After a winter's time off, the Marauders basketball teams have opened the season in great form
Kicking off their season on Nov. 1., both the McMaster University men and women’s basketball teams began their Ontario University Athletics seasons on the right foot against Laurier University. The women’s basketball team was able to pick up a win against the Golden Hawks with a score of 80-75 while the men’s team finished 75-72.
Both teams proceeded to post mixed results with their record throughout the months of November and December. The women picked up a record of five wins and five losses and the men turned in five wins and four losses.
Having very similar records going into the break, both teams likely looked to improve in the second half of the season. With the month of December away from OUA games, the rosters sought to come back stronger after their rest and time away from competitive play.
Having very similar records going into the break, both teams likely looked to improve in the second half of the season.
The teams resumed their season on Jan. 6., facing York University at home in Hamilton. It would seem as though the break did the Marauders well, with both teams chalking up a victory against the opposing Lions.
It would seem as though the break did the Marauders well, with both teams chalking up a victory against the opposing Lions.
The women’s team was able to finish the game off with a score of 82-74. Leading the game in points, fifth-year Jenna Button put together a stellar night, helping the Marauders win while putting up 30 points. Third-year guard Delaney Bourget also chipped in with her relentless work on the defensive end, grabbing down six rebounds to finish the game.
The men’s team beat York with a score of 93-77. Mike Demangus capped off a great team performance, finishing the game with 27 points and keeping in top form as he has been this season. Third-year Elijah Bethune cleaned up defensively with 15 rebounds against the Lions.
As each team heads into the second half of the season, they will look to keep in the form they’ve hit to start the year.
An open letter from CUPE 3906 shares graduate student tenant's concerns about poor living conditions in McMaster's new downtown residence building
In Sept. 2023, McMaster University's new graduate student residence on 10 Bay Street opened to tenants. This is McMaster’s first graduate residence and was first announced in 2021. The residency was announced to follow a phased occupancy model, which allows students to move in gradually while construction continued on incomplete sections of the building.
In Dec. 2023, CUPE 3906 released an open letter by newly ratified Tenant Working Solidarity Group which called on McMaster Housing Services to address their concerns with the new residency. Concerns in the open letter included issues with water quality, privacy invasion, noise issues, and bug infestations.
Alessandra Fracassi, Masters of Science in Psychotherapy program, shared her disorganized move-in experience. Fracassi stated that her family waited over five hours in the lobby of a different building before being allowed to move in. Fracassi also described noticing incomplete ceiling construction in areas of the building once let in.
“It was like five or six hours that we waited until the room was supposed to be ready. And we kept asking for more details [on] what was going on, it was all very chaotic. Nobody was giving us a clear timeline of what was going on. So we weren't sure if we should just leave or stay or how much longer it would be,” said Fracassi.
One of the most discussed concerns with the residence building has been the water quality. In early December, several media outlets began to report on findings of coliform bacteria in the water of the residency.
Both Fracassi and Lujayn Mostafa, a student in the Masters of Science in Psychotherapy program, said that they became aware of issues with their water in Nov. 2023. Both shared that even with multiple flushings of the building's water line ??what does this mean is it make more sense now? i canlink websites to these ways to clean the water and water chlorination, the issue remains. Mostafa shared that she wishes more information could be disclosed to residents on the water contamination and the plan to solve this issue.
“They're not really saying much about what their strategy is for dealing with it except for they've said that they've flushed the water, lots of times from the building. But that doesn't seem to be solving it because it keeps going up. So clearly, the source must be kind of ongoing,” said Fracassi.
Elliot Goodell Ugalde, CUPE 3906 TSWG Co-chair and graduate student in the political sciences department at McMaster, shared that the ongoing water issues have led to a tenant being hospitalized.
“We're currently experiencing a coliform outbreak in our water supply. There has been one tenant who has been sent to the ER, they've been hospitalized, presumably as a consequence of this coliform outbreak. Luckily, they're doing better now they're on a variety of antibiotics,” said Ugalde.
Ugalde confirmed that McMaster has still not publicized the results of approximately four water contamination tests which came back with safety concerns. He shared that he hopes McMaster begins to take active steps to prioritize the health and safety of the residents.
In a statement to The Silhouette on Jan. 10, 2024, McMaster confirmed that there are coliform bacteria levels in the residency water, however that it is not critical to the resident’s health. They stated that they are providing students with water bottles.
Fracassi, Mostafa, and Ugalde commented on this, stating that they have been provided water jugs meant to be shared amongst students for all tasks that require water, including cooking and self-hygiene. Ugalde expressed that these jugs are being shared between all the students on a floor, which can include upwards of 40 tenants.
Knightstone Capital Management Incorporated, the management team of 10 Bay Street, has not responded to our inquiry about the ongoing issues. Ugalde shared that upon trying to initiate communications, CUPE 3906 union representatives have had a difficult time airing tenant concerns with McMaster and Kingstone building management.
Ugalde detailed that building management constantly asked for certain CUPE to speak with them privately as tenants rather than discussing issues openly with all tenants within the union. Furthermore, CUPE 3906 representatives have not felt McMaster has make an effort to facilitate open discussion about the status of the building.
“They have [reached out], but it's not a dialogue. It's this isn't a conversation that the university is willing to have with us as a collective at this point, which is frustrating that they won't sit down with us and actually discuss these issues in the collective front,” said Ugalde.
The union hopes that going forward, McMaster University will have an open conversation and allow tenants to be made aware of the safety of their living conditions.
This is an ongoing story.
Students donated their hair at halftime during the Shoot for the Cure women's basketball game
On Jan. 17, McMaster Athletes Care hosted their Shoot for the Cure initiative aimed towards awareness and fundraising for breast cancer research.
The event comes as the 17th annual edition run by the national U Sports organization to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society and additional related charities. Last year, collective efforts by U Sports and Canadian university sports teams and communities helped to bring in a total of $115,000.
The event comes as the 17th annual edition run by the national U Sports organization to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society and additional related charities.
This season, the McMaster University women’s basketball team set up a fundraising page on the CCS website to donate pledges towards research for improving cancer treatments, prevention and support services.
On Jan. 17, the Marauders hosted the University of Guelph Gryphons in a match at Burrduge Gymnasium in Hamilton. During halftime of the women’s basketball game, volunteers received haircuts to help support the initiative.
During halftime of the women’s basketball game, volunteers received haircuts to help support the initiative.
Along with the haircuts, t-shirts were also sold for $15 by McMaster Athletes Care, with proceeds going towards the CCS.
The Shoot for the Cure event will run from Jan. 17 to 31. Donations can be made generally to the CCS or towards registered Shoot for the Cure participants and teams through their website. So far, the Nipissing University Lakers have raised the most money across participating universities, collecting $3,541.06 out of their $5,000 goal.
Per the CCS’ Impact page, donations will go towards funding cancer research, government and policy advocacy and developing a country-wide cancer support system.
Stop breaking the bank and support businesses made for students by students
By: Krissy Butler
Hair and beauty services always pose two main challenges for university students: accessibility and affordability. As students face financial and academic pressures while pursuing their degree, they deserve to look and feel their best. However, it can be difficult to find a business that is able to accommodate the hair and beauty care needs of McMaster University's diverse population at an affordable price. Here are a few student-run Black-owned businesses that are both accessible and affordable for McMaster students!
Specializing in a diverse range of hair types and hair textures, Mt is a skilled barber located within ten-minute walking distance from McMaster’s campus. This talented barber offers a wide range of haircut services to cater to his clientele’s diverse needs. Mt provides accessible and convenient services, providing clients with the option to receive a haircut onsite at his studio or, for an additional cost, a house call haircut.
Like a Princess Nailz is run by Princess, a skilled Hamilton-based nail technician. Princess works in her home studio located near McMaster’s campus. LAP Nailz offers a variety of services, including gel manicures, custom press-on nails and acrylic designs. As seen on her Instagram page, Princess demonstrates her artistry and meticulousness with every client.
Tomi caters to a variety of hair styles and hair textures. The self-taught hairstylist showcases her skills on Instagram, through videos of her process, managing a diverse range of clients with different hair care needs. Her attention to affordability can provide students with a convenient and accessible way to look their best, especially during the midterm season.
“I enjoy the whole process of doing hair, it’s a hobby for me, which is why my prices are so low. I’m also aware that students are broke," said Tomi, in an interview.
For all things makeup, Harmony has you covered. This talented makeup artist demonstrates adaptability with each client’s unique needs to achieve their desired makeup look. Harmony offers a great range of services, linked on her Instagram business page, specializing in soft and full glam makeup. For all students who want a timeless makeup look for any memorable special occasion, Harmony can make it happen.
After a productive season before the winter break, the Marauder's men's volleyball team looks forward to the second half of their season
The McMaster University men’s volleyball team began their season back in September, with a series of preseason exhibition games. The team faced opponents such as Queen’s University, Trinity Western University, and Ohio State University. They picked up a wide array of scores and results, with the team mostly losing their first games of 2023.
As they moved in their Ontario University Athletics season, the team quickly turned these defeats around. Under the guidance of new head coach Brad Douwes, the team has picked up a record of seven wins and two losses.
Under the guidance of new head coach Brad Douwes, the team has picked up a record of seven wins and two losses.
They recorded sweeping wins [again citations needs from these games] against the University of Waterloo, Toronto Metropolitan University and Guelph University to end off 2023. Newer team players have stepped up this season too, including first-year outside hitter Brady Paterson who has recorded 32 kills so far.
As McMaster's winter break commenced, the Marauder’s volleyball team continued to play. They kept in form as they played against the University of Sherbrooke and the University of Montreal on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 respectively.
Likely fearing a loss of form over the break, the team traveled to these schools looking to keep standards high as they returned to the OUA season. The team won against the University of Sherbrooke and lost against the University of Montreal.
The exhibition games proved successful for the maroon and grey, as they picked up wins in their first two games back from break. McMaster faced Nipissing University, winning their first game with by a score of 3-2 sets and subsequently sweeping the Nipissing Lakers in their second matchup.
The Marauders men's team still has half of their season to play, with ten more games until they reach the OUA playoffs in hopes of claiming their twelfth OUA title.
The Marauders men's team still has half of their season to play, with ten more games until they reach the OUA playoffs.
McMaster will look to book their ticket to this year’s national championships, as they have before in the past year. The team will hope to reach new heights under Douwes' leadership after falling in the previous U Sports championships at the semifinals stage.
New sports begin for McMaster students looking to participate in winter intramurals
As McMaster students head into a new semester, the McMaster Athletics and Recreations department will begin the winter portion of their intramural competitions. Fourteen sports will be included in the winter intramural schedule, all of which are different from those offered during the fall semester. Such sports include indoor cricket, inner-tube water polo, and volleyball.
There are fourteen sports included in the winter intramural schedule, all of which are different from the sports offered during the fall semester.
The intramural sports winter league will also include 5 tournament style games, which include table tennis, wheelchair European basketball and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
Different intramural style levels will also be available in the winter term. The different types of leagues include Playfun, which offers the chance for beginners to experience the games without an emphasis on the competitive aspect of the sport, as well as PlayComp, which are geared towards students who look to engage in a more fast pace style of play.
The different types of leagues include Playfun, which offers the chance for beginners to experience the games without an emphasis on the competitive aspect of the sport, as well as PlayComp, which are geared towards students who look to engage in a more fast pace style of play.
Registration for winter intramurals have already passed, ending on Nov. 26. Those who are interested can follow updates and announcements on the McMaster Intramural Sports Instagram.
The temporary art event held at Pier 8 over the month of Novemeber, immersed community in a unique sound and light show in an effort to draw them to the waterfront
From Nov. 1 to 26 between the hours of 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., the city of Hamilton held a temporary art exhibition at the Pier 8 waterfront called Sonic Runway. The event immersed citizens in a light installation, which sent sound signals to create patterns of light down a walkway. The exhibition was free for everyone to attend.
Peter Fortune, placemaking, public art and projects manager for the city of Hamilton, explained that from, the beginning, the exhibition hoped to create awareness for the waterfront, showcase the potential of Pier 8 and encourage community members to visit.
Fortune's role in the city is to come up with placemaking and public art initiatives to transform spaces and make them appealing places to visit. Placemaking refers to developing a part of a city so that people would want to live and establish themselves there.
Community members can approach Fortune and share with him what they are hoping to see and he can then work with them to bring creativity to the city.
Fortune discussed how Sonic Runway was the first large-scale placemaking initiative the city has run.
"I don't think the site has experienced anything like that before. . . also this is one of the few times that we've brought in nationally recognized artists [for events like] Sonic Runway," said Fortune.
Feedback for the event was overwhelmingly positive. Over 20,000 people visited the exhibition while it was open.
Fortune hoped that, with this event and others like it, the collective creativity identity of the city will continue to develop as the community gains more insight and involvement with Hamilton's creative and artistic side while taking part in placemaking and meaningful experiences.
Fortune also highlighted how the principal part of the exhibition was to encourage students and others to dream, by showing how the things they learn in class can be translated into the real world and offering an opportunity to learn more about the chance to learn about the technical side of placemaking, such as user interface design and electrical engineering. Students could see how they might apply their own skills within this field and how choosing an arts-based career, while it might be difficult, does pay off.
Fortune also hoped the project helped to change student perspective of the city, highlighting how there is more to it than just campus and giving places like the waterfront a new image and identity, rather than being only seen for industrial purposes.
"Instead of just being on campus and cloistered there, go and explore the city and realize that [it] has the ability to surprise you. This is one of those examples of something that could definitely surprise you because I'm not sure if a lot of people [realize that]," said Fortune.
Instead of just being on campus and cloistered there, go and explore the city and realize that [it] has the ability to surprise you. This is one of those examples of something that could definitely surprise you because I'm not sure if a lot of people [realize that].
Peter Fortune, placemaking, public art and projects manager, city of Hamilton
Fortune encouraged students to check out future events the city of Hamilton will host, especially for the winter and holiday season. With so much creativity in the city, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy. Events can be found here.
Students encourage eliminating cockroaches found in Centro, La Piazza and other campus spaces
In February 2020, the Silhouette reported on student concerns about cockroaches in campus cafeterias Centro and La Piazza, stemming from a now private YouTube video, a Facebook video and reports on Reddit.
Nearly four years later, the McMaster University subreddit is seeing similar reports of cockroaches in various campus spaces. In January 2023, reddit user HyperBean_ had posted that they saw a cockroach in La Piazza near a platter of cookies and in September 2023, Reddit user RoyalEntertainment14 posted a photo of a cockroach, stating that they found it in Centro and that the “silly guy just wanted some ice cream”. Shortly after, Reddit user SnooGoats6203 also posted a photo of a cockroach, this time at La Piazza, with the caption: “Little guy found at piazza”.
An anonymous source snapped a photo of a cockroach in Bridges and another anonymous source has confirmed a cockroach sighting at the McMaster University Student Centre Starbucks.
Hufriya Kateli-Saxena, the Communications and Marketing Manager of McMaster Hospitality Services stated in an email to the Silhouette: “All locations managed by Hospitality Services are frequently inspected by the City of Hamilton, and consistently meet the standards of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation.”
All locations managed by Hospitality Services are frequently inspected by the City of Hamilton, and consistently meet the standards of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation.
Hufriya Kateli-Saxena, communications and marketing manager, McMaster Hospitality Services
Despite this, there have still been multiple confirmed cockroach sightings in Centro, La Piazza, Bridges cafe and the Starbucks in MUSC in the past 10 months.
“Pest control service is conducted once a month at all locations,” continued Kateli-Saxena in the statement.
Cockroaches in these environments pose a health hazard to students. The National Center for Healthy Housing reports that cockroaches can carry disease-causing germs and cockroach debris, such as shells, droppings and saliva, can trigger asthma attacks in those who are sensitized to cockroach antigens.
One student encouraged the university to take action soon.
“Cockroaches are a very invasive species and are very hard to eradicate. As a result, the methods to get rid of cockroaches are pretty invasive. So, winter break is an awesome time when people aren’t on campus to address the issue,” says student Ramona Ribaudo-Begin.
Cockroaches are a very invasive species and are very hard to eradicate. As a result, the methods to get rid of cockroaches are pretty invasive. So, winter break is an awesome time when people aren’t on campus to address the issue
Ramona Ribaudo-Begin, McMaster student
For more details on discussions between Hospitality Services and the university for a broader pest control plan for all buildings on campus, Kateli-Saxena said to reach out to Facilities Services.
Although collaborative work is promoted as a way to practice real-world teamwork, these assignments, more often than not, fail to do so
I have never been a huge fan of group work, especially when I was randomly assigned members to work with. I'm sure many students also feel the same about group assessments. Although unpleasant, they were more manageable in high school as if need be, we as individuals had the time to carry an entire assignment and avoid facing the consequences of working with others who may not meet the work ethic of others.
However, in university, there is truly no time to carry out an entire project without it impacting your performance in other courses. In university, group projects are intended to be completed through collaboration between students because they are often weighted heavily and are too large to manage on your own. Group projects are also typically high-stakes assessments, which forces students to rely on their peers even when the quality of work produced can be a hit or miss.
The most common reason behind implementing group projects to a high degree within university courses is that it prepares us for collaborative efforts in the workforce. Although the reasoning behind this may have good intentions, the execution of group work is done poorly.
I will admit that some courses have a better way of implementing group projects than others but they all have their flaws. As a result, group projects in university fail to provide an accurate representation of what collaboration looks like in the workforce, defeating the purpose of group work altogether.
For example, you may be putting in a certain level of effort compared to your groupmates because you're working toward a particular goal. However, because their goals for the project don't match yours, you could find yourself doing more work to achieve this goal.
You may also start completing the work earlier on to seek feedback for improvement and often find yourself prompting your groupmates to contribute their fair share. It can be very tricky to navigate this in an academic setting.
Within the workforce, collaboration seems to be much easier as there is more to risk when not contributing your fair share. For example, you may have meetings with human resources, miss the deadline, causing repercussions for the company, lose privileges and in extreme cases, get fired from your job.
Collaboration in the workforce puts forth real consequences aside from the poor grade you might assigned in university; you can even lose potential references for future jobs. However, the challenges of working toward a common goal are lessened in the workforce because everyone has signed up for the same job and is working to accomplish the same goal.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with group projects at university. Many individuals have varying goals and work ethics which make it difficult to create harmony and success. Everyone working at their own pace to achieve their unique goals can be especially difficult when you aren't familiar with your other members and don't have adequate ways to contact them, which is not something that happens in the workplace.
The aim of group work in university is well intended, but the execution of it in courses requires rethinking. We need to find new ways to truly mirror collaboration in the workforce, without hurting student grades in the process.
Perhaps individuals should always be able to choose their groupmates as individuals are more likely to work with others who share similar goals and work ethics. These shared similarities also exist in the workplace, as you often work with co-workers you know on a project.
Another modification could be to have the project adjusted based on the peer evaluations students anonymously provide each other. This method may not be implemented in the workplace. However, the credit for doing a certain aspect of the collaborative work, especially when helping others, usually does not go unnoticed.
Overall, the current framework of group projects is not reflective of collaboration in the real world, causing frustration and an unequal division of work. Instructors need to rethink current group project assessment methods to better prepare students for the real world.
Although we all strive to do well on our midterms this should not occur at the expense of our physical and mental well-being
With exam season fast approaching, many students are slowly starting to forget about their own well-being. All-nighters, avoiding breaks and skipping meals will be the daily norm as libraries are filled to the brim with students focused on achieving one goal - getting a good grade.
Under the pressure of succeeding in rigorous university classes, students are forced to prioritize their GPAs above everything – but at what cost?
Under no circumstances is it okay to place your academics above your mental well-being, especially during high-stress periods like exam season. In fact, during times like these, it’s important to prioritize yourself to avoid psychological distress.
Under no circumstances is it okay to place your academics above your mental well-being, especially during high-stress periods like exam season. In fact, during times like these, it’s important to prioritize yourself to avoid psychological distress.
You should not be pushing through deteriorating mental health for the sake of an exam. By doing so, students are making themselves susceptible to psychological distress, academic burnout, and isolation from the damaged relationships. Indulging in these typical exam activities infrequently may be okay for the time being. However, when consistently making these activities common practice many long-term adverse health implications accompany that.
For example, you may have skipped lunch today because you have an exam at 4 p.m. You may think that using this extra time to study might help you do better on your exam than if you were to grab lunch.
In the short term, you are now starving during your exam which may distract you and make it difficult to concentrate on the exam. However, if you continue to skip meals you are putting yourself at risk for health issues such as mood swings and brain fog. Over time, more concerning consequences can arise too, like fainting and muscle loss, contributing to more illnesses that can cause you a trip to the emergency room.
Experiencing these extreme health implications will only worsen over time if students continue to study all night and isolate themselves from friends and family.
Even though exam season is riddled with anxiety and stress, it is important to understand that the habits we develop during these academically critical periods will have long-term negative impacts on our health. When our health is impacted, our performance on exams is also negatively impacted.
So, what really are the benefits of neglecting our wellbeing?
Although skipping study breaks may help you perform well on your first exam, it’s very likely that continuing these habits will prevent you from performing well on future exams. Additionally, you may begin to experience insomnia, psychological distress, and increased stress levels. Overall, these short-term practices not only have negative health implications in the long term, but they also impact your performance on exams as December progresses.
As hard as it may be, students should not sacrifice their well-being temporarily for exams as the consequences follow us well after. We must recognize that regardless of the intentions for indulging in these practices, there are very minimal benefits to experience during exam season.
We must recognize that regardless of the intentions for indulging in these practices, there are very minimal benefits to experience during exam season.
In fact, prioritizing our well-being can demonstrate academic benefits that will allow us to excel during exams. For example, eating nourishing meals throughout this stressful period can increase mental alertness and stabilize your energy levels allowing you to perform better on exams.
With exams quickly approaching, it's important to remember that sacrificing your well-being to upkeep an ideal GPA can lead to unhealthy habits appearing in the long-term concerns. Taking care of your health, such as eating well and taking breaks.
