As accelerating technological advancement changes the digital landscape, the role played by social institutions like schools, companies and the government will shift. Students entering the workforce may be faced with the aftershocks of this digital shift and are looking to prepare themselves.
On Oct. 2, students filled McMaster’s LIVElab to hear Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld discuss the potential impact of the growing presence of technology in the modern workplace.
Cutcher-Gershenfeld, author of Designing Reality: How to Survive and Thrive in the Third Digital Revolution, is currently a professor at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. In his book, he argues that there have been two “digital revolutions” in the last 50 years — and that we will soon experience a third.
“The first digital revolution was the shift from analog to digital communication, which gave us the Internet. The second digital revolution [was] the rise of digital computation, which has given us what is now the ‘internet of things’ … [and] ubiquitous computation all throughout society,” he said.
As much as these two digital revolutions have transformed the world, Cutcher-Gershenfeld added that the ability to use this digital technology to make physical objects — a process he refers to as “digital fabrication” — changes everything. He points to fabrication laboratories as a particular example.
Fabrication laboratories, or “Fab Labs”, are small-scale hubs equipped with digital manufacturing tools such as 3D and laser printers. Fab Labs can rapidly manufacture industrial-quality goods, allowing people to turn their ideas into tangible prototypes.
“What we’re talking about is the ability to make what you need by what we call self-sufficient production, in which you are making what you need without having to work for someone else … The capability to, in a sense, have a small rapid prototyping facility that can produce industrial quality goods is happening faster and faster,” said Cutcher-Gershenfeld.
When Cutcher-Gershenfeld began writing his book, there were only 1,400 Fab Labs and maker-spaces worldwide. There are now 2,000.
According to Cutcher-Gershenfeld, access to these Fab Labs will increase exponentially in the coming years. While the impact is currently modest, he believes that Fab Labs will give way to the rapid evolution of digital fabrication and, by extension, will change what the workplace might look like for students who are about to graduate and enter the workforce.
During his talk, Cutcher-Gershenfeld emphasized the potential dangers associated with the growing presence of Fab Labs. Currently, it is difficult to predict the impact that Fab Labs will have on the economy. However, Cutcher-Gershenfeld warned that without the support of social systems, like government regulation, the ability to manufacture products digital outside of a factory setting may have repercussions on existing industries.
Judy Fudge, labour studies professor at McMaster University and organizer for the event, echoed Cutcher-Gershenfeld’s concern towards the rapid emergence of new technology.
“[Things] could change dramatically for the worse if we don’t think about the social systems to make sure they [also] change for the better,” Fudge said.
Fudge planned Cutcher-Gershenfeld’s talk as an opportunity for students and staff to see how the workplace is evolving and how some individuals are working to improve it. The seminar was planned with the Socrates Project, a McMaster initiative that brings attention to modern problems through an interdisciplinary lens, as part of their ongoing “Future of Work” lecture series.
According to Socrates Project Director Rina Fraticelli, partnering with McMaster’s School of Labour Studies was an opportunity for the Socrates Project to stimulate discussion on how the average workplace might change in the future.
After the seminar, Fraticelli said, “It seemed to me that . . . one of the biggest preoccupations . . . of students who are looking ahead [is asking] ‘What will happen when I graduate? What’s the world going to be like?’”
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Updates
Highlights
After unsuccessful negotiations on Nov. 5, the Canadian Union of Public Employees local 3906, the union representing McMaster Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants and other academic workers, announced that they are inching closer to calling a strike before the end of the month.
The announcement comes after months of labour negotiations between CUPE 3906 and the university. Since August, CUPE 3906 has been negotiating on behalf of McMaster TAs and RAs. They are represented under CUPE 3906 unit 1, one of the union’s three bargaining units.
In August, the employment contract for academic workers at McMaster expired, as it does every three years. The contract, called the collective agreement, outlines the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees, including rules about wages, work hours and benefits. When the collective agreement expired, the university and CUPE 3906 entered into collective bargaining to renegotiate the agreement on behalf of its members, giving the union a chance to push for improvements to their working conditions.
To prepare for negotiations, CUPE 3906 released a survey for its members to identify their bargaining priorities. One of CUPE’s main sets of bargaining priorities is centred around wages and work hours. Under the previous collective agreement, graduate TAs earned $43.63 per hour, and undergraduate TAs received $25.30 an hour. However, the agreement also states that they cannot work more than 260 hours a year, or more than 10 hours a week on average.
For graduate TAs, this results in a maximum of $11,343.80 a year. Nathan Todd, the president of CUPE 3906, pointed out that unless TAs have other means of financial support, such as scholarships, this maximum will not cover full-time tuition, which TAs must pay in order to maintain their conditions of employment.
Furthermore, says Todd, many TAs work above their hours. Between running tutorials, grading work and holding office hours, they can work above their hours without overtime pay.
One way that CUPE 3906 hopes to address this is by proposing to increase the minimum number of hours for TA contracts from 33 to 40. While this does not allow TAs to work more than the allotted 260 hours, it helps to increase the number of paid hours on short-term contracts.
Additionally, CUPE 3906 has stated that McMaster has proposed changes that will make it harder for TAs to take on additional guaranteed work hours. According to CUPE 3906 representatives, the university is proposing to remove language in the collective agreement that allows TAs to increase their number of guaranteed number hours if they get hired for additional work in their second year. The university has a policy not to discuss the content of ongoing labour negotiations, so representatives have not confirmed whether McMaster made this proposal.
Another bargaining priority is the implementation of university-wide paid TA training. Currently, the collective agreement between CUPE and the university allows TAs three paid hours a semester to participate in health and safety and orientation training, which is meant to provide new employees with general information about the university and resources available to them. The agreement states that orientation training can point new employees towards professional development resources that they would presumably have to access on their own time.
CUPE has stated that this is insufficient. Instead, the union has proposed five paid hours of pedagogical training and three hours of anti-oppression training.
“I don't think asking for training on how to do your job is unreasonable. It's the kind of thing you'd expect from any professional workplace,” said Todd.
CUPE’s proposals also include paid family medical leave, preference to Indigenous applicants for positions in the Indigenous Studies Program and protection against tuition increases.
According to Todd, the proposals that the university put forward during the Nov. 5 meeting did not speak to enough of the priorities that CUPE had raised. He also said the university’s proposals included concessions, where the employer takes back gains that had been made through bargaining in previous years.
“Those are the two things that we asked them to do at the end of the last negotiations to keep negotiations forward, because we can't accept a contract that has concessions,” said Todd.
McMaster representatives have not commented on the details of their proposed bargaining agreements.
In a historic vote on Sept. 26, 87 per cent of CUPE’s unit 1 membership voted to authorize a strike. The positive strike vote allows the bargaining team to call a strike if they are unsatisfied with the deal that the university offers them during negotiations.
After another unsuccessful bargaining meeting on Nov. 5, CUPE announced that they are inching ever closer to declaring a strike.
Gord Arbeau, director of communications at McMaster, said that in the case of a strike, the university would remain open and exams would still be scheduled. He stated that the university is undergoing contingency planning to determine how to mitigate the impacts of a potential strike, but did not elaborate on what these strategies would entail.
McMaster has an existing policy that outlines the rights and responsibilities of undergraduate students in the case of work stoppages. According to the policy, undergraduate students are entitled to withdraw from academic activities during a work stoppage, and cannot be penalized academically for doing so. However, they still must meet course requirements, and have the right to extended deadlines, make-up assignments and other alternative arrangements. Furthermore, students who feel that the disruption has unreasonably affected their grades may submit appeals.
A strike would also have significant effects on TAs and RAs. According to Todd, if a strike were initiated, unit 1 members would stop receiving payment and some benefits from the university. Striking members would cease duties related to their employment, including tutorials, labs, grading and email correspondence with students. However, unit 1 members would be eligible for strike pay. CUPE 3906 offers $15 an hour of tax-free strike pay to striking members for 20 hours a week, which amounts to up to $300 a week.
On Nov. 18 and 19, CUPE 3906 will meet with university representatives for a mediation session in a final attempt to negotiate a collective agreement. If they are unable to reach a deal, CUPE 3906 will be in a position to call a strike.
According to Arbeau, the university is hopeful about the upcoming meeting.
“We remain hopeful that an agreement that is responsible and reflective of the important work that the membership does [and] hopeful that an agreement can be reached without a work stoppage,” he said.
CUPE 3906 also hopes to come to a fair deal in order to avoid a strike.
In a statement from Nov. 9, CUPE 3906 wrote “We remain eager to reach a fair agreement that reflects your priorities ahead of this deadline, and hopeful that the employer’s entire bargaining team will come to the table on the 19th ready to do the same.”
By Sarah Homsi, Contributor
cw: homophobia
As vibrant, red poppies take residence on jackets and over people’s hearts, they act as a solemn symbol to remind us of those who have fallen during times of war.
This year, the lead up to Remembrance Day feels different. My various social media platforms have been overwhelmed with people disputing the rainbow poppy. Some are seething over its alleged disrespect to the symbolic and traditional red poppy, as they believe that breaking the tradition of having a red poppy, which represents remembrance and peace, will dishonour our veterans. Meanwhile, others are applauding its inclusion of a historically persecuted group, because it recognizes the 2SLGBTQ+ veterans that have fought for us. The Internet has not been this divided since the white/gold versus blue/black dress fiasco of 2016. As is the case for most viral internet debates, misinformation is being spread.
Never seen something so disrespectful in all my days, What does LGBTQ have to do with the war? Red represents Blood, Black represents widows and loved ones, Green represents land the blood was spilled on.
NEVER change the poppy. What right do you have?
Fuck your Rainbow Poppy. pic.twitter.com/TKwYrOgtFX
— Brooke💋 (@BrookeCutler_) November 3, 2019
The heteros are cool with white poppies for peace and purple poppies for animals but god forbid there’s one rainbow poppy in honour of the lgbt soldiers that died for this country. Smells like homophobia to me
— ella (@womeninmvsic) November 4, 2019
Images can often convey news faster than words. The image of the rainbow poppy that has been circulating online, a grainy yet colourful enamel pin on a black background, was taken from a UK-based seller’s eBay page. This seller has been selling the item for many years but has since taken it down due to the controversy.
As many of us have borne witness to people getting in heated debates over the rainbow poppy, ask yourself if you have actually seen anyone donning it. While people have been fervently accusing members of the 2SLBGTQ+ community of pushing the “gay” agenda, it should be noted that the rainbow poppy was never part of any sort of campaign from members of this community. Rather, it was something being sold on eBay that Twitter discovered, which resulted in arguments on what is the most appropriate way to honour our veterans.
Regardless of whether or not the rainbow poppy was put forward to be distributed and worn in November — even though they were not made with the intention of being widely distributed and worn — one cannot ignore the hate that was spread as a result of this dispute. Those adamantly opposed to the rainbow poppy seem to be using it as an opportunity to condemn the 2SLGBTQ+ community, promoting a fictitious narrative that there was actually a plan to make rainbow poppies a mainstay.
https://twitter.com/19Warrior85/status/1191332761208053760
Apparently, anything other than a red poppy is disrespectful to some, despite the existence of purple, white and black poppies, all holding a different meaning. Those arguing against red poppies are implying that representation has no place when we honour those who have fought. A lot of the arguments made against the rainbow poppy were instances of homophobia, masked under the guise of saying these arguments were intended to respect the vets. Some people have made it very clear that they can pick and choose which lives to honour, and which to not.
Whether or not you support the existence of a rainbow poppy, we should all take the time to reflect on why we remember, as well as refrain from propagating hate rooted in baseless claims. Remembrance Day is about remembering those who risked their lives for our country, but we must also remember the groups our history textbooks often don’t cover. Their lives have just as much meaning. Additionally, we should all reflect on how quickly we share random images on social media without giving them a second thought.
Photo C/O Catherine Goce
On Sept. 22, the Student Representative Assembly voted to de-ratify the McMaster Chinese Students and Scholars Association due to concerns that the club’s actions had endangered members of the community. An investigation by the Silhouette has found that there had been several instances of miscommunication in the months leading up to the de-ratification.
During the summer, the Student Representative Assembly were under the impression that MAC CSSA would be under probation during the 2019-2020 academic year. However, this was not the case. Miscommunication between members of the SRA and some MSU staff members led to MAC CSSA being ratified as an MSU club on July 21 without first being placed on probation. On Sept. 22, MAC CSSA was de-ratified due to reasons unrelated to this miscommunication.
Every summer, the Clubs Administrator provides the SRA with a list of groups to recommend for MSU club status, highlighting any groups that require additional monitoring. On June 18, Clubs Administrator Aditi Sharma released a memo that recommended 327 student groups for MSU club status. The memo drew attention to two McMaster clubs: MAC CSSA and LifeLine.
“Two returning clubs (CSSA & Lifeline) are marked with a double asterisk (**) which indicates certain issues that came up during the year and supplemental details for those issues,” Sharma states in the memo.
The supplemental details that Sharma was referring to, titled “Clubs Ratification Supplemental Info #2 - CSSA and Lifeline”, provides some background on the clubs. It highlights concerns that members of MAC CSSA had endangered an activist who spoke on campus about human rights issues for Uighur Muslims in China on Feb. 11. The document gives no indication that MAC CSSA was to be put on probation.
Putting a club on probation allows the MSU to monitor the group’s activities and evaluate the need for further disciplinary action. According to the MSU Clubs Operating Policy, if clubs are found guilty of certain offenses, they may be placed on a period of probation. During this period, the club is required to report all future events and meetings to the Clubs Administrator. If the club is found to violate the rules again, it is subject to disciplinary action.
During the June 23 SRA meeting, a motion was put forward to ratify new and returning MSU clubs as recommended by the Clubs Administrator for the 2019-2020 academic year. An amendment to this motion was put forward to ratify all clubs with the exception of MAC CSSA, McMaster Chinese News Network, McMaster Chinese Graduate Students Society and McMaster Chinese Professional Association. A motion to postpone this discussion to the July 21 SRA meeting was passed 19-1, citing the need for more information.
On July 21, the SRA voted 17-1 to ratify all new and returning MSU clubs as recommended by the Clubs Administrator for the 2019-2020 academic year. MAC CSSA was ratified without any probationary period, since the Clubs Administrator had not recommended that they be placed on probation.
Email correspondence in preparation for an SRA meeting almost two weeks later indicated that there was an assumption that MAC CSSA had been placed on probation. In reality, however, nowhere do the meeting minutes state that MAC CSSA had been placed on probation.
On Aug. 12, Administrative Services Coordinator Victoria Scott sent an email to an SRA member in which she mistakenly stated that MAC CSSA was on probation.
“. . .I can tell you now that the Chinese Students and Scholars Association’s ratification was contingent on providing outstanding information, plus they are on probation for six months,” said Scott in her email.
“One more clarification! They are on probation, but there wasn’t a time set,” Scott clarified through a second email that she sent the same day.
Both clarifications were incorrect.
“In my August 12 email to [an SRA member], I incorrectly referenced a memo from the Clubs Department that was circulated in June to the SRA,” said Scott, when asked by the Silhouette on Nov. 5 where she obtained the information on CSSA’s probation.
Neither MAC CSSA’s probation nor the length of time for a probationary period are mentioned in the Clubs Department’s June memo.
On Aug. 14, an SRA member, who asked to remain anonymous, sent an email to MSU President Josh Marando to clarify MAC CSSA’s privileges including their access to MSU resources and the club’s ability to attend ClubsFest.
“Towards the end of our meeting [on Aug. 13], I believe [one SRA member] had asked about the BoD [Board of Directors] about the current situation with [MAC] CSSA, to which they replied that as of now, the CSSA does not have access to MSU resources . . .” said the SRA member in the email.
“I know the end of the SRA meeting got quite confusing, I was confused as well so I apologize for that. [MAC] CSSA is currently under probation this year, which means they must keep clubs admin informed of all events they hold, are watched more closely, and will face serious consequences in the instance of another infraction,” replied Marando over email.
It is unclear whether both the SRA member and Marando are referring to an informal meeting, or whether records of this meeting are missing from the August 13 SRA meeting minutes, as this was an emergency meeting called to revoke the Dominion’s Society club status.
Almost three weeks later, on Sept. 3, the same SRA member sent a follow-up email regarding MAC CSSA’s supposed probation, which both Scott and Marando had confirmed earlier via email.
“I wanted to ask — why exactly was the CSSA put on probation? I’m not sure if I missed it, but I don’t think it was ever clear about the reason behind this [decision],” asked the SRA member. “In addition, I don’t believe that there is actually any explicit record of the CSSA being disciplined.”
“I believe the terms this year are that all events go through the Clubs Administrator as well as conditions surrounding ratification should they breach policy this year. That said, I don’t fully know,” replied Marando, offering to check and meet with the Clubs Department after ClubsFest.
After at least one month of miscommunication, on Sept. 13, Marando clarified that the Clubs Department had recommended LifeLine to be ratified contingent on a probationary period, but had not recommended this for MAC CSSA.
“I am still following up with the minutes of the meeting as they haven’t been released yet, so I would interpret it as LifeLine’s probation still stands, but the CSSA one should be put forward again [...] Again, I’m still confirming to be 100%, but I would say it’s probably best to go ahead and put forward the CSSA probation motion again at the September 22 [SRA] meeting,” clarified Marando in his email on Sept. 13.
In an SRA Facebook group message following the Sept. 22 SRA meeting, Marando acknowledged the miscommunication surrounding MAC CSSA’s probation and apologized for the confusion.
“Regarding the confusion and mistakes made regarding the CSSA not being informed at the meeting and the initial probation. Overall, both are big oversites [sic], but please understand that they were not intentional by any means and we have put plans to ensure they do not happen again,” said Marando in the Facebook chat.
When asked about this miscommunication at the Nov. 3 SRA meeting, Marando stated that he believed everyone on the SRA was under the impression that the Club Department’s recommendation of probation applied to MAC CSSA, as well as LifeLine.
“It was really a procedural error,” said Marando.
This was the first time that he publicly acknowledged the issue of miscommunication pertaining to the CSSA’s supposed probation.
“Trying to rectify moving forward in terms of making sure that motions are more specific when it comes to ratifying clubs also, we are doing a full review of the clubs application process through our Internal Governance committee,” said Marando.
In the President’s Report, Marando states that club policy review is ongoing.
“Overall, I am hoping to have a bulk of the policy writing time in December, with conversations happening during November. We are looking at how funding works, improvements to [re-ratifications], how and who ratifies clubs, the Club Executive Council, and what qualifies a recognized club,” stated Marando in the report.
Time will tell the impact any changes made to club policies will have on future communication within the MSU.
Space, the final frontier — these are the words uttered by television’s space captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the starship Enterprise-D. Star Trek nurtured the world’s passion for space exploration, inspiring awe and wonder about the dark abyss that surrounds us. We exist in this unknown under the twinkling lights of the stars, in the midst of the slow harmonious orbit of planets dancing to the music of outer space.
Back on Earth, Kronos String Quartet is playing along to this music. For David Harrington, founder and violinist of the group, music is as mysterious as space.
“To me music is a very personal, it’s almost human substance that we create for each other. We get to share it with each other. As a musician, all it means is that from a very early age, that’s what you wanted to have around you all the time, but it’s a mystery. How it works? I cannot tell you. I do not know. I’m in awe of music,” said Harrington.
Growing up in Seattle, Washington, Harrington started forming string quartets — a group of four musicians comprising of violin, viola, cello and bass — when he was 12 years old. When he turned 14, something did not make sense to him. He looked at the globe that sat in his family home and realized that all of the music he played and listened to were by the same people out of Vienna: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0CQHpQAXKr/
“The globe has more cities and religions. I needed to explore the world of music. That started me on a voyage that I continue to this very day of wanting to know more of music, more about cultures, languages, religions, traditions and forms of music,” said Harrington.
“The globe has more cities and religions. I needed to explore the world of music. That started me on a voyage that I continue to this very day of wanting to know more of music, more about cultures, languages, religions, traditions and forms of music,” said Harrington.
Growing up towards the end of the 1960s, the U.S.-Vietnam war shook American values and left a long lasting impression on Harrington. He and his wife left the United States in 1972 in fear that he would be drafted for the war. Signing a one-year contract with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Harrington played in British Columbia until returning to his home one year later.
“[The war] influences all of us a great deal . . . I feel like Kronos was created in 1973 in the shadow of that war . . . The idea that music can be an essential aspect of life and even a counterbalance to events and can actually become a way of responding and even countering directions that things are moving in. That’s right at the heart of why we started this group,” said Harrington.
Kronos String Quartet is based out of San Francisco, California. Harrington has been at the helm of the group as a violin player ever since its inception in November of 1973. The group’s other members are John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola) and Sunny Yang (cello), who play together to form a dynamic mix of stringed voices.
The quartet will be performing “Sun Rings” composed by Terry Riley, a friend of the group. The idea for the piece came in 2000 when Harrington’s manager received a phone call from NASA. NASA asked if the group would be interested in using recordings from the Voyager space probes, which were launched to conduct close-up studies of Jupiter and Saturn. While space itself does not emit noise, plasma waves can be recorded via a receptor and transposed into sound waves, producing audible noise.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzt_t_UAtt6/
After hearing the recording, Harrington quickly called Riley to ask him to compose a piece that complimented the music of space. However when disaster struck on Sept. 11, 2001, Riley stopped composing and reconsidered the entire piece. He rewrote “Sun Rings” as a musical response to 9/11, finishing the piece in 2002.
The composer knew that somehow he wanted to integrate the pain he was feeling into the music. In the performance’s final song entitled “One Earth, One People, One Love”, Riley used voice recordings of poet Alice Walker as she chants “One Earth, one people, one love”. Riley recorded Walker during a demonstration following the 9/11 terror attack the day before.
The composer knew that somehow he wanted to integrate the pain he was feeling into the music. In the performance’s final song entitled “One Earth, One People, One Love”, Riley used voice recordings of poet Alice Walker as she chants “One Earth, one people, one love”.
Riley also used audio recordings of Gene Cernan, the most recent astronaut to walk on the moon. Cenran’s voice can be heard at the opening of the piece as he says, “You have to literally just pinch yourself and ask yourself the question, silently, 'Do you really know where you are at this point in time in space and in reality and in existence, when you look out the window, and you're looking back at the most beautiful star in the heavens?’” This was Cernan’s testament to the beauty of Earth.
“We hope that “Sun Rings” as an experience will radiate out into the community, through the audience, through the choir that joins us, through all of us,” said Harrington.
Kronos String Quartet brings a unique performance to McMaster, not only through the music involved, but also through the message that they convey. The piece was created to instill hope and bring the world together during a time where many felt isolated. Combining these ideas with the vast unknown that is outer space, the piece emphasizes the unity of humankind.
“I think that my allowing Sun Rings to enter your life, I think a person will find a larger sense of appreciation for what we have right here, right now,” said Harrington. “Music is very mysterious, we never know when we will connect with another listener . . . it just gives more of a sense of wonder and wonder is such a beautiful thing.”
Kronos String Quartet will be playing “Sun Rings” (T. Riley) accompanied by the McMaster University and Women’s Choirs on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. and on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. in L.R. Wilson Concert Hall as a part of The Socrates Project.
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Photo C/O Kyle West
On Nov. 3, the Student Representative Assembly rejected the McMaster Chinese Student and Scholars Association’s appeal to have their club re-ratified.
The SRA passed a motion on Sept. 22 to de-ratify MAC CSSA for violating section 5.1.3 of the Clubs Operating Policy by endangering student safety. This decision was partly based on evidence documents and a student testimony provided at the meeting. The evidence claims that MAC CSSA had surveilled and harassed the speaker of a Feb. 11 event, which discussed the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Western China.
Most of the meeting was spent on a presentation from the CSSA’s legal council, Samantha Wu, and a question and answer period. Wu, on behalf of MAC CSSA, requested that the SRA reconsider its decision to de-ratify the club.
“The CSSA is a McMaster University club with thousands of members. It has benefited numerous newly arrived international students in the McMaster community for 35 years. The club organizes events celebrating Chinese holidays, food and performances as part of McMaster’s diverse community,” said Wu in her presentation.
During the Sept. 22 meeting where the SRA de-ratified MAC CSSA, the SRA presented what they believed to be evidence in support of MAC CSSA’s connection with the Chinese government. This evidence came from a 2018 report from the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The U.S. report stated that CSSAs across the U.S. have governmental ties with Chinese embassies and consulates, noting that similar operations could be taking place in US-allied countries.
While SRA’s final motion to de-ratify MAC CSSA did not point to governmental ties as a factor in the SRA’s decision, Wu discussed concerns raised about MAC CSSA in the SRA evidence report.
Wu refuted allegations that MAC CSSA had reported on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, stating that communication occurred between MAC CSSA and the Chinese consulate to raise awareness of consulate services.
“[The CSSA] has not informed on, and will not inform on any McMaster students or events critical to the Chinese government … the CSSA is an independent McMaster club and is unaffiliated with other CSSAs or the Chinese government,” said Wu at the SRA meeting.
In response to questions that the SRA sent to MAC CSSA on Oct. 8, MAC CSSA sent the MSU speaker a document of their answers on Oct. 27. In this document, MAC CSSA denied that Chinese authorities played a role in the club’s membership, elections, meetings and other activities.
MAC CSSA stated that Chinese consulate officials have attended informal MAC CSSA events.
“Recently, for example, MAC CSSA club organized an informal event that occurred on September 2, 2019. During this event, two Chinese consulate officials visited the McMaster campus to meet briefly with new international Chinese students attending McMaster to discuss adjusting to living in Canada,” wrote MAC CSSA in response to the SRA’s questions.
Wu claimed that the decision to de-ratify MAC CSSA was based on procedural unfairness, as the SRA failed to follow the procedures outlined in the MSU Clubs Operating Policy.
She also argued that the decision to de-ratify MAC CSSA violated the MSU Clubs Operating Policy, referencing sections 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 in the Clubs Operating Policy. The policy states that the Clubs Administrator may sanction an MSU club, and in the event of a more serious infraction the CEC may decide on a more severe punishment. According to Wu, this procedure never took place.
However, “Clubs Operating Policy section 5.3.2 is in reference to disbandment, not deratification, though it should be noted that the disbandment is subject to SRA final approval as SRA is the only body that can ratify the decision to disband the club,” according to a document titled “CSSA Statement,” dated Nov. 3.
At the Nov. 3 SRA meeting, MSU President Josh Marando clarified that all clubs are contingent on SRA ratification when asked by The Silhouette if the decision to de-ratify MAC CSSA followed the Club Operating Policy.
Marando also added there is no policy that states an appeal process for de-ratification is mandatory.
“The SRA decided to grant an appeal process in this case to ensure that the CSSA has the opportunity to present their side of the story,” said Marando.
Despite the time spent considering MAC CSSA’s alleged connection to the Chinese government, this was not a part of the final motion to de-ratify the club. The final de-ratification motion was based on the concern that actions taken by MAC CSSA members had endangered members of the McMaster community.
On Feb. 13, MAC CSSA was among the signatories of a letter that accused the event of publicizing national hatred. The letter stated that signatories had contacted the Chinese consulate in Toronto about the Feb. 11 event discussing the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Western China.
The SRA deemed the act of contacting the consulate to be dangerous. Citing a report from Human Rights watch, members raised concerns that students’ safety could have been jeopardized if the Chinese consulate found out that they attended the event.
When asked about whether they played a role in releasing the Feb. 13 statement and contacting the Chinese Consulate, MAC CSSA claimed that a McMaster alum, who was not currently a member of MAC CSSA, had contacted the consulate on Feb. 11. In addition, they claim that the same alum prepared and obtained consent from the then-president of MAC CSSA to place the club’s name on the Feb. 13 statement.
Even though they deny having contacted the consulate, MAC CSSA admits that they signed the letter.
“MAC CSSA agreed to place its name on the Statement out of concern for the safety of McMaster students and in order to exercise MAC CSSA members’ freedom of expression rights. By signing the Statement, there was no intention by MAC CSSA to censor or intimidate anyone in the McMaster community,” MAC CSSA wrote in their answers to SRA questions.
During the Nov. 3 SRA meeting, the SRA denied MAC CSSA’s appeal to reconsider the club’s de-ratification.
“The main sentiment coming out is that regardless of intent, we are talking about the actual action and that we are upholding the decision that we’ve made because students have come forward and said they feel unsafe,” stated VP (Education) Shemar Hackett.
By Taylor Johnston, Contributor
We are currently within one of the greatest eras for technology. Many jobs are becoming automated, there are online-only industries and our cell phones are so multiuse that they can act as a small computer. The appeal of online education and the concept of going “paperless” has been rising based on its flexibility and cheaper costs. Some universities are even introducing online degrees. However, is it all as amazing as it seems?
There are two types of online education: self-paced and structured. Self-paced gives all the course content to the student at once, but it must be completed within a certain number of months. Therefore, the student can work as quickly or leisurely as they like. There are ministry high school programs such as those taken through the Independent Learning Centre that have adopted this self-paced format and have been proven to be very efficient, which has been attributed to allowing students can learn at their own pace.
While structured education is also a common method of online teaching, it can also present more flaws. A structured online course attempts to mimic in-class courses by giving students access to content material on a week by week basis. While some students may like structured learning to help them stay on track of class, it can also be less beneficial for many students, as it doesn’t give the student the freedom of learning at their own pace. As a result, structured learning can add stress for students who like to learn at a different pace than the one that the course is providing.
Many Ontario universities offer select elective courses in the online-structured format, which hold many attractive qualities in terms of flexibility and the opportunity for another in-class course to be added to a student's schedule. However, do the pros of online education outweigh the cons?
One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors. This may have you thinking, “In non-online classes I am just one student in a lecture hall with hundreds of others, and there is not that much opportunity for a one-on-one relationship anyways. Wouldn’t online courses be the same?” However, even the experience of going to lectures holds an added level of value as you get to hear the “in the moment” thoughts and opinions of your professor that are otherwise non-existent in most online courses and degrees.
One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors.
Furthermore, in-person education usually gives more opportunities for office hours where students’ questions can be asked and answered. The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations. Although some people may find office hours to be a waste of time, other students find them very beneficial to their education and learning and unfortunately, you cannot get that from online education.
The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations.
Online education provides the opportunity to access education regardless of how far away you live from university. However, the benefits of in-person schooling still outweighs the online system due to the added benefits of being able to physically interact with your professors. With in-person courses, you are able to talk to classmates and meet others, which can be a huge benefit to your learning. Still, it is important to recognize that as students, we can still reap the benefits of online education as it provides a bridge for those who are unable to physically attend lectures.
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cw: this article references eating disorders/disordered eating
Body Brave Canada is a charitable organization that provides resources and support for individuals struggling with eating disorders/disordered eating. On Nov. 10, they will be holding a Book Swap at The Spice Factory (121 Hughson St. North) in order to being the community together and raise awareness about their work. There will be a reading by local author Anne Bokma for her new book, “My Year of Living Spiritually: From Woo-Woo to Wonderful” and a pop-up shop for the body-positive clothing brand Mettamade.
Julie Shea, the chair of Body Brave’s Board of Directors, says that she hopes the event will help people realize how important it is to have adequate resources for eating disorders/disordered eating.
“Eating disorders are sometimes not given the validation that they need to have. They’re a very serious mental health disorder and I don’t think enough people realize how serious and prevalent they are, and that they have a 10% mortality rate. This is in our community. There are people dying in our community, there are people suffering in our community, and there are no resources,” said Shea.
Body Brave Canada seeks to fill the gap left by traditional health care. They offer a number of accessible options and resources, both in-person and online.
Mettamade is a manifestation of the good work Body Brave has done for the community. It was created by mother-daughter duo Carol Davies and Morgan MacDonald, both of whom have worked with Body Brave in the past. They create clothing that is more forgiving for people who struggle to shop and find clothes that fit. They have designed a sizing system based around gemstones instead of numbers. Rather than a size eight or a medium, you might be a topaz. The fabric is bamboo-spandex, making it both comfortable and sustainable.
“When you wear them it’s like giving yourself self-compassion,” said Davies.
Mettamade frequently collaborates with Body Brave and donates a portion of their sales to the organization. For the Book Swap, 50 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to Body Brave.
“We’re giving back to a group that was instrumental in my daughter’s recovery,” said Davies.
Mettamade was in part created to make more forgiving clothes for MacDonald while she was struggling with an eating disorder. It was during that time that she and Davies started to work with Body Brave. MacDonald wasn’t able to find resources elsewhere, but Body Brave helped her.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4j2oHtHiCo/
The Book Swap takes place this Sunday Nov. 10 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at The Spice Factory. Tickets are $20 each. Bring five books with you and take five away. If you are interested in supporting Mettamade, they have a few pop-up shops coming up this month and a brick-and-mortar store in Westdale.
“We need people to know we’re here, and to support the cause,” said Shea.
To find out more about Body Brave Canada, you can take a look at their website or drop by the Book Swap. If you or someone that you care about is struggling with disordered eating and are not sure where to turn, reach out.
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By Kayla Freeman, Contributor
University is hard, no doubt about it. With the constant stress that many students face, it is easy to see why they may look for easier and less strenuous classes when possible. This is where “bird courses” come into play. The idea surrounding these types of subjects is that one can fly through the course with little to no effort to achieve relatively high marks, such as an 11 or 12.
In reality, bird courses do not exist. Being successful in a course is largely dependent on the skills of individual students, their timetable, their motivation or their effort. To be fair, the harshness of a teaching assistant’s grading or a professor’s teaching style are among other contributing factors that can affect your mark. However, these issues are generally consistent across all courses.
Being successful in a course is largely dependent on the skills of individual students, their timetable, their motivation or their effort.
Courses in certain faculties have become associated with easier courses or workloads. Faculties such as humanities and social sciences are often the faculties that are considered to have a greater proportion of “bird courses” including courses such as microeconomics or medical terminology. This brings a negative attitude towards students and staff in certain faculties or programs. For example, students that are in a class for personal interest may feel that their efforts are worth less if they are investing time and effort into a course with a bird reputation. In a society centred around those in the fields of science and engineering, faculties such as the humanities and social sciences are often belittled and have their legitimacy second-guessed.
Faculties such as humanities and social sciences are often the faculties that are considered to have a greater proportion of “bird courses” including courses such as microeconomics or medical terminology.
Being a part of the social science faculty, I can tell you about the effects that the perception surrounding bird courses or even “bird programs” have on other students. For example, many current students in social science transferred into the program after their first year, which is perceived by some as a step-down from programs in science or engineering. This is disheartening for people that worked hard to get to where they are, who are enjoying their courses, and/or who continue to strive to maintain a high GPA in their program. It almost creates this hierarchy among different faculties, giving other students the idea that social science courses are not as worthy or respectable compared to others.
Some students choose to take bird courses only because they have heard that it will be easy. What they may have failed to consider is that if these courses are from a different faculty, they will likely be taught in a completely different manner than what students are used to. This, along with a disinterest in course material may result in poor performance. For these reasons, bird courses typically have low class participation and general class morale. There is no inherent problem in seeking out less taxing courses based on your own preferences and strengths. Some students may pursue this in order to balance challenging mandatory requirements. However, looking down on others and assuming their intentions and capabilities based on the courses they take is not okay, as it promotes a negative mentality and division among students and faculties.
For these reasons, bird courses typically have low class participation and general class morale.
People might be less likely to engage in the course content or with their fellow classmates if they view that the course is beneath them or an easy A. Rather than focusing on the bird-related differences between programs, I believe that everyone should simply embrace the variations that are inherent to each program. Within the same course, some students will struggle and others may not, but those who struggle will likely face difficulty in other courses.
Each program and faculty offers unique skills and abilities that can provide students with benefits across many disciplines. As each course has something different to offer, we may as well slow down and try to appreciate and understand the content rather than fly through it.
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Cycling zealots are once again calling for an upheaval of the streets — or, at least that’s what anti-bike lane proponents say. McMaster cycling advocates and experts tell a different story.
Despite claims of a “war on cars” and swarms of cyclists taking over the street, cities across Ontario largely rely on road sharing instead of developing robust cycling infrastructure. Yet Kate Whalen, senior manager of McMaster’s academic sustainability programs, says that cycling is sustainable and promotes individual and community health. Unless the city prioritizes the development of cycling infrastructure, potential cyclists will continue to be deterred by dangerous roads that aren’t built with alternative modes of transport in mind.
Cycling in Hamilton is growing fast but the city isn’t keeping up. The Cannon Street bike lanes are the city’s largest endeavor into creating infrastructure for cyclists. According to a 2018 CBC news article, the bike lanes attracted significant ridership. In 2015, the Cannon lanes had 75 daily trips, which grew to 396 in 2017.
While ridership is up, the Cannon lanes have some glaring faults. What is perhaps the most advanced network of bike lanes in the city, outside of multi-use trails, has lanes that are still not up to par. Cannon is a highly used road for cars, especially during rush hour. Cyclists have reported obstructed cycling lanes, pointing out an infamous corner often blocked by transport trucks. Construction projects often close the bike lanes, meaning that frequent road repair interferes with the free flow of bike traffic.
Fundamentally, the Cannon lanes are built around a road made for cars. The lanes were placed on the street as a quick solution for a mutli-faceted problem.
David Zaslavsky, director of MSU Macycle said, “I think that I’m not alone in saying that most infrastructure is built without cyclists in mind, it’s kind of an afterthought. There’s no real actually effective bike protection and bike lanes short of completely separated paths like the rail trail.”
“I think that I’m not alone in saying that most infrastructure is built without cyclists in mind, it’s kind of an afterthought."
https://twitter.com/RyanMcGreal/status/1176591645212585991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The lack of consistency in bike lanes is also a problem. While the Cannon lanes offer a direct route from East to West, other routes are lacking. Islands of bike networks are created within the city without much interconnection. For example, while the Cootes bike path is likely the best in the city, it connects to Main Street — every cyclists nightmare.
Main Street is the most direct link between the East and West quarters of the city. But only cars can feel confident on the Main street highway. This street is just another example of the difficulties that bike commuters face in the city. There are bike lanes in some areas but not others, poorly integrated lanes that make turns difficult and, not to mention, high speed traffic which poses a real threat to cyclists without a protective lane barrier.
Still, infrastructure is only one part of the problem. Sharing the road can only go so far in a culture built around cars. Robust infrastructure changes need to come with a culture shift that encourages alternative transportation, especially active transportation like biking and walking.
As advocates encourage the city to improve conditions for cyclists, some have seen changes, especially for students. Ward 1, the ward in which McMaster university is located, has the potential to lead the city towards multi-modal and active transport. Maureen Wilson, the ward 1 city councillor, met with bike advocates in September 2019 to discuss York Boulevard and Queen Street. The latter street has had multiple accidents, prompting city officials to convert the popular street from a one-way street to a two-way street. This change will make room for improvements for pedestrians and cyclists as the city builds new infrastructure.
Cycle Hamilton & Ward 1 meeting to discuss: a) Queen Street conversion & cycle crossings. b) York Blvd pic.twitter.com/y7friVhmNw
— Maureen Wilson (She / Her) (@ward1wilson) September 30, 2019
Elise Desjardins, a McMaster graduate student and cycling advocate, said, “The city has been very engaged with the community around cycling infrastructure by providing opportunities for people to weigh in.”
Even with the city’s proposed improvements, Desjardins and Zaslavsky agree: Hamilton needs to look Eastward. European cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen offer a guide for what bike infrastructure could be. Desjardins wants to see the city work towards bike lanes that are fully separated and that leave room for cyclists to engage with their community and feel safe.
“I always like when bike lanes have a lot of trees beside them. I think that extra buffer — that general sense of friendliness on a street — is always really wonderful,” said Desjardins.
Zaslavsky agrees that fully separated lanes can make new and experienced cyclists alike feel more safe commuting.
“A lot of research has shown that the main reason people don’t bike is that, aside from accessibility to a bike — which is a lot better in Hamilton than other places — is that they don’t feel safe.”
Hamilton, a mild-winter city with the same metro-area population as Winnipeg, currently has zero (0) physically protected bike lanes. https://t.co/66GboO6OpT
— McMaster Librarians (@MUALA_CA) September 19, 2019
Whalen describes the difference between real and perceived safety and why they both matter. Feelings of safety and actual risk management measures both impact cyclists’ experience. A painted line on the road doesn’t do much to make cyclists feel safe.
As Whalen said, “When you put a concrete barrier with a little patch of grass between the 1000 pound fast moving vehicles and the vulnerable user of transportation, that changes the game.”
“When you put a concrete barrier with a little patch of grass between the 1000 pound fast moving vehicles and the vulnerable user of transportation, that changes the game.”
It changes the game for specific groups of people too. Women, elderly and low-income community members rely on alternative modes of transportation. Transit, especially active transit, has real implications for these groups. It may not seem like it, but a concrete barrier is about equity.
“We can’t be building transportation systems that prioritize the ability for one type of person to get around more than others,” said Whalen.
“We can’t be building transportation systems that prioritize the ability for one type of person to get around more than others,”
Transportation justice is often left out of the discussion. Transportation justice highlights that we don’t just use transportation to get around. We also use it as a way to access resources. Transportation is necessary for community members to access basic needs, social interaction, health care and more.
“We have demographics that are to a certain extent socially isolated because there are certain seasons where they just cannot get around. We know that about 30% of any one community doesn’t drive due to age, financial ability, or physical ability. How are they getting around if they can’t drive? And sometimes as bus isn’t an option either,” Whalen said.
Beyond safety and equity, Whalen also wants people to enjoy how they get around. When infrastructure supports it, walking and cycling can bring a sense of community, safety and joy. While cars do have a certain amount of joy for commuters, public transit doesn’t keep up. When Whalen switched from a car to a bike, she realized that she was able to be a more engaged member of her community. Biking increased her social interaction which led her to research the topic. And the numbers back it up: cycling can be an enjoyable experience with opportunities for community engagement.
Desjardins agrees, noting that there isn’t actually much of a negative impact of bike lanes. Arguments against additional infrastructure often cite road congestion or a lack of rule enforcement for cyclists. These concerns don’t quite check out, though. While protected lanes might impact how quickly cars can get through an intersection, roads only show a limited picture. Road safety and cars’ impact on the environment also needs to be taken into consideration, not to mention the traffic that cyclists bring to local businesses.
“People care about the environmental impact of traffic and single-occupancy vehicles,” says Desjardins. “They care about their health, their care about their kids getting out to their neighbourhood and not being confined to a car. Cyclists care a lot about their community. And they show up to things where they have an opportunity to weigh in and make it better.”
With rising cycling numbers the city needs to do better to make room for bikes on the road. Car-focused streets negatively impact the Hamilton community, while bikes open up possibilities for community members to connect with the people and businesses around them. Looking forward, advocates agree: move over cars, pedal powered transportation is taking the lane.
