By Elisa Do, Staff Writer
For many of us, the last few weeks have certainly been a novel experience. The spread of COVID-19 has caused in-person class cancellations and the disruption of our typical day-to-day lives. As with most universities across the globe, McMaster University has moved courses and examinations online. Although the transition is necessary due to the current circumstances, it is also important that we take a closer look at what this change can mean for students and the impact it can create on our learning.
Online courses require students to have access to the Internet in order to complete coursework. However, not every household can afford internet costs, and not everyone lives in areas with access to the Internet. In 2017, only 37 per cent of rural households in Canada had access to internet speeds considered standard for regular Internet usage and approximately only 24 per cent of households in Indigenous communities had access to standard-speed Internet service.
This can prevent students from frequently participating in their online classes; especially for online tests or examinations that require stable and continuous Internet access. Also, classes may require students to tune in to video conferences or watch lectures online, activities which require high speed Internet.
This is compounded by another change that students are currently facing: students no longer have access to public libraries or study spaces that were once available to them. Even if Internet access is a problem at home, libraries used to provide students with the resources to maintain their studies. Without libraries, finding Internet access can become an even greater challenge. With all this in mind, it would be beneficial for instructors to permit greater flexibility within course structures. Depending on the course itself, making alterations such as options to opt out of final exams or to complete presentations via alternative methods like telephone, could provide the necessary support for students during this time.
Also, without public study areas, not only do students lose out on possible resources such as hard copy books or technology, but they are also unable to study in an environment that is not their home. Many students go to libraries in order to be in an environment that encourages focus and motivation. Speaking from my personal experience, I often find it difficult to focus on work-related tasks in places such as my home, which is designed for comfort and relaxation. I realize that when studying at home, it is natural to feel less motivated as the environment also plays a role in conditioning me to be at ease.
Furthermore, many campus resources are only available in person. For example, peer support resources from McMaster Students Union services such as the Student Health Education Centre, the Women and Gender Equity Network or Maccess can only operate in-person. With these services closed and the volunteers at home, students who may wish to access support no longer have that opportunity.
Aside from peer support, many students also visit the Student Wellness Centre to access counselling services. With the current circumstances, students can no longer access counselling in-person, and group programs within the Student Wellness Centre have also been cancelled. Being away from all the mental health support that had previously been offered on campus can negatively affect how students are dealing with their mental health at home.
That is not to say that folks at McMaster are neglecting support options for students. Many educators are working hard to continue course office hours and the Student Wellness Centre is also providing appointments online and by telephone. However, without in-person communication, there is still a barrier to how accessible these services can be. Through social distancing, individuals are forced to take the initiative to reach out to others via virtual options or online messaging. It means that students can miss out on engaging in social interaction if they do not proactively seek out others. And it can also mean that those who may want mental health support don’t know who or where to turn to with these sudden changes.
Because of how novel this experience is for so many of us, it is crucial that we remember it is okay to feel overwhelmed. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, so it is fair that students may also feel uncertain at times. Although I think it is wonderful that many people are encouraging one another to partake in productive activities throughout the day, I think it is also super important that we are reminded to accept that there has been a change. It’s all right for our day-to-day schedules to look different and it is totally fine if everything seems to be going at an unusual pace.
Studying from home poses a variety of barriers and these barriers impact each and every student differently. During these times, it is essential that we are more considerate of how physical distancing can affect our learning. Students should not have to feel guilty about taking time to adjust to these new changes and instructors should also keep in mind that students are most likely in a different headspace as they adjust. As we all work together to continue figuring out how we can make this difficult time a little more easier, let us encourage greater flexibility in students’ learning and do our best to minimize any additional distress being away from campus may cause.
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If you’ve ever read Mac Confessions, you’d know that sometimes students can have a tough time balancing their full-time load, but when you add a couple of hours of practice per day, things can get particularly spicy. Not only do student athletes deal with the typical difficulties of being in university, but they also devote large amounts of time and effort to their teams in order to continue performing at high levels.
However, playing sports at a university level isn’t all work and no play; it has its benefits. Being able to access high-level physical training, connect with teammates and develop a social network early on in university are just some of the perks that come with the lifestyle. Being a part of a university sports team can also develop many life skills, such as understanding commitment, organization, time management and teamwork.
However, playing sports at a university level isn’t all work and no play; it has its benefits. Being able to access high-level physical training, connect with teammates and develop a social network early on in university are just some of the perks that come with the lifestyle. Being a part of a university sports team can also develop many life skills, such as understanding commitment, organization, time management and teamwork.
With that being said, no one can understand the student athlete experience more than, well, the athletes themselves. For that reason, we sat down with Holly Connor, a first year student on the women’s water polo team; Andrew Davies, a second year student on the men’s cross country/track team and Brandon Chong, a fourth year student on the men’s baseball team. They shared how their lives are different from regular students, how they deal with their struggles and what they’ve learned from their experiences.
As a first year student, Holly Connor just went through a major transition from high school to university-level sports.
“At the very beginning of the year when everything was so new, it was difficult, but once you get into the groove of it, it worked out better,” said Connor.
Despite the time management struggles, Connor does not regret her decision to play university-level water polo, as it has its upsides.
“Playing the sport itself helped me in so many different ways. I made so many friends through it, some of my best friends. [Waterpolo] helped me in my health because I was initially very concerned about eating habits and my exercise I’d be able to get while transitioning into university, and it really helped me stay on top of it. It was also really nice to have that outlet to go and relax and not have to think about school all the time,” said Connor.
Athletes like Connor love the opportunity to play their sport and work on their craft. They take on the mentality of getting to go to practice, rather than having to go to practice. Practices and games are a release for athletes like her. Not only do they act as breaks, but they help maintain physical health while in the company of teammates and friends. Chong has had a similar experience as Conner.
“You take your mind off school, you get to hang out with your teammates and play baseball. They always like to have fun, so it gave me a place to take my mind off school. A release for me,” said Chong.
One of the most important parts of a team is of course, its teammates. The bond between the players on the roster is so much deeper than just being on the team together. Relationships that stem from these teams can be extremely helpful for new students coming in.
“A lot of my teammates are in the same program that I’m in, and all took the same classes, so it was really nice to be able to get together and do some work together,” said Connor. “It worked really well having that unit, who I not only spent all my time in the pool, but also spent a lot of time outside, getting to know them.”
“A lot of my teammates are in the same program that I’m in, and all took the same classes, so it was really nice to be able to get together and do some work together,” said Connor. “It worked really well having that unit, who I not only spent all my time in the pool, but also spent a lot of time outside, getting to know them.”
Davies also touched on the academic benefits of having teammates, saying, “There’s definitely some people on that team that are good for advice, who have done it before and are really good role models to follow in school and an athletic sense.”
Being a second year student, Davies has picked the brains of upper year students, which made his transition much easier. Despite not being in the same program as his teammates, Davies still experienced significant benefits from the mentorship provided by his teammates. They helped him transition into university sports, assisting him with the ins and outs of time management.
Time management is critical for student athletes.
“We practice three days a week, then weekends are just double headers each day (during the season), so probably about 24 hours a week maybe. Sometimes you just fall behind because it’s a lot of hours. It’s very hard to balance, but it’s doable,” Chong said.
The support system of coaches and fellow teammates helps ease the struggle of time management.
“I would say to know your schedule and your workload and everything,” said Chong. “If you need help, talk to someone, a teammate, talk to a coach, say that you’re stressed out about something. Let him know, he’ll understand. Just make sure you have a good scheduling system for yourself.”
Chong mentioned that being a part of the team significantly improved his leadership and time management, which are critical life-long skills.
The busiest time of the year for these athletes, of course, is the regular season. Currently, all three athletes are in the midst of their off-season, but that doesn’t mean they have it easy. The off-season grind can be as strenuous as the regular season.
“Practices are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday,” said Connor. “We have to keep up with our diets, and make sure we are eating enough. The off-season is from mid-December to June, and it is the same practice schedule. However, we are less focused on skills that would apply right away, rather long-term techniques. It’s still the same amount of practicing, so it still affects me in similar ways that it did previously, but now I have better abilities to cope with that. In the summer, we have workout programs that we are supposed to do on our own, where we focus on strength and cardio training.”
According to Davis, when it comes to the off-season for cross country and track, things get a little different. Davies has to deal with longer seasons, competing during the majority of the school year, so training intensity stays up there fall and winter terms, meaning he does not get to slow down and take a break from his heavy schedule.
“We have both cross country, and track seasons, we are competing almost the whole school year. We train right from the start of the semester, up until near the last few weeks. We have competitions going throughout the year,” Davies said.
All three athletes feel that although student athlete life can be challenging, the positives outweigh the negatives. Being able to make friends through their team, receive advice from upper years and develop life skills are why they would recommend sports to future students.
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By Sarun Balaranjan and Henry Challen, Contributors
CW: Sexual violence
If you have spent any time on Mac Confessions, Youtube, or any other college-focused media, it is impossible to miss the prevailing issue surrounding consent and the way we conceptualize sexual relationships in a university setting. Whether it be a frat party, a first date, or a meal at one of McMaster University’s fine dining institutions, the question of consent remains a topic of the utmost concern. While student-to-student relationships are culturally accepted, faculty-student relationships are generally frowned upon. However, there remains a grey area when it comes to relationships between teaching assistants and students. Ask anyone, and someone will know someone who has engaged in sexual acts with their TA. As both students and adults, we need to think more critically about how consent manifests within undergraduate-TA relationships.
We could recount examples of TAs making sexual advances on their students, but that is not the purpose of this article. Instigating a campus-wide persecution of TAs is not our goal, but rather to think critically about consent and potentially change the current practices surrounding TA-student relationships. Currently, students are theoretically allowed to engage in sexual relationships with their TAs, so long as the department head is notified, a conflict of interest is declared and all marking of that students work is transferred. However, it is pertinent to note that the conflict of interest policy has not been updated since 2001. There have been immense differences in how we conceptualize consent between 2001 and 2020 and it is atrocious that the policies have not been updated since then.
Left unchecked, the current power structures produce a wide range of results for students. While many TAs are respectful of their students and their roles as educators, this is not always the case. When relationships do occur, they often place the students in the awkward position of interacting with their TAs in two very different contexts. Even if a student wants to partake in sexual relations with their TA, it is difficult to extract this sexual relationship from the power structures of their academic lives.
When relationships do occur, they often place the students in the awkward position of interacting with their TAs in two very different contexts. Even if a student wants to partake in sexual relations with their TA, it is difficult to extract this sexual relationship from the power structures of their academic lives.
This calls for a serious revision of the policies in place surrounding the training and orientation of McMaster’s teaching assistants. It is asinine that Welcome Week representatives are trained for hours regarding sexual sensitivity orientation for merely ten days of interaction with students while TAs are not held to the same standards. It is clear that TAs are placed in a position of more power than a Welcome Week rep and spend significantly larger quantities of time interacting socially with students. At the bare minimum, TAs should be subject to the same training as Welcome Week reps. There is an appalling lack of accountability being placed on TAs by university administration and the faculty that hires them.
As we as a culture think more critically about consent, it is necessary that we apply this understanding to all relationships, especially those with potential power imbalances. It is ludicrous to think that this is an issue that can be dealt with at the discretion of the TA, who simply has to sign off on some forms. This is not only insufficient, but also contributes to creating a dangerous precedent for consent within the McMaster community.
We are not calling for a ban on consensual relationships between adults. However, to create a culture of consent on campus, a deeper awareness of the nuance surrounding consent should be incorporated into the TA employment contract. In addition, there should be a more robust training process to ensure that TAs are aware of the responsibilities that come alongside their position of authority.
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On Dec. 5, 2019, a video titled “Cockroaches at Centro (McMaster University)” was uploaded to YouTube. The video compiles several sightings of cockroaches at Centro cafeteria.
“McMaster University must decide when to address these issues and stop pretending that they don’t exist, like they have been for the last couple years. Just because health inspections are passed does not mean the facility is clean,” reads the description of the video.
On Dec. 9, 2019 another video, titled “More cockroaches at centro” was uploaded to Youtube. It shows a cockroach sitting on the metal lid of a grill while food was being prepared.
“Some people were questioning whether the pictures were not from Centro . . . As you can clearly see there is a cockroach at Centre Stage, one of the most popular locations within Centro itself. It doesn’t take that much imagination to foresee a scenario where a cockroach could fall into your food,” reads the description of the video.
More recently, additional sightings of cockroaches at La Piazza cafeteria were posted to Mac Confessions, one of McMaster’s student confessions Facebook pages.
On Feb. 4, 2020 Mac Confessions published a video titled “The cockroaches from La Piazza would like to say hello” that shows a cockroach sitting on a napkin near baked items at La Piazza.
https://www.facebook.com/spottedat.mac/videos/1726495940814335/
Director of McMaster Hospitality Services Chris Roberts cautions students against students accepting online posts as fact.
“We cannot control the posting of comments or photos on social media sites, whether they are actual or fictitious,” states Roberts in an email to the Silhouette.
Roberts explains McMaster Hospitality Services has a transparent relationship with the City of Hamilton health department.
“As soon as [student complaints were] brought to our attention, we notified the [City of Hamilton] health department in early December and asked them to come and inspect our locations and review our pest control plan. They determined that we had an aggressive pest control plan and no food safety/cleanliness issues were identified,” stated Roberts in the email.
“As soon as [student complaints were] brought to our attention, we notified the [City of Hamilton] health department in early December and asked them to come and inspect our locations and review our pest control plan. They determined that we had an aggressive pest control plan and no food safety/cleanliness issues were identified,” stated Roberts in the email.
Moreover, Roberts explains that McMaster Hospitality Services has already met with Orkin Canada, McMaster University’s pest control provider, to increase pest control efforts throughout the school year.
“As of December, we have increased our preventative maintenance service from once a month to twice a month and also now schedule ‘blasts’ of all public spaces during breaks when students are away (Christmas, Reading Week, Summer and Fall Break),” added Roberts.
According to Roberts, pests are not always indicative of food safety issues.
“As McMaster has many older buildings on campus, pests are not an uncommon site [sic] regardless of the use of the building (academic, administration, facility services or food service)” stated Roberts.
Cockroaches on campus may have additional impacts on students. According to the World Health Organization, cockroaches may carry germs that spread disease. Additionally, according to Orkin Canada’s website, cockroaches are known to trigger allergic responses in approximately 12 per cent of individuals with no other allergies.
Roberts adds that McMaster Hospitality Services is continuing to work with the CIty of Hamilton’s health department and Orkin Canada.
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Only 19.1 per cent of McMaster students voted in the 2020 McMaster Student Union’s Presidential election, the lowest voter turnout for an MSU Presidential election since 2009. In total, 4810 students cast their ballots. The 2020 Hamilton Street Railway referendum that took place concurrently saw 5,763 students cast their votes, equivalent to a voter turnout of 22.9 per cent.
On Jan. 30, the MSU Elections Department ratified and released the results of the MSU residential election and HSR referendum.
President-elect Giancarlo Da-Ré won the 2020 MSU Presidential election with 2,504 votes, a 1,529 vote surplus over the second place candidate, Jackson Tarlin.
Tarlin, the election’s runner-up, garnered 975 votes.
666 students abstained, and Krystina Koc received the lowest number of votes at 665.
Da-Ré will officially take office on May 1, 2019.
Voter turnout this year was the lowest it has been in a while, following a steady decline since 2018. Engagement fell from 41.6 per cent in 2017 to 28.1 per cent in 2018. In the following year, this steep drop appeared to level off, with a 1.2 per cent drop between 2018 and 2019. However, this year, the steep decline returned yet again, with turnout dropping by 7.7 per cent.
In the past five years, the lower the voter turnout, the greater the proportion of votes that went to the candidate who won.
In the past five years, the lower the voter turnout, the greater the proportion of votes that went to the candidate who won.
The MSU elections department investigated the sharp decline in voter turnout that occurred between 2017 and 2018. They concluded that it was likely because a large number of students opted out of receiving emails from SimplyVoting, McMaster’s online voting system. Offering students the choice to opt out is in line with Canada’s anti-spam legislation.
According to chief returning officer Peter Belesiotis, the elections department also emails students independently, regardless of whether they opt out of receiving emails from SimplyVoting.
“This has ensured that we reach all students with the relevant information, even those who may have opted-out from SimplyVoting emails. These email efforts are in addition to the print media, social media, video production and SMS messaging used to inform students of the election,” stated Belesiotis in an email.
Despite these measures, voter turnout was even lower this year, falling 9 points below 2018 levels.
Voter apathy and lack of trust in the student union may have played a role in this decline. A Silhouette article from 2018 speculated that candidates’ campaign strategies play a large role in voter turnout, citing class talks, student engagement and debate performance as potential factors in determining voter turnout.
Abstentions this year were also significantly higher than they have been in recent years. Between 2016 and 2018, abstentions remained below 7.3 per cent. Last year, they rose to 9.2 per cent, and this year they jumped to 13.8 per cent.
Voters abstain for a variety of reasons. Students may choose abstention as a vote of no confidence, because they feel that none of the candidates are qualified. Alternatively, an abstention could mean that the voter cannot decide between multiple candidates, or they feel that they do not have enough information to make an educated vote.
The majority of students voted to continue the existing bus pass agreement between McMaster University, the MSU and the Hamilton Street Railway. The option for a 12 month bus pass with expanded service on Route 51-University received 2338 votes after the first round of the MSU’s ranked election system.
The second most popular option, an 8-month bus pass from September to April with no expanded Route-51 service, received 1901 votes.
The option for no bus pass received only 494 votes and was eliminated after the first round of the ranked election system.
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By Elisa Do, Contributor
“How many of you are thinking of pursuing a career in health care?”
Since my first day at McMaster, I have — on several occasions — been asked this same question by various professors.
Every time, the classroom flooded with hands in the air. And it was safe to say that none of us were surprised.
Health care encompasses a growing range of professions that have become increasingly popular in our world today. This popularity arises from various circumstances, but it is especially due to the growing number of aged “baby boomers.” As folks of that generation age, the number of individuals seeking healthcare also increases. Thus, leading to greater needs for healthcare professionals, and further emphasis on the field’s importance. Considering this, many children are being taught the benefits of building a career within health care, and more specifically, the benefits of becoming a physician. Physicians are known to have high paying salaries, receive a high level of respect, and face considerable job demands.
However, working in health care is meant to be attractive beyond these practical values. To work in healthcare means providing for others; it means caring for complete strangers. And that, to me, is something meaningful.
Unfortunately, when thinking about the opportunities that healthcare can offer, folks tend to brush aside other crucial professions within the field. One of which include the profession of nursing. Nurses are often viewed as inferior to physicians and portrayed as mere subordinates within the media. They are thought to hold fewer skills, when in truth, they simply hold an extremely valuable set of different skills.
When I think about the time I spent in the hospital with my family, I think about the warm smiles of the nurses. I remember their patience, and their acts of kindness that brought my family comfort. That is not to say that the doctors were not helpful during our difficult times, but the level of intimacy was not the same. I remember the way they cheered my family on, and I remember thinking to myself, “I have to give back to this community someday. I have to bring kindness to other families the way that they did for me today.” In the short amount of time that the hospital became my home, those nurses touched me and my family in a way that will last a lifetime.
When I think about the time I spent in the hospital with my family, I think about the warm smiles of the nurses. I remember their patience, and their acts of kindness that brought my family comfort. That is not to say that the doctors were not helpful during our difficult times, but the level of intimacy was not the same. I remember the way they cheered my family on, and I remember thinking to myself, “I have to give back to this community someday. I have to bring kindness to other families the way that they did for me today.” In the short amount of time that the hospital became my home, those nurses touched me and my family in a way that will last a lifetime.
Nurses are not only caregivers, but they can also be involved in treating injuries, administering and managing medications and performing basic life support. Many of their responsibilities are those typically associated with the roles of doctors.
But even with all the responsibilities that nurses carry, many still regard nurses as “assistants” to physicians. Nurses are often thought to be less significant in the hospital as many forget that health care requires a team effort. If you want to provide care for strangers, and wish to have those strangers put faith in you, it takes a lot more than diagnosing conditions or performing surgery. It requires providing emotional and psychological support for patients and their families, maintaining a safe environment for everyone, and taking unique approaches when providing care for each individual.
In an integrative review done by several members of the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Turku, the perceptions of nursing that young people carry were found to inaccurately reflect the profession’s actual responsibilities. In fact, these perceptions have not changed in the last ten years. Nursing was described with poor working conditions, difficult shift work, and low social status. Along with the many stereotypes regarding nurses — such as gender roles and sexualization — found in the media today, many folks fail to further consider the educational requirements and intellectual demands that nurses face.
Before coming to McMaster, I had intended on applying for the undergraduate nursing program. Although I eventually changed my application choices as I discovered more regarding my interests, the nursing program still stands to me as an exceptional pathway into doing amazing work.
However, when I had initially introduced my family and friends to the idea of me becoming a nurse, I was presented with questions such as: “Why would you want to be a nurse? Why wouldn’t you want to be a doctor?” Hearing these questions not only felt insulting to my values, but more so insulting to the professions themselves, as if all there was to a career was the monetary benefit, or the accepted social status.
And I know doctors and nurses are not the only jobs being misconstrued. Understanding the responsibilities behind any profession takes more than a simple Google search or hearing salary ranges from friends.
Whether to choose medicine, nursing or any other health care pathway for that matter, should be a decision made based on what the individual seeks for their future. There are many wonderful reasons to become a physician, but I believe the spotlight of health care has been too concentrated on the title of ‘doctor’ rather than what the job really entails. It’s time we shift this spotlight and highlight the importance of other contributing members of the healthcare team; it’s time we take a closer look at what it really means to “pursue a career in health care.”
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On Jan. 12, 2020, McMaster University’s Student Representative Assembly met for the first time in the new year to ratify 15 new clubs and to complete their initial review of non-MSU groups on campus.
Incite Magazine was the final non-MSU group to present their organization’s activities and budget to the SRA. According to Associate Vice-President (Finance) Jess Anderson’s report on Jan. 8, the McMaster Student Union’s Finance Committee has completed their review of all non-MSU groups on campus. These non-MSU groups receive funding from McMaster students but do not fall under the purview of the MSU Club Department.
According to the report, there are currently five non-MSU groups on campus: McMaster Marching Band, Engineering without Borders, McMaster Solar Car, Incite Magazine and the Ontario Public Interest Research Group McMaster.
“While there were a few hiccups regarding communication throughout the reviewing processes, the committee was very pleased with McMaster Marching Band, [and] have provided recommendations to Engineers without Borders, McMaster Solar Car, and Incite Magazine,” states Anderson in the report.
The Finance Committee has yet to come to a decision or provide recommendations for OPIRG McMaster. While a delegation from OPIRG attended the Dec. 8 SRA meeting, the group is still currently discussing salary and administration logistics with their union, Canadian Union of Public Employees 1281.
[pjc_slideshow slide_type="sra-jan-16-2020"]
During the meeting, 15 new clubs were ratified by the SRA after recommendation from Clubs Administrator Aditi Sharma. A list of newly ratified clubs and their mission statements was also provided on Jan. 7. These include cultural clubs such as the Indonesian McMaster Student Association and McMaster Bengali Student Union; social issues clubs such as Blackspace and Glamour Girls; and recreational clubs such as the McMaster Real Estate Society and McMaster Filmmaking Club.
Each semester, potential clubs submit their applications to the Clubs Administrator and Clubs Executive Council. Successful applicants are then interviewed by the Clubs Administrator. Potential clubs are evaluated for their uniqueness, ability to maintain significant student interest and ability to positively impact the McMaster community. Finally, recognition as an official MSU club requires ratification by the SRA.
Last semester, there were two instances that raised concerns about the process of vetting proposed clubs. On Jul. 21, SRA ratified the Dominion Society, triggering an intervention three days later by MSU President Josh Marando due to the club’s alleged connections to people and organizations with white supremacist ties. Similarly, the SRA passed a motion on Sept. 22 to de-ratify The McMaster Chinese Students and Scholars Association for violating section 5.1.3 of the Clubs Operating Policy by endangering student safety.
Discussion regarding club ratification lasted under four minutes. The question of the club recognition appeal process for unsuccessful applicants was also brought up at the meeting.
“One of my constituents wanted to start a club with the purpose of, if I’m remembering correctly, creating a space where the ideas of various faculties (science, humanities, etc.) could be discussed and shared openly together [...] The clubs department did not approve the club for reasons the constituent did not agree with and the constituent claims not [to] have been informed of a formal appeals process in their rejection,” wrote one SRA member wishing to remain anonymous.
According to the SRA member, the applicant was told that the proposed club fit a niche already occupied by the Controversial Texts Discussion Club, which aims to encourage discussion of academic texts and potentially controversial topics in Science, Philosophy and Religion. However, after reaching out to CON-TEXT several times and receiving no response, the applicant told the SRA member that they believe the club to no longer be active.
Section 4.13 of the MSU Clubs Operating Policy states that club applicants can first appeal to the Clubs Administrator. If still unsuccessful, applicants can make a second and final appeal to the CEC.
“In the email that [an unsuccessful club] got, they have an appeal period. They can send their appeal to the clubs administrator and CEC to be reviewed,” added MSU President Josh Marando at the meeting.
Lasting just over 42 minutes, this was the shortest SRA meeting so far in the 2019-2020 school year.
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It was my second year of university and I was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with my studies because I was having traumatic flashbacks every day and night terrors every night. I was seeing a counsellor and a doctor to address my poor health. Despite this, my marks continued to slip.
Luckily, I was able to register with Student Accessibility Services when I realized I needed some extra help with school. This lifted a lot of weight from my shoulders, as I was able to access lecture notes through the SAS website and spread out my tests over a longer period of time. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing from there.
One of my accommodations under SAS is for instructors to provide an alternative to missed classwork. Knowing this, when I was unable to write a midterm due to my disability, I emailed the instructor to let them know.
In their reply to my email, I was told, “We do not offer an alternate date to write the midterm. If you are unable to write the midterm today, you will need to use a [McMaster Student Absence Form]. Using an MSAF will move the weight of the midterm to the final exam making the final worth a total of 94%.”
Despite having SAS accommodations, I was rejected of the accommodations that were supposed to help level the playing ground when it came to succeeding in courses. I remember being upset and frustrated because I’ve always had the impression that educators should be focused on helping their students succeed. Because of my instructor’s response, this situation dragged out for over a month as my assistant dean had to talk to the instructor to advocate for me. Meanwhile, I was constantly studying for a midterm whose date was unknown to me. Since I was having difficulties rescheduling my midterm, I fell behind in class and ended up dropping the course.
According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, educators must accommodate their disabled students. Furthermore, accommodations should be unique and individualized — meaning, “blanket” accommodations that are meant to cover all disabilities often don’t work because disabled students have different needs. Educators should be cognizant that an accommodation, which may seem helpful in their eyes, may not actually be helpful for a student. As a result, they could be putting undue stress on the student who needs the accommodation.
Saying that I can use an MSAF to redistribute the weight of my midterm is not an accommodation. I don’t know about you, but having a 96 per cent exam doesn’t exactly exemplify a good ‘accommodation’. In fact, I’d argue that most non-disabled students would find a 96 per cent exam overwhelming. Maybe someone else might be okay with this accommodation, but it just wasn’t going to work for me. And that’s okay.
The unfortunate thing is that even with SAS, I still faced many barriers in receiving adequate accommodations. However, many disabled students go through their undergraduate career without SAS because registering can be a long process. For example, SAS registration requires medical documentation from a doctor, meaning that a formal diagnosis is necessary even though many conditions can be difficult to diagnose or may be highly stigmatized, which may result in the lack of diagnosis.
The unfortunate thing is that even with SAS, I still faced many barriers in receiving adequate accommodations. However, many disabled students go through their undergraduate career without SAS because registering can be a long process. For example, SAS registration requires medical documentation from a doctor, meaning that a formal diagnosis is necessary even though many conditions can be difficult to diagnose or may be highly stigmatized, which may result in the lack of diagnosis.
Instead of focusing on formal diagnoses, instructors should concentrate on providing support to students who need it. Evidently, there can be many complications that prevent someone from receiving disability status at McMaster. As a result, disabled students can fall behind in their coursework just because they cannot provide an accommodation letter from SAS to their instructors.
Even when you do have SAS, advocating for your accommodations can be taxing. Meeting up with your professors to discuss accommodations can make you feel vulnerable. Emailing professors every time you’re absent from class and having to reschedule several midterms after a flare-up can be exhausting.
Even after all of this, you may still face resistance regarding your accommodations. I have faced the risk of my SAS accommodations expiring even though my disability is permanent. As a result, I had to get medical documentation again to verify that my disability wasn’t going away anytime soon. I’m not the only person who has faced this problem — I’ve heard from many peers that they’ve faced a similar situation where their SAS status expired and they were unable to access accommodations when they needed them most.
The accommodation process is made more complicated by negative perceptions that students who ask for course accommodations are “cheating the system.” Of course, there’s always the possibility that there will be a student who asked for an accommodation they don’t actually need. But, more often than not, it’s because they really need it. A student’s SAS status shouldn’t be the only reason why an instructor should provide course accommodations. If students are reaching out to you about how they might need some extra help in class, consider giving them the support they need to succeed in your course.
Often times, accommodations can be easy to arrange. Providing a student with notes, lecture slides or an extension for an assignment doesn’t usually require extra effort on the instructor’s behalf. However, it’s important to note that even if the accommodation isn’t ‘“convenient’” to provide to a student, they still deserve to be adequately accommodated. To ensure that accommodations are properly handled, there should be a clearer follow-up process of accommodations within each faculty. Students should know who to go to when something isn’t properly handled, as well as be able to access support from their faculty during this process.
Because at the end of the day, educators should be concerned about a student’s success — not their disability status.
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September 2019 marked the first of possibly many registration periods in which students could opt-out of student union fees deemed non-essential. This change, instituted by the Government of Ontario in January 2019, is part of the widely criticised Student Choice Initiative. In the past, McMaster’s student union fees for all clubs and services have been mandatory. Non-essential fees range from a few dollars, like the $1 fee for Mac Farmstands or $2 for Horizons, to $13.72 for CFMU 93.3FM or $17.50 for Campus Events. As early as January, student groups have feared the worst and prepared for the inevitable cuts.
Nearly two months after the SCI was introduced, the impact on students and the MSU isn’t entirely clear. Despite other universities having already released comprehensive opt-out rates to their university’s student unions, McMaster’s registrar’s office still hasn’t released final numbers. According to Alex Johnston, the MSU’s vice-president (finance), an official breakdown won’t be released until registration is finalized. The final registration numbers have yet to be disclosed by the university.
As a result of the Student Choice Initiative, many aspects of what the MSU offers to students will become financially optional between September. 12-20. The MSU encourages students to #ChooseStudentLife. Learn more about how your money is spent at: https://t.co/GdcabjjSMF. pic.twitter.com/EOvrhnB3bY
— McMaster Students Union (MSU) (@MSU_McMaster) September 10, 2019
What we do know is that students opted out of services at a rate of roughly 32 per cent of across non-essential fees. These fees include services such as campus events, Shinerama and Mac Farmstand. How this 32 per cent rate translates into absolute dollar losses for the MSU is unclear, and Johnston says it’s difficult to speculate. Throughout the opt-out period, Johnston states that the MSU prioritized transparency. For example, the MSU created a “Choose Student Life” page to encourage undergraduate students to learn about the MSU services and fee breakdown before opting out.
“We did communicate that this could lead to the potential for a pay-for-service model or a reduction of overall services or just reduction in service operations. So those are things we did communicate. Where we actually end up going right now, again I think it’s a little too soon to tell,” said Johnston.
Despite the MSU’s focus on transparency, some felt that the MSU could have done more.
Ed, a part-time manager of a student service deemed non-essential that asked not to be identified, said that they were displeased with the MSU’s communication leading up to and throughout the SCI implementation.
“Communication has been fraught. Everytime I would bring it up I would receive a ‘we don’t know for sure yet’. And then no follow ups,” said Ed.
Daniel, another PTM who asked not to be identified, felt that work they had previously done to improve their service’s finances hadn’t been taken into consideration. They felt that the MSU should have encourage more discussion about SCI leading before the opt-out period.
“I knew for the majority of my role finances are important … which is why I made a lot of changes … I don’t want to say they weren’t willing to have that conversation really early, but I kind of wish we had that conversation early,” said Daniel.
As for faculty societies, whose fees were also deemed non-essential, the SCI’s impact is unclear.
Madeleine Raad, the McMaster social sciences society president, said that the society is being careful about spending, although the alumni society has stepped up to fill their funding gaps.
“From my understanding, the social sciences opt-out was not as high per say maybe other faculties I might have heard of. However our fee is one of the lower fees, our fee is $16,” said Raad.
Although it may be too soon to see the long term impact of the SCI, changes are already being made to non-essential services.
To prepare for the possibility of high opt-out rates, all MSU services were asked by the executive board to make pre-emptive cuts to their operating budgets for the 2019-2020 school year
“[We] cut back on things most companies cut back on which is promotions … The last thing you want to cut back on are salaries and wages and actual staffing positions,” said Sandeep Bhandari, the campus radio station’s administrative director.
In the Oct. 20, 2019 SRA meeting, Johnston gave a report on audited statements from the MSU’s 2018-2019 fiscal year. While optimistic, the numbers reflected deficits across the MSU. Johnson mentioned that the Underground, the Silhouette, and 1280 bar and grill all had large deficits and outlined plans for improving finances going forward. Johnston also said that the MSU is soliciting proposals from an external consultant to assist with financial changes the MSU will need to make going forward as the SCI becomes an annual affair.
“If we continue the way we’re going, we’re going to deplete our operating funds in two years. So that’s obviously not sustainable so we need to make some changes going forward,” said Johnston.
Johnston also reported that the MSU’s executive board, comprised of full-time staff and SRA members, had also made decisions that impact part-time services. The Executive Board has decided to push back the hiring of PTMs for Macycle and Farmstand into 2020, although they are traditionally hired in the fall. Johnston said this decision was made to buy the MSU more time to figure out a financial plan going forward. While this is a temporary push-back, there are still worries that the PTMs will be expected to participate in the hiring process after their terms without pay or be cut out of the important process it entirely.
“This is a discussion that happened in close session … but we did decide to delay the hiring for Farmstand and Macycle. Typically those part time managers are hired … but due to the fact that we don’t have final opt-in numbers yet we did decide to delay their hiring so we could re-evaluate then move onwards,” said Johnston.
The executive board also made the decision to pause all operations for the Creating Leadership Amongst Youth conference for the 2020 year. Typically CLAY happens in May, but this year will be the exception.
“We did decide to put a hold on operations for CLAY 2020 just because we couldn’t delay the hiring and then have the part-time manager start later because the conference just couldn’t function,” said Johnston.
Johnston says these decisions are a part of the MSU’s efforts to develop a strategy to make the union more sustainable going forward. The long term impacts of the SCI are unclear, but the MSU is doing what it can to adapt, including expanding The Grind in an attempt to alleviate 1280’s running deficit and hiring a full complement of staff for the Underground so it can operate at full capacity.
A big concern for most non-essential service employees was job security.
James Tennant, CFMU program director, and Bhandari stressed the importance of student radio, especially for student staff who can’t get these unique experiential learning opportunities elsewhere.
“We do have a very small staff compared to some other services on campus. But it’s definitely a concern, and it’s the last thing we would want to do … Because they’re valuable to us and the experience they get in the positions is valuable to the students,” said Tennant.
Bhandari said, “It’s been said for many years it’s giving a voice to those who don’t otherwise have access to the airways. And that is the nature of campus community radio across the country.”
Daniel also reflected on the SCI. He expressed dismay that his efforts to improve his service’s financials weren’t headed leading up to the SCI implementation, despite clearly outlining ways the service could improve financially going forward in the wake of the SCI.
Ed wished that there had been a bigger push over the months leading up to the opt-out period, not just during it.
“SCI’s really bad but the MSU’s attitude of not talking about it makes everything worse,” said Ed.
Ed also had hoped for solidarity amongst all MSU services, not just advocacy from the ones impacted. He felt like nearly enough people weren’t talking about it.
Indeed, when Sandy Shaw, MPP for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, visited campus in February 2019 to talk about the provincial policies impacting students, the MSU gave her a tour of the PCC, Maccess and WGEN—three services deemed essential and therefore not at risk of being impacted by the SCI.
Despite criticism of the SCI’s rollout and MSU advocacy efforts, many PTMs are are just worried for the future of their services.
Daniel said, “Thats been the biggest impact of SCI: emotionally. The worry for the future of the service.”
Ed said, “If my service doesn’t run its going to affect the people who volunteer for me and it’s going to affect all those people who use my service regularly.”
“I’m sad because I don’t want my service to die,” said Ed.
With the SCI mandated for the next two years, with possibility for renewal, the long-term implications could be dire. Without a clear path forward, part-time student staff, volunteers and services users are left to worry for what is to come. MSU advocacy may have mitigated what could have been worse opt-out numbers, but future efforts will be essential to keep services afloat.
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By Eric Sinnige, Contributor
Note: This article is from the perspective of an individual Student Representative Assembly member, and not representative of the whole SRA, or the McMaster Students Union.
The Sept. 22 deratification of the McMaster Chinese Students and Scholars Association has been a frequent topic in the Student Representative Assembly and the Silhouette for the past few weeks, and an issue that the SRA has been aware of since the inciting incident occurred back in February 2019. Since then, there have been many miscommunications about the de-ratification process and what was going on as a whole with the club to the student body, which I would like to clarify.
The current SRA members for the 2019-2020 year took office in April. I was unaware of the actions of the previous SRA with respect to the Mac CSSA incident because, at the time, I had not been very involved. In July, when it came time to ratify clubs for the 2019-2020 school year in July, I was given the impression that Mac CSSA was to be under probation for a calendar year due to the February incident upon ratification for the 2019-2020 year. Evidently, this had not been true. As there is no transition process between outgoing SRA members and incoming SRA members, and along with internal miscommunication, this caused previous meeting events to be misunderstood.
In the weeks leading up to the Sept. 22 meeting, where Mac CSSA was de-ratified, I met with McMaster students, who had contacted me to ask about what was going on with Mac CSSA and if the MSU or SRA would be taking action. Other SRA members were also contacted by their constituents, leading to an investigation and eventually de-ratification. You can find evidence from these personal investigations in SRA documents from meeting 19H, which include the meeting minutes and documents labelled CSSA. Many students I met with said that they felt unsafe as a result of Mac CSSA’s actions and concerned that they could not express their political or academic freedoms, especially in criticizing the Chinese government, without repercussions for the students I spoke to or their families.
Some people have subsequently spoken out against the de-ratification as the result of procedural unfairness or bias. I understand these concerns, as this process has been anything but clear. Please continue to hold the SRA and MSU accountable for our actions.
To clarify the procedural unfairness issues: the SRA did not disband Mac CSSA, but rather removed its status as an MSU club. Disbandment is a sanction, handed out to the club by the Clubs Executive Council so they may not operate as an MSU Club for a calendar year. The SRA then makes the decision official. Instead of disbandment, the SRA de-ratified Mac CSSA in July, rescinding its recognition as an MSU club. This meant that while Mac CSSA could still operate, the MSU would not allow them access to clubs resources such as funding and room booking. This difference between disbandment and de-ratification is important, as the latter process removes MSU club status through SRA motions, and does not go through the CEC. As such, the SRA is not required to grant an appeal period, as no appeal process exists for the SRA. However, one was granted anyways. In good faith, Mac CSSA should have received a notice that their de-ratification motion was on the upcoming agenda, despite not technically being required. In my opinion, the fact that Mac CSSA was not notified seemed to be due to a lack of communication. This needs to be changed, and the SRA’s clubs policy review, which will encompass the CEC, will include these concerns.
As for the bias concerns, these I can only address as myself. My reason for voting in favour of de-ratification was due to Mac CSSA’s support of the decision to report Rukiye Turdush’s Feb. 11 talk, which was about the Uyghur concentration camps in China, to the Chinese consulate. Disagreeing with the event is Mac CSSA’s right, but the endangerment of students, and Rukiye Turdush, is unacceptable. The SRA had also previously acted with the safety of students in mind during meeting 19F, when the Dominion Society (formerly the MacDonald Society) was de-ratified for the potential to endanger students after the SRA received evidence that linked the club to white supremacists.
While Mac CSSA claimed that the previous president had acted alone in reporting the event to the consulate, they did not rescind their statement. In addition, in the Mac CSSA ratification status memo posted by the MSU, it is mentioned that McMaster Chinese News Network, McMaster Chinese Professional Association/Society and MELD Student Association “have stated in their June responses to SRA questions that a [former] Mac CSSA executive officer invited them to be signatories of the statement”. During the appeal process, when Mac CSSA’s legal counsel was asked to provide evidence to support their statement that the previous president acted alone and did not contact the consulate, the counsel did not provide a clear answer to the the question in the SRA Meeting 19K livestream at the 1:40:30 mark.
The risk of endangering others for exercising their right to expression, especially those of marginalized groups, should not exist on this campus. Students who wish to engage in academic or political thought opposing the Chinese government, especially Chinese international students, should not be at risk. The evidence brought forward during SRA meetings highlighted how the Chinese government has monitored and interfered with students and citizens abroad, as seen in both U.S. government reports and international headlines, and as such I felt it was in the best interest of student and staff safety to remove the recognition of Mac CSSA as an official MSU club for a full calendar year.
Chinese international students should feel welcome and safe on our campus. Other groups that offer support for Chinese students are the Chinese Students Association, McMaster Chinese News Network and MELD Student Association. The SRA is doing an ongoing review of how international students are supported by the MSU and on campus as a whole. Please contact either myself or another SRA representative if you would like to be involved.
Documents regarding the meetings in question can be found at www.msumcmaster.ca/governance/sra/sra-documents.
If you wish to contact me with questions or for any clarification, you can write to sraeng@msu.mcmaster.ca or my personal email at sinnigee@mcmaster.ca.
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