By: Natalie Clark
In 2017, McMaster partnered with the My Lil’ HealthBot startup to provide students on campus with all of their various drugstore needs.
Stocked with Advil, shampoo and various other drugstore essentials, McMaster’s own personal care product vending machine, My Lil’ HealthBot “Marie,” located in Mary Keyes Residence, achieves a solid seven to 10 sales a week.
Two years later, My Lil’ HealthBot has expanded their market, grown their e-commerce capability, streamlined their product mix and improved their brand positioning and message.
“We have provided relief to over 10,000 university students across Canada and soon we will be launching in the United States,” said My My Lil’ HealthBot co-founder Tim Decker.
Aside from the obvious improvements that the company has accomplished, they also hope to introduce a new program to their roster.
“The only other place to obtain items sold by the vending machine are in the drugstore in [McMaster University Student Centre], which is closed in the evenings and on weekends, and the closest Shoppers for McMaster students is in Westdale or on Main Street West,” said Raj Vansia, a McMaster student who represents the company on campus.
“We hope to increase the availability of necessary products for McMaster students while still being able to provide great service,” said Vansia. “This is the main reason for us to try out the dorm room delivery pilot at McMaster, which would allow for delivery anywhere on campus within 20 minutes of any products in our HealthBots bought online.”
The My Lil’ HealthBot dorm room delivery program will be test launching on March 16 and will last 24 hours. The program is slated to gauge the demand from students to have products delivered to them for an extra fee.
“One of the benefits of our HealthBots being on campus is we provide a 24/7 solution to life’s headaches. However, what if you could have our products delivered to you in 20 mins or less for only an extra $3.99 on your order,” said Decker.
The company will be experimenting with this idea to see if there is demand to provide extra convenience to students.
“To use dorm room delivery, a student simply visits our website and ‘checks out’ normally, and for a delivery option they choose ‘Dorm Room Delivery,” explained Decker.
Due to dorm room security restrictions, products will be delivered to the lobby of McMaster residences.
The program’s trial test will allow the company to grasp how many students are interested in this new service.
“We have heard lots of great feedback from students. We are passionate about the way we have provided an option for easier access to very important products,” said Decker, who is confident about the positive impact that My Lil’ Heathbots have had on campus.
According to Decker and Vansia, My Lil’ HealthBot makes it easier for students on campus to access their drugstore needs.
“We strive to ensure that students should only have to focus on school while they are at school, rather than on how they will go about buying the necessities they need,” said Vansia.
With the vending machines already making their mark on the McMaster campus, Decker and Vansia are hopeful that the dorm room delivery program will be successful.
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Every so often, students walking through the McMaster University Student Centre are met with faces of The Beatles, large maps of the world and even prints of Banksy’s most popular works.
The Imaginus poster sale, which has been touring Canadian university and college campuses since 1975, is a staple of the university experience. It is not uncommon to see their posters plastered over the walls of dorms and off-campus housing.
The Imaginus poster sale is happening right now in MUSC!
Make sure to check it out before they leave tomorrow 🙂#McSU pic.twitter.com/FfDqEesAgc
— MSU Campus Events (@msucampusevents) January 31, 2019
At first glance, the poster sales seem innocent enough. For under $10, you can get away with two good-sized posters of your favourite band or quote — what could be wrong with that?
A lot, actually. The Imaginus poster sale has been critiqued in the past for selling posters that promote cultural appropriation, and poster sales in general have been scrutinized for the ethics of selling reproduced and borderline copyright-infringement artwork. This can especially raise eyebrows as it is rare that the collected profits ever reach the original artists.
But beyond the possible problematic nature of the content of their posters, the Imaginus poster sales take away opportunities from student artists. As it stands, McMaster University students cannot sell their artwork on campus for a profit.
According to the Policy on Student Groups, student groups on campus “may not engage in activities that are essentially commercial in nature.”
This policy is what caused the shutdown of an art sale by McMaster’s Starving Artists Society last year. The club is made up of student artists and creatives that are looking to expand their portfolio and reach a wider audience.
The event that was shut down was meant to be an opportunity for student artists to market their artwork to their peers and even profit off of their hard work. Many of Mac’s student artist community are involved with SAS and were negatively affected by the university’s decision to shut the event down.
Essentially, the university has allowed Imaginus to have an unfair monopoly on selling art on campus. For a university that already arguably disvalues the arts, to dissuade student artists from profiting from their work is a serious matter.
This brings to light a larger issue at hand. Why should any students be disallowed to sell their products on campus — especially when outside companies are given space in our student centre to sell their products?
This situation unfortunately reflects the situation of many non-student local artists within the community. In our corporate world, it is extremely difficult to establish a reliable clientele and profit off of one’s work. Mass commercialized products inherently cost less and as a result, this drives away sales from local artists.
As the university makes a profit from the poster sales, and in general from any vendors on campus, it is unlikely that this issue will be addressed anytime soon.
Until it is, you can support local and student artists through sharing their work, reaching out to them and contributing towards their sales. The SAS also runs art crawls and other events where students can get in contact with student artists!
Everyone has a Friends poster in their house. When you buy local and student, not only are you supporting your peers, but you’re likely acquiring higher quality and truly unique works of art.
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By: Abi Sudharshan
On Feb 3 at 5 p.m, the McMaster Students Union Student Representative Assembly convened for the second time since the Ontario government announced major changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program and tuition framework.
In the first portion of the meeting, MSU president Ikram Farah took to the floor to address the issue. According to Farah, by the end of this week, the MSU and university administration expect to see the release of an exact breakdown of affected ancillary fees.
Farah says this expected announcement will guide the MSU’s response moving forward.
During the delegation, Farah highlighted the MSU’s current campaign to mobilize students through promoting an understanding of the effects that these changes will have on McMaster students.
Ikram encouraged the assembly disseminate information regarding the impact and importance of MSU-funded services.
Stephanie Bertolo, MSU vice president (Education) noted a modest victory thus far: initially removed, transit passes have been re-included in the list of mandatory fees under the Ontario government’s student choice initiative.
The SRA meeting also focused heavily on updates on the construction of the Student Activity Building, a four-story building that is projected to feature a grocery store, study spaces, a multi-faith prayer space and a nap room.
According to MSU vice president (Finance) Scott Robinson, the SAB has experienced a minor setback.
Quotes by companies regarding materials and services for the SAB came back much higher than the original 2016-17 projections.
The past four months have been spent negotiating to bring the project back within the parameters of the viable budget.
Initially, construction for the SAB was slated to begin in October.
Robinson reported that these decisions are to be solidified shortly and that the construction of this student space will begin construction in March 2019.
This will likely mean that the SAB is not in full operation by the fall of 2020 as promised.
Apart from these two primary items, much of the meeting was allotted to the opening and closing of seats on the MSU services, university affairs and elections committees.
Another message stressed the meeting was the importance of ensuring that the SRA maintains a respectful environment and allows all voices to flourish.
The next SRA meeting will held at 5 p.m. on Feb 24 in Room 111 of Gilmour Hall.
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By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele
The Student Success Centre is pleased to launch the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network (UPTN), a new network for students to access affordable, quality student tutors, both in-person and online. The platform is powered by TutorOcean, a relatively new start-up company that was selected in partnership with the McMaster Engineering Society. Differing from other academic services available, this network is a chance to connect with another student who successfully completed the course; tutors must have received an A- to provide services.
“Through the Student Life Enhancement Fund, all McMaster undergraduate students who access the network receive a subsidy for the first seven sessions, meaning they only pay $9 per hour,” says Jenna Storey, Academic Skills Program Coordinator for the Student Success Centre. “Tutors are available from all Faculties and an important part of this service.”
Gina Robinson, Director of the Student Success Centre, adds, “Providing quality and affordable tutoring is an important objective of this initiative. Finding sustainable funding for subsidy will need to be part the plan moving forward.”
Understanding that there are a number of gatekeeping courses (mandatory courses for students to complete their degree), the Student Success Centre continues to work with Faculties to ensure that these courses are available on the network. The Student Success Centre has also incorporated measures to ensure that tutors are well-prepared, offering a number of different sessions for tutors to become “McMaster Certified.”
As Jenna shares, “Students are encouraged to find a tutor who has a ‘McMaster Certified’ badge on their profile, indicating they have completed the tutor training session in accordance with best practices. This training focuses on running an effective session, ethical standards, and communication skills.”
The Undergrad Writing Centre continues to be another support available for students, and can be used at any stage of the writing process. All Writing Tutors have undergone training through the Student Success Centre, which has been externally recognized by the College Reading and Learning Association (CLRA).
Students can book up to ten appointments per semester for free. This semester, new drop-in writing support is also available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Undergrad Writing Centre is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library.
Jill McMillan, Academic Skills Program Coordinator of the Student Success Centre, shares, “Writing remains is a key academic and life skill requirement. We are thrilled to have received certification recognition that demonstrates the quality of this peer based service. Students are supported in meeting their writing potential.”
Students looking for quick study tips and other academic support can connect with Academic Coaches, located in the SSC Lounge as well as in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library every Monday-Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Learn more about the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network here.
Learn more about the Undergrad Writing Centre here.
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Content Warning: this article contains mentions of suicide
Following deliberations at the Feb. 25 Student Representative Assembly meeting, the SRA has decided to rescind Peer Support Line.
Created in 2013, PSL is an anonymous hotline and online chat system students may access to receive peer support. The service currently operates from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. every day.
As a part of the regular service review, which every McMaster Students Union service must go through, the MSU services committee deemed PSL’s current structure as unsustainable. Following deliberations with Executive Board, the board in charge of making long-term decisions on behalf of the student union, the two governing bodies decided to recommend rescinding PSL.
One of the main concerns both EB and the services committee have about the current operation of PSL is the number of crisis calls it receives.
“Five years on, the PSL now receives mainly crisis calls, posing severe safety concerns for all parties involved — both the users of the service and volunteers who are performing front-line trauma intake, which is not something that student volunteers are trained or equipped to facilitate,” said Preethi Anbalagan, vice president (Administration) and vice chair of EB. “To be clear, if rescinded… the resources currently used to facilitate PSL would be earmarked to enhance the depth, profile, and awareness of all peer and crisis support services.”
In addition, both EB and the services committee feel that peer support networks have expanded considerably since PSL was first introduced in 2013, such the creation of of hotlines such as government-funded Good2talk and the MSU’s Student Assistance Plan, which includes a hotline equipped with professional counselors, among others.
“Since [2013], the peer support resources of the MSU have grown considerably, Women and Gender Equity Network and Maccess have become very important peer support services. In addition, renewed focus in both the Student Health Education Centre and the Queer Students Community Centre has resulted in expanded peer support availability as well,” said Anbalagan.
Both the services committee and EB recommend incorporating the chatline function into other peer support services. They both also also recommend increasing promotions of chat lines such as the Student Assistance Plan and the Good2Talk line, both of which are equipped with professional counseling.
EB specifically recommends the MSU continues develop the Caring Communities Network, a program launched by MSU president Chukky Ibe to train individuals in various clubs or associations to provide support and give referrals.
EB also stresses renewing the MSU’s commitment to peer support by developing other forms of identity-based support programming and explore creating a peer support centre in the Student Activity Building.
During the Feb. 25 SRA meeting, the services committee, EB and PSL gave delegations outlining their stance and the future of peer support within the student union.
Executives from PSL made their own delegation, where they argued that the MSU should not view discussions of suicide as a crisis.
PSL argued that their service has never branded itself as a crisis line and that many individuals who access their line eventually access professional help after receiving peer support from PSL volunteers.
“Most of the students who call PSL to talk about suicidal ideation would not consider themselves to be ‘in crisis’ — in fact, it is often the very fear that it will be taken as a crisis and escalated beyond their control that prevents these students from discussing their ideation with professionals or even friends,” said Pranali Raval, PSL’s assistant director.
They also stressed the importance of the kind of support PSL offers.
“We would like to point out that the newly introduced or strengthened services — i.e. the Student Assistance Plan, COAST, Good2Talk — offer professional support, as opposed to peer support. While these services may allow student involvement, they are not in the form of peer support,” said Victoria Wong, PSL’s promotion coordinator.
The SRA ultimately voted in favour of rescinding the service. PSL will continue to function until the end of this semester, after which point it will no longer exist within the MSU peer support network.
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The Silhouette sincerely apologizes to Glenn De Caire for the false contents found in the previous version of the article "The hiring and requested firing of Glenn De Caire,” published on thesil.ca and distributed across campus on March 24, 2016. The disparaging statements made about Glenn De Caire are entirely untrue and are hereby unconditionally retracted by The Silhouette. Amendments to the online article were made on April 4, 2016.
On Dec. 18, 2015, McMaster announced that former Police Chief of Hamilton Police Services, Glenn De Caire, had been hired as the Director of Parking and Security Services, a senior administrative position within the University. De Caire announced his retirement from Police Services this past November and began his role on campus on Jan. 17 amidst a protest outside his office. The protest, organized by the Revolutionary Students Movement, was against the influence of police patrol on campus and has since spit-balled into a larger petition and campaign and a motion by the Student Representative Assembly for the Students' Union to advocate for De Caire's removal. While the student body is taking actions to protest De Caire's place on campus, members of the hiring board stand by their decision and the process that went into his eventual selection for the job.
Hiring the Director of Parking and Security Services requires a committee of known stakeholders from across the University’s administration. This year’s committee featured six McMaster employees, all from different departments of the University. This year’s board included: outgoing Director, Terry Sullivan; Assistant Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer, Mohamed Attalla; Assistant Vice President and Director of Teaching and Learning at MIIETL, Arshad Ahmad; Assistant Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Wanda McKenna; Director of Public and Community Relations, Gord Arbeau; and President of the McMaster Students Union, Ehima Osazuwa.
“This was a national search,” said Arbeau.
“There were a series of advertisements across the country to encourage applicants. I think we had well over 100 applicants for this position.”
“The job description was developed — it was the existing job description that was updated from the last time we hired a director — and it is quite a lengthy document … and then there were a series of advertisements across the country to encourage applicants. I think we had well over 100 applicants for this position,” he said.
The search committee had no shortage of applicants, with resumes coming in from across the country. To compile this extensive list, three members of the committee — Atalla, McKenna and Sullivan — worked with a third party hiring group to narrow down the search.
“I never knew the 100 people that applied, they narrowed it down to five people,” said Osazuwa, another member of the hiring committee.
“I got to read the applications and we had an interview process with each of the five candidates,” he said.
Terry Sullivan, the outgoing director and one of the key stakeholders in hiring, is a former employee of Hamilton Police Services. Previously working as a Superintendent and Division Supervisor with the HPS, Sullivan became Parking and Security Director in 2005. Him and De Caire have been known to be in touch through their connection to HPS, making his selection for the top five unsurprising.
“We looked for an understanding of McMaster, an understanding of its traditions and culture of inclusivity, an understanding and awareness of how this role fits into this inclusivity and its culture, and the committee would hear from the various applicants about how they would fit into this existing culture,” said Arbeau.
While the University stressed inclusivity in their hiring, the HPS and its members have a history with the controversial practice of carding, or “street checks.” Street checks were originally developed as a tool to document illicit activities in municipal areas and were previously known as Field Information Reports. The process allowed a registered police officer to stop and question someone on the street asking for personal information like their name, age, height, eye colour and a description of their activities at the time. Over time, carding in North America became a practice used to racially profile predominantly young non-white men, and legally document and target their actions through police surveillance. While De Caire denounced the racial profiling element of the practice, carding is still stated to be a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and as of March 22, 2015, an amendment to the provincial Police Services Act states that carding will be an officially illegal practice as of January 1, 2017.
Information about HPS’ use of this practice over the past few years was publicly available, but the University did not present any of these details to the hiring committee. It was up to their own initiative to do any background checks outside of what would have been done by the three hiring committee representatives in the preliminary hiring stages.
“I expect the university to do that background [check] before presenting candidates to me,” said Osazuwa.
Osazuwa also mentioned that during the hiring committee’s assessment of De Caire’s interview, resume and cover letter, none of the members brought up the darker details of his history with Police Services.
After the interview process, De Caire was selected for the job and offered a Letter of Employment from the University. The letter does not define a set amount of time for De Caire’s role on campus, and instead the position will exist for him as long as he chooses to continue in the job and is not removed from campus.
The job will see a drop in salary for De Caire, with the most recent Director, Terry Sullivan, making $133,852 annually, but the long-term position also delivers a level of security that his previous police job did not offer.
BACKLASH
Nick Abrams, a fourth-year Anthropology and Religious Studies student, is a member of the Revolutionary Students Movement and one of the key planners in the initial protests and campaigning around De Caire’s hiring.
The first protest against De Caire’s hiring happened on his first day on the job. The assembled team of students eventually turned the protest into an online petition that received 228 signatures of support in its first week. Shortly after the release of the petition, the campaign was translated into a motion at the MSU’s General Assembly on March 14.
The General Assembly accepted proposed motions from across the student body, and the RMS, in partnership with the McMaster Womanists, the Revolutionary Communist Party, McMaster United in Colour, and several other student groups motioned for “the General Assembly [to] endorse this campaign to get Glenn De Caire Off Campus … call on the university to terminate Glenn De Caire from [his] position of head of Security and Parking … call on the university to end its campaign of increasing the presence of police on our campus.”
“We have to force awkward conversations between the President of the MSU and President of the University, which I’m excited about,” said Abrams.
The University has not officially attempted to increase the presence of police on campus, but the hiring of a former police officer has led some to speculate about the future of on-campus security.
“I expect the university to do that background [check] before presenting candidates to me.”
The full motion passed with more than 80 percent of voters in favour at the General Assembly. But since the GA did not reach quorum, the motion was taken to the Student Representative Assembly to make a final decision on the MSU’s stance.
At the March 20 SRA meeting, the governing body of the MSU voted in favour of the motion, meaning it is now a responsibility of the MSU to talk to University administration to advocate for his removal and clearer outlines for the future of campus security.
“The goal is to get him off campus … and to also implement something to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again,” said Kayonne Christy, a fourth-year Life Sciences student, President of the McMaster Womanists and one of the campaign’s coordinators.
The motion also called for “the university to form a new hiring committee made up of students, faculty, and campus support staff to make the new hire.” The current hiring committee is not seen as fit to make a new decision if De Caire is eventually removed from the campus.
“Something like this should have been a lot more known. And the fact that they hired him during exam time seems pretty sketchy,” said Christy. “A lot of students are going home, a lot of students are stressed with schools, and no one’s really focusing on that… They should have been a lot more transparent and a lot more honest about this.”
“In general, it just seems weird that the university would hire someone that used to be a Chief of Police to the position — are the students criminals?” added Abrams.
NEXT STEPS
“Realistically speaking, the University is not going to get rid of Glenn because we ask them to. But I think it is important that we have these student voices,” said Osazuwa, the link between the MSU and University administration.
After the March 21 SRA meeting, Osazuwa spoke with President Patrick Deane about the motion, and hopes to continue the conversation with Deane and Gord Arbeau for the rest of his term.
“I read the motion as one way: trying to make the campus safer for more people. And if there are certain individuals people feel uncomfortable around, we need to address that issue… I don’t know if getting rid of Glenn is the best solution, but we need to do something,” said Osazuwa.
Osazuwa feels that there are a variety of measures that can be taken to create the safer space students are demanding. It is all part of an ongoing discussion and no concrete plans or intentions have been put forward.
“Part of me is also worried that summer months are coming and that the conversation is going to die off. I don’t think that is the right approach, I think we need to have this conversation head on and try to come to a solution that is best for all parties — the MSU, Glenn, the University, the people that are uncomfortable — I don’t want it to slip under the rug.”
While Osazuwa is the current liaison, some responsibility to pursue these changes also rests on the shoulders of incoming President-Elect Justin Monaco-Barnes who will assume Osazuwa’s responsibilities as of May 1.
“[Justin] has been very good at listening to what is happening… I’m trying to do this as best as I can so I don’t leave Justin in a very uncomfortable situation.”
“I recommended to Patrick [Deane] that the university should have Glenn talk about this. Glenn cannot hide, it is good for him to come out and have this conversation.”
Parking and Security Services has yet to reach out to the MSU about this conversation and has instead routed McMasters Public and Communications Department to address the situation.
“I recommended to Patrick that the university should have Glenn talk about this. Glenn cannot hide, it is good for him to come out and have this conversation.”
De Caire contacted The Silhouette after our initial editorial on his hiring [“On background checks,” Jan. 28, 2016] was released. After recent attempts to reach out to him, we were redirected to Gord Arbeau. He stated, “Any questions about the Director of Security and questions about the process in which he was hired would be referred to [him],” according to a recent policy implemented by the University during these past few weeks.
As the conflict surrounding De Caire’s hiring and request for firing develops, we hope to hear from the new Director himself in regards to his plans for his time at McMaster and his reaction to this motion from the student body.
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Flint is one of Hamilton’s sister cities. It is located in the state of Michigan, and it has a population of 102,434. It would take roughly four hours to fly there, and like Hamilton, it was built upon a prominent trade industry (in our case, steel; in theirs, lumber). We don’t typically have much to do with Flint, and most of the time the idea of a “sister city” seems like something arbitrarily assigned across the globe.
Our status as sister cities was made official by Sister Cities International, and we have been linked to them — along with our other sister city, Fukuyama, Japan — for close to 60 years.
We aren’t very close, geographically or socially, but we hold a connection with them that is beyond our local bounds. For those who do not know, the citizens of Flint are currently the victims of a water crisis. Their only sources of water have been contaminated due to old and poorly maintained piping infrastructure made of lead, and their water is currently considered poisonous. They need $55 million dollars to fix the existing damage, and their citizens, including children, the elderly and animals, are falling ill at a rapid pace.
We know that they need help, and we know that we’re intrinsically on their side, but why aren’t we, as a community, doing anything?
Hamilton’s Mayor Eisenberg has reached out to the mayor of Flint, offering to provide necessary aid, but aside from one dedicated citizen donating a few thousand water bottles to the city, we don’t have much else to show for ourselves in terms of providing tangible help in any form. And when I refer to “us” or “our,” I don’t necessarily just mean the city as a whole, but the separate McMaster community as well.
It’s an age-old fact that McMaster students have found it difficult to assimilate into the city and become members of the community. But so long as we are living, working, or being educated here, we are part of the “City of Hamilton.” And with that being said, we are more connected to our brothers and sisters in Flint than any other university community.
Our lack of initiative related to helping Flint speaks to the rough connection we have as a university to our city and municipal responsibilities.
Flint has multiple colleges and universities within its borders. Students and faculty are people who are being affected by this lead poisoning, and if we were in their place, the support of our sister university could mean a lot and make a difference.
The University and its hospital are two of the largest businesses in the city. Even if the city may not necessarily be able to provide some form of financial support to the citizens of Flint, it could be possible that the lucrative business of our institution could be able to provide help in some way, shape or form.
Our lack of initiative related to helping Flint speaks to the rough connection we have as a university to our city and municipal responsibilities, a shortcoming that we have been trying to mend. Many people have no idea that Flint is Hamilton’s sister city, let alone that Hamilton has sister cities. While most students can get away with going a full undergrad not getting to know their city, when something like this comes up, as members of this community, we should be proactive (as we are with many other initiatives on campus) in doing something to help or raise awareness for this cause. As a campus, the biggest thing we have going for us, outside of our finances, are our numbers. We have bodies, and lots of them, who can stand up and make a difference for a municipality that doesn’t have a lot of support from elsewhere, and one that is an innate part of our own city culture.
Not too far from us, and not too long ago, the town of Walkerton, Ontario was in a somewhat similar situation with an E. coli problem. The town benefited from the help of its neighbours, and Flint is now in an even worse situation that needs dire help. We may not always identify with this city we live in, but when Hamilton and its related communities needs us, we need to be there to help facilitate action and effort.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Cook/ Reuters
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On Jan. 10 the Student Representative Assembly voted to terminate MacGreen as an MSU service following the end of the 2015-16 academic year, quietly ending the sustainability program that had been in place since 2003.
Based on comments from VP (Administration) Giuliana Guarna, the recommendation came after several months of discussions with the SRA's Executive Board, MacGreen's Part-Time Manager and staff from Ath&Rec that had been instrumental in creating MacGreen over a decade ago.
“When we create services, we do it to fill a gap, to meet a need that isn’t being met on campus. At the time, MacGreen was the only sustainability or environmental group on campus, but because of the pressures from creating MacGreen [as well as] general student interest, the university had to respond,” said Guarna.
Since MacGreen's inception, a number of initiatives have come to overshadow the necessity of having a service dedicated solely to sustainability issues.
MacGreen’s operating policy states that one of its primary objectives was to work in conjunction with other University bodies to raise awareness of environmental issues and disseminate relevant information.
Guarna noted that the original intent was for a green service focused on education and advocacy, but many of the expectations and policies at the time have now been taken up or fulfilled by the university. Much of MacGreen's work today involves educational and recreational events, ranging from a hiking series to a conference planned for later in the semester.
The academic front is amongst several steps made by the university towards improving sustainability on campus. In 2008, the Office of Sustainability was established, and while the sustainability program is tied to the Engineering faculty, any student today is able to complete a Minor in Sustainability.
Considering the influx of new MSU services over the past few years — including Maccess at the beginning of this academic year and WGEN the year previous — it's surprising to see a cutback in the programs the MSU offers. However, as Guarna explained, the MSU services ultimately exist to meet the needs of students, which continue to shift and expand over the years.
Michele Zaman, part-time manager of MacGreen, explained that while discussions had been open between her and the Executive Board, talks about the continual viability of the service have gone on for a few years.
“I understand why the MSU is doing this, and the reason I’m okay with this is that I know the MSU will continue to advocate for sustainability," she explained.
No formal outline has been made on how to replace MacGreen, but Zaman expected discussions to continue and come up with an alternative before the end of the year.
“Sustainability is really popular on campus," she commented. "[Several] MSU clubs advocate for sustainability ... and McMaster is really involved with sustainability and the environment in Hamilton, but I would still feel so much more comfortable if, before the end of this term, something is set in stone.”
Guarna stated that the current plan was to put resources into creating a committee within the MSU, and her hope is for it be specifically focused on addressing and educating students about key issues on sustainability.
"While it's important to take an overview of sustainability practices, I don't think we can truly be sustainable unless people are educated on how to be sustainable," she said.
The importance of education and advocacy was reiterated by Zaman, who is hoping to end the year on a bright note.
“I’m just trying to end the year off positively, make sure that this runs over smoothly and hopefully there’s something else that comes in place of MacGreen."
“I can’t make an event and give someone sustainability; it’s something they have to do themselves.”
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The Office of Human Rights and Equity Services (HRES) gained a spunky personality and welcoming face when Meaghan Ross joined their office as McMaster’s new Sexual Violence Response Coordinator. The position was created in response to recommendations made by “It’s Time To End Violence Against Women on Campus,” a McMaster project commonly referred to as “It’s Time.” Ross and Status of Women Canada, a government initiative, partnered to head the project, and found that there was a gap in the school’s protocol for responding to survivors of sexual violence.
While Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is pushing towards the creation of a specific sexual assault policy, there are no current legislative requirements for how to respond to survivors. This means that survivors who are disclosing may get a response that ranges from accepting to victim-blaming.
“[Survivors] may connect with a very good T.A. who knows this information who understands this kind of work and refers them to the appropriate folks. On the other hand, they may connect with a T.A. or staff member or faculty member ‘X’ and they may get a victim-blaming and a very unaccommodating response,” Ross explained.
Currently, work is being done to implement a protocol of response for which people likely to get disclosures—teaching assistants, people working in athletics, student leaders and academic advisors—will undergo response training.
In her new role, Ross will be implementing a two-part approach to sexual violence on campus. The first will be response to survivors. Disclosures can come from incidents that occurred either on or off campus as long as there is a nexus to McMaster, including incidences of sexual violence that occur at an event hosted by a McMaster student off-campus.
The second pillar of her approach is a reformation of cultural views.
“In dealing with sexual violence, institutions tend to think [of sexual assault as] one individual case rather than seeing it as a culture and thinking about the norms created in society,” Ross explained.
The #Consent campaign run through the Student Wellness Center and SACHA training for Welcome Week representatives centered around sexual violence is a move in this direction. Training focuses on bursting some of the preconceived notions floating around.
“Sexual violence has been linked with sex. You hear lots of things about perpetrators, who are most likely people we know, … being just too attracted to someone or not being able to control themselves. The danger in that argument… is that sexual violence is not about sex, it’s actually about power, like other forms of violence,” Ross said.
The other side of the issue is the reality that our culture relies on an evidence-based system of proof. This has proven to be a large barrier in the case of sexual violence, which often occurs out of sight. While society at large may not yet be at the point where these experiences can be communicated in a safe environment, Ross can certainly be that helping hand.
“I think that is where the analysis of power comes in. For me folks don’t need to [provide] proof because the reality is that is the way that power systems work,” she said.
Despite her new position, McMaster has long been home to Ross. She completed both her undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Labour Studies and then went on to earn a Masters of Arts degree in Globalization Studies at McMaster.
She brings in experience working in social services and at a sexual assault center, both of which have contributed to a deep understanding of the conditions in which violence occur and the intersections between violence against women and other identities.
“I think I am bringing both an analysis of what makes a good survivor response and [an understanding] of how folks navigate the university in order to make policy change,” said Ross.
Anyone wishing to connect with Meaghan Ross can reach her in person at the office in room 212 on the second floor of MUSC, through the phone at 905-525-9140 ext. 20909 or through email at [email protected].
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By: Mary-Kate MacDonald and Graham Colby
The demanding environment of universities makes students more susceptible to mental health and wellness issues. A recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that approximately 30 percent of post-secondary students report as having four or more symptoms of augmented stress.
Counselling services are a common and effective method of dealing with mental health issues. Students at McMaster can access personal, group and psychiatric counselling through the Student Wellness Centre. More information about the available services can be found at http://wellness.mcmaster.ca/.
While the services are available, the efficacy of these services is rarely questioned publicly due to the stigma of mental health. Here are four accounts from students describing their experiences with the counselling services available at McMaster. Their names have been changed to protect confidentiality.
Emily had overwhelming feelings of depression and anxiety that had bottled up over a couple months. However, she kept putting off going to personal counselling. After finding some spare time, she finally went to the walk-in counselling hours.
“The waiting room was terrifying,” Emily said. She did not know what to expect and was scared she would not be able to articulate her emotions.
With the counsellor, Emily filled out a questionnaire aimed to determine her rationale for using the services. For Emily, the questionnaire was a helpful tool to bring about personal awareness of her emotions, including suicidal thoughts.
Emily described the counsellor as empathetic and understanding.
“The counsellor was a great outlet because she wasn’t there to judge,” said Emily.
Despite this helpful session, Emily realized that due to issues of understaffing, personal counselling services could not adequately address her issue. Wanting more support, she took the counsellor’s advice and attended group counselling.
Emily was hesitant about group therapy, but she had already developed a rapport with this counsellor, who was running the group entitled “Exploring Anxiety,” so she consistently attended weekly meetings.
She found the environment to be calming and respectful because students were able to choose how much they wanted to share, and could just listen if that is what they wanted.
“I wanted a safe space, and it was,” Emily said of her experience.
Emily is still attending the group and highly recommends it to other students with anxiety issues.
Leo had encountered issues of anxiety in high school. Most often they were related to having a moral dilemma being around others under the influence of alcohol or drugs. At university, this affected his relationships with others and he decided to make an appointment for personal counselling.
“The phone call was the most intimidating part,” Leo said, adding that he would have preferred an option to email the SWC to make an appointment instead.
Leo said that the stigma of using these services went away after the initial meeting. He realized that it was not a sign of weakness, but strength in trying to create a personal change.
Leo felt that the receptionist judged his situation urgent and he obtained an appointment with a counsellor at SWC within a couple days.
Leo felt that the counsellor seemed to genuinely care about his issues. She urged him to book another appointment because she felt there was greater depth to his concerns. Because of the waitlist, his next appointment was in six weeks.
Leo described feeling better during the session, but that the effects were not apparent in his daily life. He asked about how to obtain a diagnosis and was referred to a physician.
Leo made a general 30-minute appointment with a doctor at the SWC and discussed his issues. The doctor established that Leo was experiencing generalized anxiety and depression and referred him to the campus psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist confirmed the initial doctor’s thoughts and also identified a rare personality disorder. As summer approached, the psychiatrist recommended medication.
Leo felt comfortable with the psychiatrist and felt liberated to have a diagnosis.
“It wasn’t just my fault, something was actually wrong. It wasn’t just that I wasn’t trying hard enough,” Leo said.
Leo said the most beneficial part of the services were that he was able to explore his issues of mental health without getting his parents involved.
Leo would recommend other students who are having mental health issues to explore the services offered through SWC.
He described his case as a success, but stressed that the maintenance of good mental health was difficult to achieve with the severely low number of counsellors and long wait times between appointments for personal counselling.
During the school year, Sam was suffering from debilitating anorexia. She was hospitalized, and her weight class was too low for her to be accepted into outpatient programs at St. Joseph Hospital. Her options were either to remain in hospital or seek help through the SWC, and she opted for the latter.
“The frontline staff were really nice but it was an inconsistent service depending on who you had,” Sam said when asked about her experience with SWC.
Sam felt her confidentiality was not respected, as she was not aware that her personal information was being shared with other counsellors during weekly meetings.
Her situation remained serious enough that a doctor at SWC was trying to coerce her into the hospital. Sam called the Ontario patient rights organization to better understand her options. She compared this experience to being treated like a child with mental health issues rather than an adult capable of making her own decisions.
“I was working against the Student Wellness Centre rather than with them.”
Sam would recommend the SWC as she adamantly supports seeking help through all available means. However, in her opinion, alternative resources can be more beneficial.
The SWC provided an opportunity for Sam to get help. The staff treating her would add appointments to their day to see her. These services and care were made available particularly because of her extreme circumstances.
“You shouldn’t have to be in such a crisis like I was to obtain sufficient services. You shouldn’t need to be in crisis mode to warrant that level of care,” she said.
Ryan has feelings of anxiety and depression. In his first year, Ryan went to the campus doctor who recommended he consult his family doctor and take aspirin. Four years later, Ryan went to the SWC when these emotions persisted and he was considering suicide.
After seeing a counsellor, he was referred to the staff doctor.
A routine developed where Ryan would see the doctor bi-weekly, but as time progressed the reception staff informed him he could only make 20-minute same-day appointments. This means that Ryan often goes significant periods of time without seeing a doctor due to scheduling conflicts.
Ryan described the system as incredibly frustrating because there was constant uncertainty while he waited for potential appointments.
“It’s a battle. I can’t understand why I can’t book in advance,” he said. This lack of understanding leaves Ryan feeling as though the staff are discouraging students from seeking help.
Ryan also identifies with the stigma surrounding mental health.
“I don’t mind people knowing I’m sick but I’d rather they don’t look at me as suicidal.”
Despite the struggles and conflicts in trying to receive care, Ryan values discussing his issues medical professional. Talking to someone on campus is convenient for him but he would like more accessible services.
Ryan would recommend the services at the SWC and considers himself lucky that the doctor he sees seems to be this caring, because he believes they easily could have disregarded his issues as a medical concern.
The students interviewed here encountered varying degrees of success through their experience with the SWC. Despite the SWC’s best efforts, it appears their services are strained, because they have to turn people away for weeks or condense serious issues into a 20-minute conversation.
It is not always possible for students to use private services, but the issues of accessibility to SWC services make it difficult to mend issues of mental health at McMaster.
We don’t want to undermine the current efforts on campus, but students need and deserve more.
It is a dangerous game throwing a band-aid on an infected wound and hoping it gets better. Mental health is no different. The damage worsens if left untreated.
