Hamilton Public Library’s virtual programming is supporting the community and helping them stay connected
Community is a crucial component of well-being. It is also something that many are missing as traditional gatherings such as city-wide events have been cancelled due to the pandemic. Libraries have long since been gathering places for communities but due to the pandemic, many closed for months. While nothing will likely be able to replace this missing connection, libraries have found ways to adapt and forge new kinds of connections.
The Hamilton Public Library has created new avenues for connection while still maintaining the high quality and range associated with their traditional programming. In mid-March, shortly after the first pandemic closures, HPL transitioned its programs to a virtual environment, initially using Microsoft Teams. Since then, they have expanded to YouTube and Hamilton TV channel Cable 14. They have also added a number of new programs in light of the pandemic, such as a learning database, job search events and social events like Poems from Home.
So far, HPL’s virtual programs have been very successful, with many of their livestreamed events continuing to get views weeks after they’re released. Their online platforms, such as Cisco Academy and Mango, have seen dramatic increases in use since the pandemic closures.
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HPL serves not just those who live in Hamilton but those who work and learn in the city as well. They want to ensure that all members of the community, whether or not they are able to come to Hamilton now, still feel connected and supported. Community is very much top of mind for Lisa Radha Weaver, the director of collections and program development at HPL, as well as the rest of the HPL’s program team.
“I really hope that all HPL library members are able to walk away with the thing that they were looking for. So, if they were looking for social interaction with a sit and stretch, or a book club conversation, I hope that they got that engagement, especially if they've been isolated since March. I hope the people who are logging on to our Cisco Academy and are hoping to apply for that dream job are able to have the confidence . . . [to] have a successful interview and for any member who is looking for something and isn't able to necessarily find it on our website. I hope that they're going to call [in] to Ask HPL or email us and let us know that they're looking for this kind of programming,” said Weaver.
“I really hope that all HPL library members are able to walk away with the thing that they were looking for. So, if they were looking for social interaction with a sit and stretch, or a book club conversation, I hope that they got that engagement, especially if they've been isolated since March..." said Weaver.
All their programs can be accessed with an HPL library card. If community members do not have a card as of yet, they are able to register for one through the HPL website. Weaver especially encourages students to get a library card if they do not already have one, as this is a way by which they can connect with the Hamilton community during a time when they may feel particularly isolated. Even if they are not living in Hamilton currently but still attending university virtually, students are eligible for an HPL card.
Many of their programs featuring local musicians and authors can offer students a glimpse into the culture and history of the city they’re studying in. Other programs, such as book clubs, knitting circles and music circles can help students connect with the larger Hamilton community. Additionally, the library’s many online learning platforms can offer students support through various tutoring, language learning, computer coding and other skill programs.
“We really do appreciate being part of the McMaster community and are happy to support, just as McMaster libraries are, all . . . student learners and instructors at McMaster . . . [W]e look forward to engaging with all the students, especially the new students at Mac this year who we haven't been able to meet in person yet . . . We look forward to meeting them online and supporting them throughout this academic year,” said Weaver.
“We really do appreciate being part of the McMaster community and are happy to support, just as McMaster libraries are, all . . . student learners and instructors at McMaster . . ." said Weaver.
HPL has faced some challenges, the chief one being accessibility. Many people rely on libraries for computer and internet access. Currently, some branches are open for restricted hours and computers can be accessed then. However, many of the virtual programs they offer take place after hours and if community members do not have a device and stable internet access at home, they cannot access these events.
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One of the challenges that HPL has been able to surmount is the number of community members who were not online or comfortable navigating the virtual environment before this pandemic. Through the Ask HPL service on their website, they have been able to help many of these people transition online.
“So there are book clubs that have been meeting for decades in person, and transitioning them online for some people has been a challenge, whether it's a device challenge or a software challenge but again, with our amazing Ask HPL service . . . we've been able to help members transition to those services online. We look at every challenge as an opportunity and we're fortunate that we've had the staff capacity and community interest in addressing those challenges and helping people stay engaged with the library,” explained Weaver.
Libraries have always been places for people to gather and feel connected, held and supported. So it is fitting that HPL are among those fostering a digital sense of community during these trying times.
Take Up Space is an eco-conscious clothing business that provides space for women of colour to voice their concerns
While the negative consequences of climate change affect everyone, the brunt of these consequences is borne by poor and racialized peoples. For Hamilton business owner, Rose Senat, the fight for environmental justice is entwined with the fight against racism. These concurrent fights inspired her to launch the sustainable and ethical online clothing store Take Up Space last year.
Take Up Space sells simple dresses, bottoms, t-shirts and sweaters with quotes such as “Plan, Pray, Persevere” and “Black Women Save Lives.” The garments are made to order in Hamilton and created with 100 per cent certified organic cotton. The business also functions as a platform for women of colour to connect and participate in conversations they are often left out of.
Senat was inspired to launch the brand after getting more involved in sustainable spaces. She became increasingly frustrated with environmental racism which describes unjust environmental policies against racialized folks and communities. In university, she began following a minimalist lifestyle and became curious about sustainable fashion. She didn’t like how difficult it was to trace back the source of her clothing and discovered the beauty of making her own clothes. It was important to her that she knew exactly where her clothes were coming from and who was behind the production.
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More importantly, through her interest in sustainable practices, she realized there aren’t enough spaces for people of colour in environmentalism, the justice movement concerning the protection of the environment, despite the fact that they bear a disproportionate share of environmental harm.
A 2017 health report by Statistics Canada found that visible minorities are more likely to be exposed to particulate matter than the white population. Particulate matter can enter the lungs and bloodstream and result in adverse lung and heart conditions. In the 1950s, a toxic waste dump site built in a predominantly Black community in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, led to contaminated water and numerous cases of cancer across generations. Across Canada, Indigenous communities deal with smog-filled air and contaminated water and pipelines being built in their lands.
In mainstream environmental organizations, women of colour are underrepresented and ignored even though they have historically been at the forefront of environmental movements.
“[L]ack of environmental practices affect women of color the most . . . [E]nvironmental racism is such a huge thing and within the space of eco-friendly, especially with clothing and stuff, people are not talking about how environmental racism is a thing . . . And although this is who is being affected, you're not seeing Black women or other women of colour being the ones given the platform to talk about this. When you think about sustainability and eco-friendliness or eco-consciousness, you see white women . . . where it's like when push comes to shove, you guys are not going to be the ones mostly affected by this,” said Senat.
"[L]ack of environmental practices affect women of color the most . . . [E]nvironmental racism is such a huge thing and within the space of eco-friendly, especially with clothing and stuff, people are not talking about how environmental racism is a thing."
Creating Take Up Space is a step toward addressing these issues by providing an outlet where women of colour caC/O Take Up Spacen voice their opinions on environmental inequalities and advocate for their own experiences. Senat was able to turn her vision into a reality with support, help and encouragement from her friends, family and community.
The best-selling item at Take Up Space is the “Black Women Saves Lives” series of t-shirts and sweaters. It is Senat’s message to the world about why Black women’s voices need to be heard.
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“We often give so much of ourselves to our communities, so much ourselves to other people. People always expect us to be there at the forefront of things. When you look throughout history, women have always been the ones — especially within the Black community — [that] have put themselves at the forefront . . . But we're not often given the credit or even given the space or . . . accolades other people get,” explained Senat.
Senat recognizes the difference that Black women’s leadership makes. She notes that the work of the civil rights movements was largely done by Black women and that Black women played a significant role in the suffrage movement. In fact, Black Lives Matter was founded by three Black women, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. Additionally, one of the earliest examples of environmental justice activism in North America was the Salisbury Coloured Women’s Civics League who advocated for improved outdoor toilets and for the health of the Black community.
“We are at the forefront fighting and when Black women fight, everybody wins,” Senat said.
“We are at the forefront fighting and when Black women fight, everybody wins,” Senat said.
Senat is currently preparing a blog and interview series for early next year. The interviews will feature women of colour and showcase how they are taking up space in their particular careers.
Take Up Space is more than just a clothing store. It is a platform for women of colour to share their stories and celebrate who they are.
Clubs will be required to have a minimum $5 fee and 25 general members to be ratified for the 2021-2022 academic year
The McMaster Students Union recently made changes to the MSU Clubs policy which has sparked outspoken anger and frustration. Approved on March 26, 2020, the MSU Clubs policy was modified to include several notable revisions. Among those revisions were a mandatory minimum $5.00 membership fee for every general member, a minimum of 25 general members and the creation of the Clubs Advisory Council.
Current MSU Clubs Administrator Jenna Courage sent an email on Sept. 25 to club presidents in light of a Mac Confessions Facebook post released on Sept. 23 and other uproar from students. In the email Courage wrote, “[Y]ou [club presidents] are all aware that Clubs Department policies underwent major updates and revisions last year, prior to the COVID-19 shutdown and the start of online classes.”
Contrary to what Courage wrote, these policy amendments were passed by the MSU Executive Board after the COVID-19 shutdown and start of online classes. McMaster cancelled all classes and moved to an online learning format on March 13. These policy amendments, including the mandatory minimum $5 fee and the 25 general members, were passed at the Executive Board meeting on March 26.
In a memo to the Student Representative Assembly dated March 8, then-MSU President Josh Marando outlined a staffing change to the Clubs Operating Policy that was to be voted on at the next SRA meeting. Marando wrote, “[The updated operating policy] does not highlight the changes to any aspect of the policy other than the staff as those changes will be coming to the next SRA meeting.” The motion to create three new clubs staff passed unanimously on March 8.
The clubs amendments were not on the agenda for the March 22, April 18 and 19 or April 26 meetings. The March 22 meeting was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. The new amendments were also not in the meeting minutes for April 18 and 19 as well as the April 26 date. The April 26 meeting was the last for the 2019-2020 SRA.
In addition, the current 2020-2021 SRA did not ratify the policy amendments. “These policy changes were months in the making, ultimately vetted and approved by the Student Representative Assembly,” Courage wrote in an email sent to club presidents on Sept. 25. However, the assembly as a whole did not approve the amendments. The 2019-2020 Executive Board passed these amendments on behalf of the SRA.
The motion to approve the amendments passed with eight in favour and one abstention. The Executive Board was composed of the 2019-2020 Board of Directors and five SRA members.
Then-MSU President Josh Marando released a statement on the MSU website on April 16, which highlighted some of the clubs amendments. “Additionally, clubs will now charge a single, standardized membership fee," wrote Marando. The policy of 25 minimum members is not included in this statement.
On April 17, then-MSU Clubs Administrator Aditi Sharma sent an email to 2019-2020 Clubs Presidents. This email included a document entitled Clubs Policy Changes FAQ. The email also linked Marando’s press release on the MSU website.
The FAQ document does not include the minimum $5 fee but does include the minimum 25 members. The MSU press release does mention a new mandatory fee but does not specify the minimum value of that fee. Both the FAQ document and Sharma’s email stipulate that there would be no changes to the ratification process for the 2020-2021 school year.
In August, Courage sent the same FAQ document to club presidents. The document stated, “there are no changes for the 2020-2021 academic year. However, in December of 2020, as part of the 2021-2022 application cycle, all clubs (new and renewal) will require a minimum of 25 members to receive recognition. These 25 members exclude the president and executive members. All members must have valid McMaster email addresses and student numbers.”
Courage’s email did not link to Marando’s press release.
According to Christina Brinza and Febby Pandya, co-presidents of the International Women in Science Day Conference, current club presidents weren’t made aware of the $5 fee until clubs training began at the end of September.
Brinza and Pandya wanted the conference to be free this year and to increase accessibility, and they believe that the $5 fee to be part of the club contradicts those goals.
“Forcing our members to pay $5 just to continue to receive information about this event that's still going to be free. It doesn't seem fair to them or to us . . . It really contradicts our intention or our objective of accessibility,” said Brinza.
"It doesn't seem fair to them or to us . . . It really contradicts our intention or our objective of accessibility,” said Brinza.
Pandya explained the concerns of the $5 specifically on their club, which would culminate in the conference in the winter term. She said, “Since we are hosting such a large event later in the semester we kind of have to allocate our sources to be able to support that kind of large event and we can't really have too many miniature events to, you know, pique interest in to keep students wanting to come back.”
Both Pandya and Brinza are worried about the classist undertones of the $5 fee, including for students who may want to try new clubs or who want to join multiple. In the March 26 Executive Board meeting, SRA member Eric Sinnige asked about the membership fee and cited concerns of a financial barrier to students. Then-VP Finance Alexandrea Johnston responded that if a student couldn’t afford the fee, they could work with the Clubs Accounting Clerk.
Both Pandya and Brinza are worried about the classist undertones of the $5 fee, including for students who may want to try new clubs or who want to join multiple.
However, that information was not included in this year’s MSU Clubs training module.
Julia Wickens, current VP administration and former president of jack.org McMaster, also expressed frustration and surprise at the policy changes.
“One of our biggest things as a mental health club is that we want people to feel that they can commit as much as they want to. So we have some people that attend a couple of our events and we have some people that are really, really involved. So I feel like putting a dollar value on that kind of hurts that idea a little bit and then from a student perspective, I think that $5 means a different thing to different people,” said Wickens.
A reason for the $5 minimum fee was that clubs would have more money in their budgets. In response, Wickens believed that there is a better way to reduce the amount of funding that clubs are requesting.
“Make it easier for clubs to have cheaper options for things like food . . . but also for room-booking and stuff like that. In the past, we felt pretty limited about what our options are,” said Wickens.
“Make it easier for clubs to have cheaper options for things like food . . . but also for room-booking and stuff like that. In the past, we felt pretty limited about what our options are,” said Wickens.
On Sept. 27, the SRA formalized the policy exemption to all clubs for the 2020-2021 school year. According to SRA Arts and Science representative Adeola Egbeyemi, clubs will not have to charge the $5 fee or have a minimum of 25 general members for this school year. However, the policy will be in place for the 2021-2022 school year unless further action is taken by the SRA.
The MSU website has every MSU policy and by-law, including the MSU Clubs operating policies. However, as of Sept. 29, the Clubs Operating Policy is not up-to-date. Section 8.1.3 still states that “[a]n MSU Club shall . . . determine its own program membership and membership fee, consistent with the policies of the MSU.” The updated Clubs policies can only be found through the Executive Board documents.
Section 8.1.3 still states that "[a]n MSU Club shall . . . determine its own program membership and membership fee, consistent with the policies of the MSU."
After the cancellation of fall sports, Western Mustangs’ football player, Garrett Holmes, created the CSAA to protect student-athletes.
In early July 2020, U Sports made a controversial decision where they maintained their current eligibility policy of disallowing football athletes older than 25 (born on Sept. 1, 1996 or after) from competing in the 2021-2022 season.
After pressure from athletes and the public, the national association made an exception to their policy, where the 2020-2021 season would not be counted as part of their eligibility, thus allowing athletes to participate after competing five academic years and allowing football athletes older than 25 to compete in games.
Official statement from U SPORTS: pic.twitter.com/k95YqNDxkS
— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) July 27, 2020
A key voice that resulted in this reversal is the newly-formed Canadian Student-Athlete Association, founded by Garrett Holmes, a fourth-year social sciences student at Western University and back-up quarterback for the Western Mustangs.
“COVID-19 really changed college and university sports forever in Canada unfortunately . . . it’s not about the decisions made in the past, but it’s the future decisions that are going to be made, and when those are made, I think student-athletes should have some input. It’s their future and it’s their careers at stake. I don’t think it's right if they don’t [have] input to what’s happening,” said Holmes.
“COVID-19 really changed college and university sports forever in Canada unfortunately . . . it’s not about the decisions made in the past, but it’s the future decisions that are going to be made, and when those are made, I think student-athletes should have some input. It’s their future and it’s their careers at stake. I don’t think it's right if they don’t [have] input to what’s happening,” said Holmes.
On July 20, the CSAA provided a statement to U Sports asking them to revisit their decision regarding eligibility for the 2021-2022 season and onwards. On July 27, U Sports made the reversal, with the CSAA expressing their gratitude to CEO of U Sports Dick White and U Sports as a whole for their willingness to listen and their consequential decision.
“I think Canada will be in limbo for a while. A bubble is a great idea, but I don’t know how they will fund it. It needs a lot of planning. Even for fall sports, the timing is slipping away . . . the season would have started a few weeks ago for football. I think for spring sports, that’s an option, but they have to start planning now for a bubble. But unfortunately, I don’t think U sports is thinking about that; they’re just pretty set on staying safe. But it’s hard to know what they’re thinking without getting input from student-athletes. It’s just tough,” said Holmes.
“I think Canada will be in limbo for a while. A bubble is a great idea, but I don’t know how they will fund it. It needs a lot of planning. Even for fall sports, the timing is slipping away . . . the season would have started a few weeks ago for football. I think for spring sports, that’s an option, but they have to start planning now for a bubble. But unfortunately, I don’t think U sports is thinking about that; they’re just pretty set on staying safe. But it’s hard to know what they’re thinking without getting input from student-athletes. It’s just tough,” said Holmes.
Outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CSAA has various goals that comprise its mandate to provide student-athletes with a voice.
“Right now, we are reaching out to key people, like Dick White and key organizations and getting their input and providing my input . . . Obviously COVID-19 is the most important topic right now in U Sports and Canadian university athletics, but aside from that, there are so many big issues that aren’t talked about right now, such as sexual harassment and racism. These issues are pushed away because student-athletes don’t know where to go to talk, but now the CSAA is somewhere to go to bring up such issues,” said Holmes.
“Right now, we are reaching out to key people, like Dick White and key organizations and getting their input and providing my input . . . Obviously COVID-19 is the most important topic right now in U Sports and Canadian university athletics, but aside from that, there are so many big issues that aren’t talked about right now, such as sexual harassment and racism. These issues are pushed away because student-athletes don’t know where to go to talk, but now the CSAA is somewhere to go to bring up such issues,” said Holmes.
Holmes also explained that bringing agent representation to student-athletes is an area that the CSAA would like to focus on, providing them with the best student-athlete experience.
“Change is needed. With COVID-19, we are in very strange times. Student-athletes deserve to see the table. It’s their future being altered and to have no input from them is very wrong,” said Holmes.
Despite the governance of the CSAA still being under development, current student-athletes and alumni are encouraged to view the association’s website and reach out to Holmes to discuss the future of the CSAA.
Students respond to the COVID-19 outbreak at Western University and emphasize the importance of social distancing guidelines
About an hour drive west of Hamilton, in London, Ontario, a second wave of COVID-19 has hit the city, including 46 cases as of Sept. 22 linked to Western University students.
The rapid increase of positive cases among university students prompted the Western's president and vice-chancellor, Alan Shepard, to urge the students to follow proper social distancing rules.
Shepard wrote in a statement that student health leaders at Western have informed him of how the virus can have significant medical consequences, even for young and healthy adults.
“Permanent lung injury, neurological damage such as long-term cognitive impairment or stroke and cardiac disease such as heart failure. These can happen to young people as a result of COVID-19 . . . Now is not the time to take risks with your health and the health of others around you who may be more vulnerable to this illness than you,” Shepard wrote.
London Mayor Ed Holder has also expressed his frustration with those who are breaking guidelines. In a media briefing, Holder said, “If this continues, you’re going to kill someone.”
"If this continues, you’re going to kill someone," said Holder.
On Sept. 18, London health officials asked the province to impose further restrictions and limit private gatherings to ten people indoors and 25 people outdoors. These limits were put in place for Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa earlier that week.
During a weekend press conference, Premier Doug Ford announced that these restrictions are now expanded to the entire province.
“The alarm bells are ringing. And too much of it has been tied to people who aren’t following the rules. People who think it’s okay to hold parties, to carry on as if things are back to normal. They aren’t,” Ford said.
A CBC News article reported that the students who were responsible for the outbreak engaged in high-risk behaviour by gathering at bars, basketball games and even shared e-cigarettes amongst each other.
The Western Gazette, the university’s student newspaper, said that the increase in positive cases was mainly due to extracurricular activities and despite the increased number of cases, the Middlesex-London Health Unit does not recommend shutting down in-person classes because the spread has not been linked to academic activities.
Here at McMaster University, classes for both the fall and winter semester continue to remain online.
However, many students are still living around the McMaster campus in student housing. The Silhouette asked students in off-campus housing to share their thoughts regarding student parties and social distancing.
Lee Higgins, a fourth-year engineering student is in a student house near McMaster with five other students. Higgins has not gone to any parties but he has expressed that it is obvious there are folks breaking social gathering rules.
“I haven’t felt unsafe here in any circumstances; however, I can tell that even though I’m not seeing them, there are parties going on. There [are] definitely groups of people walking around together late at night and it’s pretty obvious where they’re going . . . I wish we could party safely but at the moment I’m content just playing Dungeons and Dragons with my housemates,” Higgins wrote.
"I wish we could party safely but at the moment I’m content just playing Dungeons and Dragons with my housemates."
Adam Gallant, a student who has lived in Westdale for three years, also stated that it is obvious when other students are heading to each other’s houses in large groups and adds that students of McMaster should try to not follow in other universities' footsteps.
“[W]e aren’t Western or Queen's [Universtiy] and I don’t think anyone wants to emulate their behaviour. So throw your “COVID’s over” parties when it actually is. We know the virus spreads quickly, that’s how we got to where we are today, so while there aren’t many people who currently have it, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get it easily,” Gallant added.
On social media, other McMaster students have also encouraged each other to avoid an outbreak similar to that of Western’s.
https://www.facebook.com/spottedat.mac/posts/2065201040282556
As of Sept. 30, there have been three positive cases of COVID-19 on campus, with the most recent case involving a student on campus on Sept. 24.
Provincial-wide minimum wage increases to $14.25 on Oct. 1, 2020
As of Oct. 1, 2020 the new general minimum wage in Ontario will increase for the first time since the increase to $14.00 per hour from $11.60 per hour on Jan. 1, 2018. That minimum wage increase was put in place by Kathleen Wynne's government in 2017 and the minimum wage was set to increase to $15.00 per hour on Jan. 1, 2019.
The increase to $15.00 per hour was cancelled in September 2018 by the then-newly elected Doug Ford government. The Fight For $15 and Fairness organization, as well as other community and labour groups, opposed the cancellation due to concerns for low-income workers and the high costs of living. The Ford government cited the impact of the $2.40 per hour – nearly 20 per cent – increase on businesses as the reason for the cancellation of the next increase.
The Ontario Living Wage Network is an organization to promote and highlight living wage campaigns across Ontario. The Network has defined a living wage as “the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and participate in their community.”
“The hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and participate in their community.”
The website has a Living Wage Employer Directory of certified businesses and organizations that pay their employees the regional living wage or more.
The 2019 living wage in Hamilton, Ontario was $16.45 per hour, an increase from the 2018 living wage of $15.85 per hour. The wage is calculated based on the monthly costs of a family of two adults and two children, both adults work 37.5 hours per week and have no savings or debt repayments.
In March 2020, Ward 3 Hamilton councillor Nrinder Nann presented a motion to increase the minimum wage for all summer students and non-union part-time city employees. The proposed minimum wage was the 2019 Hamilton living wage of $16.45 per hour. The vote was defeated by 10-4. If passed, it would have increased the hourly wages of nearly 1,000 people.
“But if this is socialism as its worst then let's pay for everybody’s bills,” said Councillor Terry Whitehead of Ward 14 who opposed the motion.
https://www.facebook.com/hamiltonlabour/posts/10157209816848865
In an email statement, McMaster Students Union vice president (Finance) Jess Anderson sent the new MSU wage grid effective Oct. 1, 2020. The MSU wage for all part-time employees was above minimum wage, the lowest current hourly rate at $14.10 and will increase each hourly rate by $0.25.
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Part-time MSU employees, all full-time students, work variable hours. The Union Market customer service representative job description specified 8-15 hours per week. However, it is unclear if and how hours per week have changed at MSU business units, such as Union Market and TwelvEighty Bar & Grill, have changed due to reduced operating hours.
The McMaster Student Work Program, also known as Work/Study, is available for students with financial need to work a maximum of 10 hours per week during the school year.
The placements offered through Work/Study require minimum wage but, according to the Registrar, many employers pay above the minimum wage. Of the 27 positions still available as of Sept. 28, 2020, the majority offer above the $14.00 per hour and $14.25 per hour minimum wage.
The team now gets its chance to compete for the provincial championship over a full season
Up until the 2016 season, the McMaster University women’s field hockey team competed in exhibition games and tournaments strictly as a club. In 2016, the team entered the Ontario University Athletics tournament still as a club, but not the league; they were allowed to play exhibition games, but could not be involved in the league standings with the other seven teams.
“It’s extremely hard to grow a program when you’re not getting enough of that game experience. All these other teams are playing their whole season but then we show up with maybe a couple of exhibition games of playtime. The rest is just practicing,” said Briana Wice, a fourth-year kinesiology student and current co-president of the team.
“It’s extremely hard to grow a program when you’re not getting enough of that game experience. All these other teams are playing their whole season but then we show up with maybe a couple of exhibition games of playtime. The rest is just practicing,” said Briana Wice, a fourth-year kinesiology student and current co-president of the team.
Now, the team is officially an OUA team, meaning they can participate in the entire league and its entirety of games. There is still limbo on when the season will resume. Regardless, training will commence with fitness programming during virtual Zoom sessions. As tryouts cannot be done right now, members will be recruited as part of the training program and then will have to try out once they are given the green light by the OUA and McMaster. Thus, members will have great conditioning prior to their first interaction on the field.
With regards to how the team functions, the team is a full-year team, playing in both the outdoor (September to October) and indoor (January to March) seasons. The team operates in a similar function to an MSU club, with two co-presidents who manage the administrative and financial responsibilities; they report to their club coordinator in part of the McMaster Athletics department.
Whereas U Sports has coaches who are hired on full-time contracts with a predetermined salary, OUA coaches are recruited as volunteers, sometimes being rewarded with compensation, as Wice explained to us.
“I think another thing is that other teams have conditioning and strengthening trainers that are not their coaches. So we have to plan all the fitness training by ourselves,” said Rebecca Jiang, a third-year health sciences student on the team.
Financially, the team is self-funded either through individual payments or through fundraisers.
“We try to fundraise as much as we can to offset [team costs], so paying to play isn’t a major stressor on our athletes,” said Wice. “The big financial burden is going to be all of the travel costs associated with games for a full outdoor season. So that’s travel for every week. Either taking a bus or reimbursement for gas and parking costs . . . As part of OUA sports, it’s required for us to stay in hotels. So when travelling to McGill [University in Montreal], as it’s in the OUA league, there are big hotel costs with that. Financially, we have done a lot of budgeting. We expect our expenses to double the next year; it’s really the travel and hotel costs that increase the cost of the season,” said Wice.
“The big financial burden is going to be all of the travel costs associated with games for a full outdoor season. So that’s travel for every week. Either taking a bus or reimbursement for gas and parking costs . . . As part of OUA sports, it’s required for us to stay in hotels. So when travelling to McGill [University in Montreal], as it’s in the OUA league, there are big hotel costs with that. Financially, we have done a lot of budgeting. We expect our expenses to double the next year; it’s really the travel and hotel costs that increase the cost of the season,” said Wice.
Despite these challenging logistics, the team has high aspirations for its first full OUA season.
“We’re hoping to place higher than previously in the OUA championship. Another goal is to increase the visibility of McMaster field hockey everywhere . . . A lot of McMaster students and athletes are not aware we have a field hockey team so we hope over the upcoming years, we hope a lot of people learn about us and have a couple of home games to raise awareness,” said Jessica Lim, a third-year software engineering student. The team plans to also conduct community outreach for high school students and give more recognition for the sport in its entirety.
“We’re hoping to place higher than previously in the OUA championship. Another goal is to increase the visibility of McMaster field hockey everywhere . . . A lot of McMaster students and athletes are not aware we have a field hockey team so we hope over the upcoming years, we hope a lot of people learn about us and have a couple of home games to raise awareness,” said Jessica Lim, a third-year software engineering student.
As they now prepare for their first season, while a medal would be wonderful in the short run, the overall movement of field hockey to become a global sport remains the ultimate goal. An official announcement from the team regarding their OUA status will be released in the coming weeks.
Sous Bas is offering an online dance party in partnership with DJ Donna Lovejoy and WEFT Projects
Nightclubs are about escapism. As you abandon your body to the loud music, your senses become overwhelmed by the flashing lights and the thumping rhythm of the heavy bass. Your brain shuts down, but you feel completely present and alive in the moment. Although it may be difficult to experience this nightlife in the near future, Main Street East bar Sous Bas has come up with a solution to bring the dance party to your home.
Bedroom Dancing is a freestyle dance and movement series co-hosted by Sous Bas owner Erika McMeekin, Rachael Mae, also known as DJ Donna Lovejoy and WEFT Projects founder Jen Anisef. The three have been friends for a long time and collaborated in the past. The six free dance sessions occur bi-weekly from Sept. 21 to Nov. 30 over Zoom.. In place of a fee, the co-hosts are requesting a donation of $10 per session to one of the local and national initiatives listed on Sous Bas’ website.
The dance series initially launched last year featuring Dallas Walzak, professionally known as DJ Gelled Hare, at the physical location of Sous Bas. Unlike most club events, it was held on early Monday evenings. McMeekin, Mae and Anisef created the series to provide a stage for dance lovers who are unable to go out at late hours or who are uncomfortable being in the crowded club scene. Anisef is among them.
“I’ve loved dancing since I was a little kid. Sometimes I’m happy to go out [and] stay up until 2 a.m. for that perfect dance moment, but sometimes I just want to dance outside of a club setting, and I don’t always find [the places to do] that,” said Anisef.
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Last year the event was a hit and attracted a wide age range of folks between 20 and 60 years old who came to dance their heart out.
Following its successful inception, the series was brought back online this fall to recreate the therapeutic and cathartic experience of ecstatic dancing, a neo-hippy form of dance in which you free your body and mind and let the music guide your movement. The event was also created to remind people of what it’s like to be at Sous Bas.
“[Sous Bas] is about just being yourself, dancing, [without] judgement . . . It’s truly about creating a community and an environment for people to feel good and safe, make friends and have good experiences that make them happy,” said McMeekin.
“[Sous Bas] is about just being yourself, dancing, [without] judgement . . . It’s truly about creating a community and an environment for people to feel good and safe, make friends and have good experiences that make them happy,” said McMeekin.
Ontario’s stage three of reopening allowed bars and nightclubs to reopen, however only for the purposes of serving food or drinks. Dancing remains banned both indoors and outdoors at these venues.
To simulate the club experience as closely as possible online, McMeekin, Mae and Anisef have provided tips on Bedroom Dancing’s social media showing how to improve the lighting, sound and vibe of your home for the dance party. Many of these tips are insights they have picked up from their first online dance event, The Good Foot, in March. Some of the advice includes using an essential oil diffuser, placing tealights in a glass cup to create shadows, throwing a colourful scarf over your lamp and using an auxiliary cord to connect your device to a stereo.
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The first Bedroom Dancing session held on Sept. 21 had over 30 people sign up. Although the physical component of the club is missing, McMeekin, Mae and Anisef appreciate being able to reach and engage with more people on an online platform. Anisef recalls community members asking to do a live stream of Bedroom Dancing when it was held in person last year. They hope a virtual dance party where cameras can be turned on or off at attendees’ discretion will help lift some of the physical accessibility barriers and social anxiety about coming to a club.
“I really hope . . . these sessions can create an hour where you’re not worrying about anything and you’re connecting back with yourself and . . . getting grounded in your body. For me, that’s the power of dance,” said Anisef.
“I really hope . . . these sessions can create an hour where you’re not worrying about anything and you’re connecting back with yourself and . . . getting grounded in your body. For me, that’s the power of dance,” said Anisef.
Mae shared a similar sentiment. More than anything, she was the most thrilled about “DJing” and being able to share an energetic exchange with people through music and dance again.
“I hope that [the attendees] can feel invigorated to move a little more in their own way . . . [and] connect with the community. That’s my ultimate goal,” explained Mae.
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As someone who deeply values the analog experience, McMeekin did not have plans to host online events prior to Bedroom Dancing. She missed all the physical aspects of Sous Bas, from the smells to the interactions with the old and new faces at the bar. However, launching the dance series has inspired her to think about a more long-term online strategy for the bar.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many have felt stressed, worried, confused or overwhelmed. Bedroom Dancing offers an outlet to de-stress, reconnect with the community and share an exhilarating sensory experience that we thought was lost to the past.
C/O: Silhouette Archives
How McMaster’s COVID-19 Research Fund enables scientists and students alike to engage in exciting research to fight the pandemic
Universities across the world have come together to conduct COVID-19 research. Some research projects have even entered phase three clinical trials. The brightest minds around the globe are all hard at work in the lab or hunched over a computer sifting through collected data to put an end to the ongoing pandemic. In the midst of all the headlines boasting of some institution’s cutting-edge research, have you perhaps wondered how McMaster is fighting against COVID-19?
McMaster holds the title of the most research intensive university in Canada for good reason. Like many of the most advanced research institutions across the world, McMaster’s faculty and students have been working intensely on COVID-19 projects, from exploring the potential for new diagnostic tools to exploring potential drugs that inhibit the virus’ ability to infect human cells. Many such projects have been made possible by many grants and these include the McMaster COVID-19 Research Fund, a program whereby the university itself and donors are able to support research projects conducted at McMaster.
One recipient of the McMaster COVID-19 Research Fund is Dr. Richard Austin, a professor in the medical sciences graduate program. He is the research director at St. Joseph’s Healthcare for the Hamilton Center for Kidney Research and has been at McMaster for 25 years. His research interests are focused on understanding why those with chronic kidney disease are at a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular complications. While waiting for his lab to reopen after facing setbacks from COVID-19 regulations, Austin became interested in the potential of a connection between his work prior to the pandemic and the novel virus itself.
C/O: Dr. Richard Austin. Richard Austin pictured here.
“We had stumbled upon a couple papers that were published actually showing that one of the cell surface proteins that we work on – GRP78 – was actually identified as a receptor that can combine to spike proteins on the virus and bring it into cells,” explains Austin.
Austin’s research lab has been hard at work looking further into the potential of this discovery he made when looking through the medical literature. His lab has since paired with a large scientific company in order to have access to different molecules that can bind to GRP78 and potentially block it and ultimately the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells. The goal is to find out whether such a molecule may be used as a potential antiviral agent.
C/O: Michal Moshkovich. Pictured here is Dr. Richard Austin’s research team.
“We have small molecules from another company that we're working with that bind to surface GRP78,” said Austin. “So we're going to [ask whether] if we take some of these small molecules, can they actually disrupt the interaction of GRP78 with the spike protein so it doesn't get into the cell; so it could be an antiviral agent? That's what we're thinking.”
Austin’s research project has since grown and now involves an interdisciplinary team of researchers across McMaster. The team is now a collaboration of different faculties all working together to potentially uncover an antiviral agent. The team includes Dr. Karen Mossman, a virologist and professor in pathology and medicine, as well as a medicinal chemist. “One great thing about McMaster is the collaborative efforts we have,” explains Austin. “Here's a product that's sort of spurred out of an idea at three in the morning, when I was doing nothing and wanted to check on PubMed, into now, three investigators at McMaster that are actively looking at this whole process of GRP78.”
Another recipient of the McMaster COVID-19 Research Fund is Dr. Nikhil Pai, an assistant professor in the department of pediatrics, division of gastroenterology & nutrition, for his current project, “A Prospective, Observational Study on the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Infection from Stool Samples of Children and Adults.”
The project involves many collaborators across McMaster: Dr. Marek Smieja, Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, Lee Hill, Emily Hartung, Jelea Popov, Jodi Gilchrist, Julia Maciejewski, Dr. Mark Larché and Dr. Karen Mossman.
C/O: Michal Moshkovich. Pictured here is from left to right: Dr. Nikhil Pai, Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, Dr. Marek Smieja.
However, also participating in this exciting project are two undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Program, Michal Moshkovich and Melanie Figueirdo, in second and third year, respectively. Indeed, it is not only professors and PhD students who are invested in the fight against COVID-19, but the student community as well.
C/O: Michal Moshkovich. Pictured here is Michal Moshkovich and Melanie Figueiredo, the undergraduates involved in Dr. Pai’s project.
The study will help determine whether COVID-19 infection can be detected from stool samples, which could potentially revolutionize current diagnostic methods. This is especially important considering the high prevalence of asymptomatic patients or COVID-19 positive patients who test negative through nasopharyngeal swabs.
“We are testing stool obtained from patients across eight major adult and children’s hospitals serviced by south western Ontario’s regional virology laboratory,” explains Moshkovich. “This study will better define rates of community infection, increase diagnostic accuracy, broaden our understanding of disease transmission risks and potentially offer more economical approaches to COVID-19 testing.”
The study, which involves a large multidisciplinary team, has garnered attention from across the globe and professionals from abroad are reaching out to offer their own data to assist the study. This just goes to show the importance of collaboration in science, a field which can often seem uber-competitive, during global emergencies.
“What's really incredible is how quickly we and the research community were able to pivot when there’s a global crisis happening to get important, relevant data out immediately,” explains Figueirdo. “We are doing this with a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, clinical pathologist, Director of lab medicine professional; we’ve gotten ministry of health support, McMaster university support and had phone calls with collaborators from Brazil back in February who wanted to share diagnostics with us. It’s very global and rapid; it feels great!”
What better way to spend your undergraduate career than by lending a hand to global COVID-19 research? Moshkovich and Figueirdo have definitely made the most of the pandemic and have had the unique experience of being involved in the nitty gritty of research that might eventually lead to COVID-19 patient care and global implementation of diagnostic techniques. For students also interested in getting involved in the fight against COVID-19 or simply impactful research in general, Moshkovich has an important message.
“The world is evolving — everything is changing,” says Moshkovich. “Do not hesitate to reach out to specialists, practitioners, laboratory heads and offer a hand in making this change. Because that is exactly what we did!”
A list of ways for students to adjust to online classes
The start of the 2020-2021 school year has been an adjustment for many students. This adjustment period may continue into the winter semester now that classes are confirmed to be online. As you start to prepare for midterms and major assignments, here are some tips to help you move forward in a virtual learning environment.
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Creating the ideal study space
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Attending virtual classes
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Keep up your good study habits
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Ask for help
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Cultivate community
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Take care of yourself
This year is going to be strange. We’re all learning how to manage this new situation and it’s not going to happen overnight. It will take the time it takes, so be patient and kind with yourself as you navigate your virtual university experience.
