises the titular storm and brings his foes to his doorstep.

(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)
(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

At this point, with the passengers of a ship embroiled in vicious winds, the narrative begins. This scene is perhaps too tumultuous, as some of the dialogue becomes briefly incomprehensible. Wild spirits, including the impressively chaotic Ariel (Kay Min)—who delivers one of the most convincing performances of the night—blow the ship to shore and separate its inhabitants. Min is as mercurial as the wind she commands, and her energy never ceases in its relentlessness. As Prospero’s plans begin to unfold, the inhabitants of the island meet the outsiders, setting off a series of comedic, romantic, and malignant interactions.

The most nuanced of these is between the only true native of the island, Caliban (Yves Abanda); jester Trinculo (Nick LePage); and an inebriated butler Stephano (Anurag Chaoundhury). Caliban is the disfigured servant of Prospero, treated cruelly by his master for trying to rape Miranda. Abanda’s performance is unerring as he traverses the character’s disparate moods and fits of grovelling insanity. He is one of the characters to engage with the audience, perhaps suggesting a tenuous hold on his own reality. He finds a new master when Stephano introduces him to alcohol and, in a series of misadventures and misidentifications as amusing at times as they are distressing, begins to plot the death of Prospero with the help of his bumbling new companions.

In yet another example of the thin barrier between reality and imagination, the spirits of the island also display their

(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)
(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

awareness of the people watching the events on the island unfold. They remain wild and ethereal throughout The Tempest, appearing in varied forms as disparate as dogs and gods.

All of these characters and more venture around the isle—the approximately two and a half hours of the play occur in real time—and are eventually brought together in a reunion that will determine their collective fates.

Overall, this production is a fine display of student talent. There are several incredible performances that provide a visceral representation of a widely read story. Although the thought of Shakespeare is daunting to many, The Tempest captures your attention without letting it go, and makes the performance feel like a brief trip to an unknown island.

 

The Tempest runs from Nov. 20-23 at Player’s Theatre. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Student admission is $6.

a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the week: Eirn Boparai

by Erica Friesen on

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Eirn Boparai is well-versed in the the art of being a good listener.

As Vice-President Public Relations for McGill Students’ Nightline, Boparai helps spread the word about the various situations that volunteers at the phone line are trained to assist with—whether that’s helping a first-year student understand Minerva, recommending a restaurant, or dealing with a mental health emergency.

Nightline is a student-run initiative that provides confidential listening services from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. every day of the week.

“[Volunteers] have been taught how to talk to students who may have depression, any sort of mental health issues—even students who just want someone to talk to, de-stress, and get everything off their shoulders,” he said.

Boparai launched Nightline’s promotional team last semester and currently acts as the liaison between the promotional team and the operational branch. Members of the promotional team advertise the service on campus, but do not know the identity of Nightline’s anonymous volunteers who take calls.

Although Boparai has given up taking calls in his current role, he was initially drawn to Nightline in second year because of the skills it allowed him to develop as a confidential listener.

“I thought it would be the best way for me to change as a person and learn to adapt to different situations; if you pick up that call, you don’t know what you’re getting so you have to be ready,” he said. “I felt that it was a service that I can give a lot to, and I can get a lot back as well, because the skills I’ve learned from Nightline have really made my life easier in terms of how I interact with others.”

Nightline volunteers approach their telephone interactions through a technique called “active listening,” which Boparai described as listening to a person’s situation “without really saying anything.”

“When you’re talking to your friend, you might feel judged,” he said. “But our volunteers don’t know the person on the other end of the line, so it gives them the opportunity to talk about something freely [.…] The goal of active listening is to avoid judging, to not give advice, and not to tell callers what to do, but to just listen and help callers come to conclusions on their own.”

These listening skills also translate to Boparai’s work as a floor fellow at New Residence Hall.

“I’m there as an upper year to guide [first year students]—kind of like a big brother—to give them different strategies that I’ve used, and just generally [to] be someone who’s there to listen to them and to help them any way that I can,” Boparai said. “It’s tough making that transition from high school to university. It’s nice having someone there who’s an upper year who can help make that transition easier.”

While Boparai said his skillset from Nightline prepared him well for the position, he said New Residence provides him with new challenges every day.

“There are so many people, so many names to remember,” he said. You’re constantly meeting new people because with 750 people there are a lot of people to meet. I enjoy it though [….] It is a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.”

 

If you could be one kind of food what would you be?

Chicken wings. They’re spicy, hot, and delicious.

Which fictional character would you meet if you could?

Spiderman—he’s my hero! He’s a geek and a nerd and a loser, but when he puts on that mask, he becomes the coolest guy ever.

What was the last book you read for fun?

A Thousand Splendid Suns.

If you could be involved in another club or service on campus, which one would you pick?

TV McGill. Me and my friend in second year used to make really funny skits and YouTube videos [….] I think I would like more of McGill to know about how silly and ridiculous I can be [.…] Sometimes their videos are really funny, so being part of that would be really cool!

 

Contact the McGill Students’ Nightline at (514) 398-6246.

6 p.m. – 3 a.m.

 

a, News

BoG and Senate tackle prevalence of mental health issues

by Cece Zhang on

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Mental health at McGill was the subject of the joint Board of Governors (BoG) and Senate meeting last Tuesday.

Provost Anthony Masi spoke on the impact of mental health issues at McGill and the reason for the theme of the discussion.

“Many members of the McGill community, whether directly or indirectly, have lived with varying degrees of mental health issues and their consequences,” Masi said. “Today we focus discussion on the aspects of McGill’s environment that we can and should change in order to promote a helpful environment.”

At the meeting, Lynne McVey, executive director of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, gave a presentation on the stigmatization of mental illnesses in both academic settings and the workplace.

“There is an increasing demand and openness to consider that mental illness can be talked about, and the stigma is beginning to lift,” McVey said. “[But] from our perspective it isn’t beginning to lift enough. People who live with mental health problems say the stigma is often worse than the illness.”

McVey called on McGill to use education to take a greater part in the fight against stigmatization.

“Seventy-five per cent [of mental health problems] are not treated, so the 8,000 we are treating at our mental health services facility here at McGill University may not just be the ones that we need to be treating,” she said. “[The] 2013 National College Health Assessment found that nearly 90 per cent of university and college students in Canada reported feeling overwhelmed by stress in the previous 12 months.”

McVey showcased the efforts of other universities in Canada to reduce stigma through education, such as the Jack Project­—a mental health awareness project that includes fundraisers and awareness initiatives at Queen’s University, and “The Social Context of Mental Health and Illness,” an open, online, not-for-credit course run by the University of Toronto.

McVey also praised the efforts of Students in Mind, the first student-run conference on mental health at McGill, hosted last October.

“This level of leadership and student engagement is exactly the kind of initiative that is needed for us to increase wellbeing both on the McGill campus and in our community,” she said.

Following the presentations, members of BoG and Senate suggested ways to improve support for mental health issues at McGill. Some ideas included training teaching assistants to deal with student mental health issues and inclusion of a mental health component for Rez Project—a workshop given to all students living in residence about sexual assault, gender, and sexuality.

“There’s also the idea of creating a more positive university environment,”  said Katie Larson, president of the Students’ Society of McGill University. “The message of McGill right now focuses on the idea that McGill produces the best students, which could be negative towards students’ mental health, when they internalize that competition and feel ashamed at accessing these mental health services.”

Principal Suzanne Fortier said the administration would use suggestions as a basis for future action.

“Mental health plays a very important role in our personal and professional lives, to employees, staff, students at the university,” Fortier said. “There is hardly a topic that deserves more attention than mental health [….] What’s important is not only the discussion, but also to take action.”

a, Opinion

Ford sputters in media circus

by Lauren Konken on

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Rob Ford, with all of his latest foibles, has now achieved worldwide infamy. In just a matter of weeks, the mayor of Toronto has revealed himself to be a crack user,  drunk driver, and ultimately unfit for office. What’s missing in this list of labels the media has conjured? That the man is a liar.

The Ford case highlights two major issues with the nature of politics today: the media remains caught up in the man’s private life, while failing to account for the fact that he spent months working to cover up his actions.

On May 16 2013, Gawker editor John Cook reported that he had viewed a cellphone video of the mayor of Toronto smoking crack cocaine. The Toronto Star shortly followed suit, claiming to be following the same tip, and to have seen the video. Gawker proceeded to raise $200,000 to purchase the video, only for the seller to disappear. Amidst the rising tide of allegations, Mayor Ford took it upon himself to repeatedly deny the existence of the tape, and claimed that he had never smoked crack.

The Toronto police announced on Oct. 31st that they were in possession of the tape; days later, after five months of denying his habits, Ford admitted publicly to having smoked crack cocaine, though he was careful to deny being addicted. Since then, further details from police reports have emerged, revealing allegations from Ford staffers that Ford was a drunk driver, engaged with prostitutes, and has drank on the job. The media has been more than happy to cover each accusation, and the hoopla of just what Mayor Ford has done has garnered international attention. The incident has become a wellspring of material for the late-night comics, featured most recently in the cold open of the Nov. 16 episode of Saturday Night Live.

The horse-race narrative of politics has generated a superficial discussion of Ford’s private life. Journalists and news anchors have become overly concerned with his weight, potential drug addiction, and poor life choices. While entering public life as a politician opens up scrutiny of the private life, is this standard truly applicable to a mayor? Who are we to judge? Do Ford’s choices in his private life affect his ability to enact decisions in the best interest of the City of Toronto? While Ford has a predilection towards drugs and profane words, it stands aside from the fact that he is a habitual liar to the public on matters pertaining to his private life. Moreover, the fact that the media continues to focus on his drug use, weight, and poor choice of words has left him in a position of power, while also generating negative international attention to a major Canadian city.

Ford is an elected official. His actions have diverted attention away from far more pressing issues. He has lied about a serious offense for over five months. He has also lied about other illicit activities. His efforts to dance around the sensitive issues in his private life may have him lying about major matters of public policy. Does it matter that he’s done drugs? That is for the justice system to decide, not the media. What matters is the fact that he’s unaccountable to his constituents. The Toronto City Council moved on Nov. 15 to strip Ford of all executive powers, essentially making him into a figurehead. He may as well be left in a clown suit to dance around for the world to see. Still, at the end of the day Ford is still the mayor, and so long as he is, he will continue to make a mockery of himself and our country. Unfortunately, our media outlets will be more than happy to keep pouncing on him.

a, Basketball, Behind the Bench, Sports

Remembering the Raptors

by Marlee Vinegar on

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My on-again, off-again relationship with the Raptors began when my family purchased nosebleed tickets during the “Vince Carter years.” We’d cheer and shout “DEFENCE” as prompted by the giant letter D and picket fence displayed on the jumbotron. If we were lucky, we’d catch the cameraman’s eye and make it onto the screen. The pinnacle was being serendipitously chosen to sit on the court during warm-ups; my eyes glued to Carter and to then-point-guard—and personal hero for short people everywhere—Muggsy Bogues.

But as the Raptors’ game wore thin, so did our purple pride. It was about another six years before I found my way back. Chris Bosh, José Calderon, and Andrea Bargnani reignited my Raptors flame—at least for a little while—when current starters like DeMar DeRozan were just creeping in.

Maybe it was moving to Montreal, or a lack of familiarity since the franchise rebuilt after losing Bosh, but the NBA largely fell off my radar.

I still followed the team a little, even if only on Twitter, but I’d be lying if I said I watch more than two full games a season. My mom, who had acquired two tickets to a game against Utah through work, used what was left of my loyalty to lure me home to Toronto.

Going into the game at the Air Canada Centre, I didn’t know what to expect; I didn’t even know half the names on the roster. The Jazz, our opponents that night, were coming off a 0-6 losing streak, which gave me high hopes for a win. Certainly we couldn’t be that bad.

While I sported my retro purple sweatshirt, the Raptors donned their camouflage uniforms in honour of the Canadian Forces for Remembrance Day. With veterans lined up across the court, the game started off with a heart-warming rendition of the national anthem.

Fuelled by Canadian pride, or not, the Raptors were in it from the beginning. Within the first minute, Jonas Valanciunas landed the first basket, asserting himself despite only being 21 years old. From there, it was basically Toronto’s game. With Utah putting up a minimal fight, the Raptors held a near 30-point lead for a good half of the game and landed a 115-91 win.

However, the buzz of excitement I remembered was missing. It seemed like the days of a collective call for defence were gone; the cheers after a slam-dunk or three pointers were muted. I don’t think it’s a matter of me being older and more reserved—the win appeared to have more to do with Utah’s ineptitude than the Raptors’ prowess. This less-than-desirable performance makes it a challenge at times for Canadians to be enthusiastic about their team.

I took away a few things coming out of the Air Canada Centre. The first is how to pronounce Valanciunas’ name. The second was the realization that this new incarnation of the Raptors is mediocre, and that’s all I can ask for. I’m not going to get excited about them yet—nor would I expect others to. But being Canada’s only team, they’re all we’ve got. Even if it’s only because of my patriotism, the Raptors will forever have a special place on my Twitter feed and in my heart.

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Slow out the gate, McGill seeks eighth straight

by Mayaz Alam on

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Eight straight—that’s been the only thing that’s left to accomplish for the Redmen rugby team this year.

From the first whistle of the season, an eighth straight RSEQ Championship was the goal. Now, the Redmen (7-1) are one win away from hoisting another RSEQ Championship in their 13th consecutive appearance in the title match following a 24-6 domination of the Montreal Carabins (2-7) in the RSEQ semifinals this weekend.

This season provided a different experience for a program that is used to blowout victories, as every yard, every try, and every win had to be earned. The team’s first three games were all victories, but the total margin of victory was only 13 points, compared to last year’s total of 42 after the same number of games.

The squad didn’t waste any time on Friday, looking determined from the outset. It was clear that the visiting Carabins were outmatched  in both physicality and talent. McGill overcame the troubles it had faced earlier in the season handling the ball and making plays, blanking the visiting Carabins 17-0 in the first half.

Junior scrum-half Humza Turab explained that the strong start is a result of disciplined execution.

(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)
(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

“We followed our game plan really well,” Turab said. “Everyone knew what their job was and did it to the best of their ability.”

Centre Hugo Peurois put the first points on the scoreboard early at the 23-minute mark, while junior forward Noam Berson rounded out the scoring in the first half with a try of his own in the 36th minute. Berson was also named MVP of the game for his efforts off of set pieces and in open play.

Cameron Perrin, McGill’s senior fullback, was stellar once again as he led the squad in scoring with nine points. Perrin was perfect on his conversion attempts, and added a penalty goal in the first half.

The team now moves on to the finals to play cross-town rival Concordia. McGill and Concordia’s rugby programs have a very rich and recent rivalry. Two years ago, the Redmen won 28-7 over Concordia to notch its sixth consecutive championship. In last year’s RSEQ final, the Redmen eked by the Stingers with a score of 24-18 to claim the title. The lone blemish on McGill’s record this season comes from Concordia, who broke the team’s 12-game winning streak in a 19-13 victory at Concordia Stadium. Needless to say, the squad will have ample motivation for the chance to beat the Stingers once again; but in order to do so, the team needs to make a few adjustments.

“We will need to make sure everyone is on the right page, and we need to cut down on the penalties—especially [on] our own half [of the field],” Turab said. “If we can do that, we have a really good chance of going for the eighth straight banner.”

The RSEQ Championship will be held at Molson Stadium on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

a, News

Protestors interrupt class of professor accused of death threat

by Jessica Fu on

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Last Wednesday, a group of approximately 10 student protestors caused the cancellation of a class taught by a McGill professor accused of issuing a death threat against a former graduate student.

The protestors are demanding that the professor’s class be cancelled.

The protest comes after professor Gary Dunphy’s decision to appeal a ruling by McGill’s Committee for Student Grievances (CSG) that his behaviour constituted harassment.

The incident in question comes from an exchange between former McGill graduate student Amr El-Orabi and his then-supervisor, Dunphy, which El-Orabi recorded and sent to Global News.

In the recording, El-Orabi tells Dunphy he is leaving his studies prematurely. When El-Orabi asks, “Is there anything else that you want from me?” Dunphy responds, “Yes, your death.”

After returning to his home in Egypt, El-Orabi filed a grievance against Dunphy through McGill’s CSG. In September, the committee ruled in El-Orabi’s favour, though the university will not disclose the contents of the ruling.

Participants in last Wednesday’s demonstration said they were unsatisfied with McGill’s response to the case. Ten students entered Dunphy’s Insect Biology and Control class with signs calling for Dunphy’s resignation.

“[Dunphy’s] behaviour […] was qualified as constituting harassment and threat of physical violence by university instances,” announced a demonstrator who wished to remain anonymous. “These types of behaviours are one instance of a broader university system imbued with racism and rape culture. It is unacceptable that the university administration does not take this matter seriously and take the appropriate steps to protect its students.”

Due to the demonstration, Dunphy’s class ended one hour earlier than scheduled. The demonstrators chanted and followed the professor as he left the room.

Natascia Borsellino, U3 Science, said she was frustrated that her class was cut short because of the demonstration.

“I think it’s just absolutely disrespectful to do that during class,” Borsellino said. “It’s not okay; we have exams. I get it—they can protest outside his office, they can protest in the streets—but in the classroom, it’s a bit much. I have a midterm today, and I came to this class, and I just wasted my time.”

Dean of Students André Costopoulos said there were other ways by which the demonstrators could have conveyed their message.

“We’re always listening and always wanting to improve our policies and procedures, which are far from perfect,” Costopoulos said. “There’s a question of respect for the rights of others here. We have to respect the rights of others to complete their academic training and to perform their academic duties in a safe, respectful environment.”

Before leaving, the demonstrators announced that they would continue to protest Dunphy’s position at McGill.

“Until professor Dunphy resigns, or until the university cancels his classes, we are going to be taking it into our hands to prevent him from teaching,” one demonstrator said.

Another protestor, who also wished to remain anonymous, said the group chose this method of protest because it expressed their belief that Dunphy should not be teaching at McGill.

“Other types of protests may not have put that belief into action in as effective of a way,” the protestor said. “Protesting outside his office would not have stopped him from teaching. Our intention was to stop him from teaching, and thereby, to achieve the goal that we see the administration [is] totally unable to achieve.”

Costopoulos said the university has no plans to cancel Dunphy’s class, and that McGill is exploring options to minimize the possibility of future disruptions

“We have to respect the rights of the students to complete their semester and to complete their courses,” Costopoulos said. “The course is continuing, and it will be in a safe, appropriate environment.”

Costopoulos added that the demonstrators are being investigated in accordance with McGill’s Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, due to several complaints his office has received about the incident.

“When we receive complaints from members of the community, this could result in an allegation of a breach of the Code,” Costopoulos said. “If disciplinary officers find that there’s potentially a breach of the Code, they will bring formal allegations against students, and that may result in disciplinary action.”

a, News

SSMU Special GA addresses $21,000 Frosh deficit, seeks input for Student-Run Café

by Jessica Fu and Aislinn Kalob on

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A $21,000 deficit from frosh and the opening of the student-run café were at the forefront of discussion at last Wednesday’s special General Assembly (GA) for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

Reasons for the special GA

The special GA took place following the Oct. 9 GA, which failed to meet quorum— an attendance requirement of 100 students who must be present for the GA to pass motions as binding resolutions.

With only approximately 50 students in attendance, October’s forum could not pass motions such as ratifying appointments to SSMU’s BoD, the society’s highest governing body.

The special GA maintained quorum throughout the evening. SSMU President Katie Larson said councillors had made a greater effort to advertise the special GA on campus.

“We were a little bit more active in trying to communicate the urgency,” Larson said. “I did make a bunch of materials for councillors to distribute at meetings and reminded them that it’s their obligation per our constitution and by-laws to promote the event.”

Attendees of the GA voted in favour of appointing fifteen councillors to the BoD. An active BoD is required for some decisions regarding SSMU’s financial matters. For example, SSMU needs a BoD to purchase stocks to add to its investment portfolio, and to hold a liquor license for Gerts.

“In order to hold [a liquor permit], you have to have a company that’s in legal standing,” Larson said. “If we don’t have a BoD, we can’t declare our corporation to the government [….] If our corporation status is in jeopardy, eventually it would go down the chain and we could get our liquor license revoked.”

Following the special GA’s success in reaching quorum, Larson said Council would make additional efforts to advertise and promote awareness for the Winter GA.

“We’re going to probably hold an open forum or some kind of session at the beginning of the Winter semester […] to say, what is the GA and what are [students] expecting from it,” Larson said.

$21,000 Frosh deficit

Students at the GA also called on executives to explain the $21,000 deficit Frosh incurred this year, which was announced last Thursday at SSMU’s Legislative Council.

“Who is responsible for the $21,000 loss in Frosh, and why hasn’t there been a clear explanation on this?” Luis Pombo, U2 Engineering, asked.

According to SSMU Vice-President Internal Brian Farnan, there were a number of factors involved with the loss.

“A couple things were miscalculated months in advance of the actual event of frosh,” Farnan said. “All money that was funneled through frosh, a percent of that goes to PayPal, [but] this was not actually accounted through the budgeting process [.…] Certain mistakes were made when calculating the taxes [.…] In addition, there was a brand new system implemented that actually split up sponsorship revenues with faculties this year.”

Pombo said the deficit indicated “incompetence” in frosh planning.

“If you’re going to use an online payment system, you should know that they charge a fee to use their services,” Pombo said. “Same with the issue with the sponsorship money—whoever was in charge of it should have known.”

According to Farnan, SSMU’s in-house accounting services will review proposed Frosh budgets in future years to avoid these problems in the future.

“Most of these mistakes were budgeting so, as you can see, there’s a very, very simple explanation,” he said. “Our plan is to actually involve the accounting department next year, since it is such a sizable budget—$200,000. This can’t just be handled by students anymore.”

Student-Run Café seeks student engagement

Josh Redel, manager of the upcoming Student-Run Café (SRC), gave a presentation that encouraged students to become involved with the project as it moves towards its January 2014 launch.

According to Redel, SSMU will host sessions in the upcoming weeks to hear student feedback on the existing plans. Discussion topics will include how the physical space should be used, what the true meaning of “student-run” is, and what the ultimate mission and vision of the café should be.

Redel said the café will make an effort to keep students engaged throughout the year.

“You’ll be able to text in feedback after your meal,” he said.  “Additionally, we’ll be holding events on the regular—once, if not twice a month—having big community conversations about SRC.”

Redel said the menu will include low-cost vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Although it will accept debit, credit, and cash, the café will not be able to accept Martlet meal plans this upcoming semester, although Redel said it could be possible in the future.

“Unfortunately, McGill is going through a pretty big change right now with how they accept meal plan cards on campus, so they will not be able to provide us with a system for that,” Redel said. “But they’re very much on board for future endeavours with the meal plan.”

Discussion sessions will take place in the Madeleine Parent room on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 4:00 p.m.,and Friday Nov. 29 at 12:00.

a, News, SSMU

Revised SSMU budget defers projected 2014 deficit

by Sam Pinto on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Council has approved a revised 2013-2014 budget that broke even after initial projections forecasted a $90,000 deficit from last fiscal year.

According to the budget presented at Council last Thursday, SSMU currently projects a surplus of $50,000 for fiscal year 2014. The $50,000 surplus will be transfered into the Capital Expenses Reserve Fund (CERF).

The approved budget does not account for capital expenditures—long-term expenses such as software and equipment. According to Vice-President Finance and Operations Tyler Hofmeister, SSMU will be spending more than the $50,000 on capital expenditures this year, which means there is a potential risk of deficit in future years.

SSMU President Katie Larson told the Tribune that SSMU will have to take  measures to address the potential future deficit.

“The rent [of the SSMU Building] is increasing while tenant revenue is decreasing, allowing for more student space, but at a cost,” she said. “This indicates that the SSMU base fee will be raised to reflect the situation, because at its current state it is dire and unsustainable.”

Hofmeister said another option is to change the SSMU investment portfolio into an endowment fund.

“This means that a certain amount [….] will be taken from the investment portfolio each year to help pay for capital expenditures,” he said.

Last year’s projected deficit is largely a result of ongoing negotiations with the McGill administration regarding the SSMU Building lease, which has been under negotiation since Fall 2011.

Other increased building costs include rent for the building and lost revenue from tenants who have terminated their leases, such as Lola Rosa and Voyage Campus. The building budget, which comprises all expenses and revenues generated by the SSMU Building, has a deficit of $437,360.

To account for the incoming projected deficit from last year, the various categories of SSMU’s overall budget, including the personal executive committee budget, the building budget, and the club fund has been drastically reduced from the initial version of the budget. These include expenses involving general administration, information technology (IT), office supplies, travelling and conference fees, and telephone bills.

“As we knew we were beginning with a deficit, preliminary cuts were made during the revision process where departmental officers were asked to analyze their budgets, reduce excess spending, and improve the overall accuracy of their budgets,” the budget report reads.

The general administration budget, overseen by SSMU General Manager Pauline Gervais, represents the largest portion of the budget. It includes all salaries for SSMU staff, bank fees, and legal fees. Salaries, which represent the largest expense of SSMU, underwent large cuts.

“Student salaries have been reduced by 10 per cent to reflect the fact that only 90 per cent of budgeted hours for student staff are worked,” Hofmeister said.

In addition, each executive’s budget has been reduced by $1,000 from last year.

The IT budget includes expenses related to the SSMU website, computer software, repairs and maintenance, contract services, hardware purchases, and the Old McGill yearbook.

“It is worth noting that in the initial budget, the IT department was budgeted at over $70,000 and has since been cut to […] about $17,300.” Hofmeister said.

In addition, this year’s frosh ran a $21,000 deficit, mainly due to SSMU’s failure to account for taxes in their sponsors’ quotes.

“The most significant changes between the [frosh] budget that was used and the actuals come from an over-estimation of sponsorship,” Hofmeister said. “[Sponsors] didn’t include the taxes we were charged on sponsorship commission, which over-inflated this figure by about $10,000.”

 

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