While having friends on campus contributes to a great university experience, there are a multitude of benefits to maintaining long distance friendships across universities
The pandemic greatly impacted how students make friendships during their university careers. According to Reddit user u/Bbso1229, “COVID took that friendship building experience away from me and everyone else in my first year.” They further elaborated that although extroverted, they have difficulty creating friendships due to pre-established friend groups formed during the pandemic.
Some McMaster students have noticed the similar struggles that are faced by commuter students and have created the McMaster Society for Off-Campus Students. This society aims to cater to the needs of commuter students and helps them feel included within the McMaster community. McMaster SOCS aims to help commuter students form friendships with those who can relate to their experiences.
Unfortunately, for commuter students or individuals who choose to live off-campus during their first year, the experience of u/Bbso1229 is much more commonly shared than you may think. It is difficult for individuals to make friends during a time of limited social interaction. It proves even more complicated when most of the individuals they interact with on campus have their own established friend groups.
As a former commuter student myself, it has been difficult to make friends with peers during undergrad. This especially rings true if you are attending a different university than your high school peers. On a positive note, the difficulty of making new friendships during the pandemic has lead to some creating stronger bonds within pre-existing friendships. Many individuals, including myself, have turned to childhood friendships for support.
As a former commuter student myself, it has been difficult for students such as myself to make friends with peers during undergrad.
Though distance may make it seem difficult to maintain old friendships, one of the largest benefits of possessing a friendship with a student who attends another university is the professional opportunities, such as research opportunities or jobs, that it could expose you. While McMaster is a research-intensive institute, it could sometimes be difficult for students to secure a position due to the popularity of student-sought research opportunities.
Fortunately, expanding your friend group can also expand your network; your friends could introduce you to their network, thus giving you access to more connections.
Fortunately, expanding your friend group can also expand your network; your friends could introduce you to their network, thus giving you access to more connections.
With an expanded network, students have many more opportunities to connect with individuals who are researching or working in the student’s subject of interest. Although this may sound difficult to accomplish since you do not attend that university, your friend’s own network is now shared with you, allowing you to also explore the potential connections within their network.
Additionally, inter-university friendships do not necessarily result in the same degree of competition between friends and instead spark encouragement due to the lack of similarity in work. Since courses are not structured identically across universities, the variance in coursework downregulates a competitive nature in students. It can be difficult to compare yourself to your friend when you are following a different course breakdown.
It can be difficult to compare yourself to your friend when you are following a different course breakdown.
Although having a friend group at your university can better integrate you into the community and make you feel at home where you study, it certainly does not hurt to expand your network to different universities. With the numerous benefits of having friends living far from you, it may be best to rekindle the childhood friendships that may have fell apart since beginning university.
The closure comes in the midst of security and funding issues
The campus community fridge, a vital resource for students, faculty and community members needing free healthy food options, officially closed its doors on Aug. 30, 2024. The decision came after mounting financial challenges, repeated security breaches and ongoing difficulties in maintaining adequate staffing.
The fridge, operated by the Student Wellness Centre, had been a food resource located behind Mills Library for over two years. It provided free, nutritious food to anyone in need, including students, staff and members of the surrounding community.
For many students, the fridge was essential to help provide food amid the rising cost of living. In an interview with The Silhouette, PhD student Val Flores, expressed how the fridge had been a great help throughout their time at McMaster. "It came at a time in my life when I didn't really have a lot of money," said Flores.
It came at a time in my life when I didn't really have a lot of money.
Val Flores, PhD student
Flores, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2023, shared the struggles of eating healthy with expensive grocery prices and limited food options on campus. "Having the community fridge so I could make my own meals and deal with my own condition . . . It helped me a lot," said Flores.
The McMaster Community Fridge announced on Instagram that the service would be closing as of Aug. 30, 2024. The statement cited "logistical challenges" as the reason.
The community fridge was established in 2022 by a group of third-year student volunteers who wanted to address food insecurity on campus during a sustainability course project. The Student Wellness Centre undertook the project and assumed responsibility for stocking, maintaining and monitoring fridge services.
SWC Program Coordinator Jack Chen provided a detailed account of the challenges plaguing the community fridge initiative in recent years. Funding had become a persistent challenge, with the initiative relying heavily on monetary and food donations. "The years following 2022 showed a pretty exponential decrease in funding from donation . . . we were not able to secure the kind of additional funding needed to support the fridge on a sustainable basis," said Chen.
The years following 2022 showed a pretty exponential decrease in funding from donations …we were not able to secure the kind of additional funding needed to support the fridge on a sustainable basis.
Jack Chen, Program Coordinator
Student Wellness Centre
Staffing and volunteer support have posed further challenges. "We have lots of student volunteers who work on the project and love being part of it . . . But without a dedicated [paid] staff member, it's been challenging to manage everything together," said Chen.
In addition to financial difficulties, security concerns have significantly impacted the fridge's viability. According to Chen, the fridge has faced incidents of theft.
"In the past 12 months, we've experienced quite a few security breaches," said Chen.
These incidents have also highlighted the difficulty of maintaining a free-access resource in a public space while balancing the need for security and safety. Ultimately, the combination of these issues led to the difficult decision to close the community fridge.
Although the community fridge itself will no longer be in operation, the mission to address food insecurity on campus will continue through the Food Collective Centre, a service funded by the McMaster Students Union. The fridge and freezer from the closed community fridge will be repurposed to support the FCC's operations, expanding their service operations to offer both non-perishable and perishable food items.
The FCC, newly located on the 3rd floor of the HUB, has traditionally focused on non-perishable items. This expansion will help maintain the balanced and nutritious offerings previously provided by the community fridge.
"I'm super excited by the expansion of the FCC services to include perishable items. This will continue to help us serve our members and help alleviate food insecurity on campus," said MSU Vice-President (Administration) Adam El-Kadi.
The SWC will provide an initial $1,000 in financial support to the FCC and will evaluate further donations based on the success of the first year of operations.
Organizers of the community fridge have expressed their commitment to supporting those in need, albeit in a different format.
"You can still access the same number of resources, if not more, in this new space [FCC]. It's just in a different spot and a different format," said Chen.
They hope that integrating the FCC into this new model will provide a more sustainable and secure method of distributing food, addressing the challenges that led to the fridge's closure.
As the campus community adjusts to this new food distribution blueprint, the HUB will officially launch the new service space on Oct. 1. Organizers encourage students and staff to stay informed by following @msu_fcc and @mcmastercommunityfridge on Instagram.
MSU-organized initiative offers daily 90 minute access to Hamilton Social Bikes at a reduced rate
Earlier this March, the McMaster Student Union held a referendum to include a discounted Hamilton bike share pass as a part of student fees starting in September 2024. This initiative will offer students a sustainable and affordable way to get to and around campus, with an option to opt out for those who do not wish to bike.
Following the successful bike share referendum passed by the MSU last academic year, an incidental fee of $24.50 including tax has been added to the tuition of full-time McMaster undergraduate students. This fee grants them membership to the Hamilton Bike Share program.
Students who do not opt out of the program will receive an annual bike pass, providing access to a network of publicly shared bicycles across 130 locations in Hamilton, including the seven stations located on McMaster's campus.
The pass will be accessible through the Bike Share SoBi mobile app, where students can create an account and register using their MacID information. After registering, students can use the app to unlock bikes, pay for rides, and enjoy 90 minutes of riding each day. Users will also receive a $10 credit for additional features that may incur a fee, such as locking a bicycle outside a designated station off campus.
Students who exceed the 90-minute daily limit will be charged $0.15 per minute on their account, which is the normal rate for Sobi users. The regular annual pass is priced at $192, meaning full-time undergraduate students benefit from a discount of 88.7 per cent.
The bike share initiative was driven by a group of seven students who advocated for the program on campus. In 2023, the group circulated a petition to investigate if students would support the pass and collected about 870 valid signatures. Following this, they worked to establish a memorandum of understanding between Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Xin Law-Gallagher, one of the co-organizers of the program, spoke about how they raised awareness about the proposed program leading up to the referendum in March 2024. "We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?" ... the answer was always no," said Law-Gallagher.
We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?"... the answer was always no.
Xin Law-Gallagher, co-organizer, Student Bike Pass
The co-organizers mentioned that they thought the most effective methods to boost voter turnout was visiting popular classes. They contacted professors across various faculties and gave presentations at the start of each class, encouraging students to vote.
Paris Liu, another co-organizer of the bike pass, shared her motivations with The Silhouette, emphasizing her concerns about the climate crisis. "I think everyone in the group joined for different reasons … for me, it was mostly the climate crisis with seeing how urgent that was and how the transport sector in Canada contributes [to it]", said Liu.
Liu mentioned that she hopes this program will contribute to encouraging a culture of biking across Canada and increases active transportation. "I hope that [the] success [of the pass] initiates a culture of biking across Canada because in Canada, it's just not really prevalent...whereas [in] Europe, this is very normal ... to have a bike share discount pass for students in most European universities", said Liu.
On March 6 and 7, 2024, students were able to vote for or against the bike share referendum held by the MSU. A total of 4,264 of 25,714 eligible undergraduate students, approximately 17 per cent, voted. Of those who voted, 94.5 percent were in favour of creating a 12-month bike share pass at McMaster.
The referendum needed to meet a simple majority, and required a minimum voter turnout of 10 per cent for the ballots to be counted as valid. A previous referendum in 2016 failed by a narrow margin of three percent.
Michael Wooder, who is responsible for the operations and management of the MSU, spoke to the Silhouette prior to the share program's launch." "I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model … a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle," said Wooder.
I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model…a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle.
Michael Wooder, general manager, MSU
The new student fee will provide over $600,000 annually to Hamilton Bike Share. This will make McMaster students the largest single source of revenue for Hamilton Bike Share.
Wooder mentioned that after the referendum, Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU had been in collaboration to implement the program for all full-time students, including establishing privacy policies and data-sharing procedures with the university.
"…there is a memorandum of understanding between the MSU, [Hamilton] Bike Share, and McMaster University … that says that SoBi will maintain a minimum of 100 bicycles in service on campus at all times during classes… that doesn't limit them to only 100, but that's the operational floor," said Wooder. He added that Hamilton Bike Share will monitor student usage trends to plan to meet the growing demand for social bikes.
Wooder expressed his hope that the program will become a long-term mode of convenient and sustainable transportation.
Marketing for the bike-sharing program will begin in the coming weeks, with the opt-out option available from September 1 to September 30.
The McMaster Intramurals annual sports calendar has been released, detailing opportunities to partake in multiple indoor and outdoor sports for all students
On Aug 23, the McMaster Intramurals account (led by Athletics and Recreation), released the annual intramurals sports schedule that is available to students for the upcoming year. For the fall and winter terms, there will be a total of 21 and 17 sports available respectively.
Intramurals are an opportunity for non-varsity athletes to partake in activities throughout the week on campus. They are open to McMaster students and alumni who wish to get active throughout the year.
For the fall semester, students will have the opportunity to register from Sep 4. to Sep. 18. for the activities they wish to partake in. While individuals are encouraged to register for as many activities as they wish, there are some rules in place to ensure a fair chance is provided to all participants.
Participants will only be able to take part in one gendered league (open, men’s or women’s) and a co-ed league per sport, meaning that one can only join a maximum of two teams per sport.
Most of the sports in the fall will have a mixture of PlayFun and PlayComp opportunities. PlayFun leagues are built for all participants, but the focus of these leagues is on the fun of the sport and teamwork, rather than competition with other groups. Experienced players are expected to support beginners throughout the league, which would promote a less competitive edge to the sport.
PlayFun leagues are built for all participants, but the focus of these leagues is on the fun of the sport and teamwork, rather than competition with other groups
PlayComp on the other hand has more competitive games that often results in a quicker and more intense league than PlayFun, yet always respectful. Teams are expected to have a good understanding of the rules and be ambitious.
Whilst most of the sports in the fall will have a mixture of PlayFun and PlayComp opportunities, there are sports that will have nights for students to learn the sport called the Learn To Play Night. These are scheduled to be provided for flag football, soccer, ultimate frisbee, H20-Polo, H20-Basketball, Volleyball, and Floorball.
For the winter, all of the sports will be indoor, including some of those sports held outside in the fall. Students can register for the winter semester sports from November, specifically Nov. 11-24.
One thing that stands out compared to the previous years is the steep price increase for activities such as soccer and a general price increase for almost all other sports.
In particular, soccer 11-a-side open registration went up from $165 for the 2023-2024 year, to $225 for the current year, a spike of 36 per cent. While an annual slight uptick in price is normal, it remains unknown as to why such a large rise has occurred, making the activity the most expensive one.
Other sports that saw noticeable price changes include Flag Football, Volleyball and Floorball, with various subcategories, such as co-ed and open, increasing by up to 25 per cent.
To get involved with intramurals this year, students can sign up through the IMLeagues app or website, where they can access all the details. If students have an invite from an existing team, they can join if they first completing a quiz. They can also create their own team within a league of their choice and start inviting their friends or other students that are eligible (McMaster students or alumni) for intramurals.
To get involved with intramurals this year, students can sign up through the IMLeagues app or website, where they can access all the details.
Additionally, students have the opportunity to sign up as agents. There they can describe their skills and give a brief description of themselves, which will provide team captains with information to choose them for their team.
For more information about the upcoming intramurals program, students can reach out to McMaster Intramurals on Instagram or visit their home page.
After two years as head coach, Chris Jones looks to prove he’s built the foundation the women’s rugby team needs to succeed
For Chris Jones, leading the women’s rugby team has come with a fair share of ups and downs. In his opening season with the team in 2022, Jones led the team to a season with four wins and three losses, with the team ultimately losing in their first round of playoffs
The teams second season did not show much improvements from the first regarding how many games they lost versus how many they won. The Marauders finished with two wins and 4 losses in the 2023 season, and failed to secure a playoff spot.
As Jones embarks on his third year coaching the Marauders, he has aimed to clean up the problems which have caused his team to struggle. Taking advantage of the time during the preseason has been a key factor in creating a well organized team.
“We’ve done as good of a job as I think we can around having a clear language. In camp, if there's been confusion about the meaning of something, we’ve been able to work it out,” said Jones.
Allowing team members to be on the same page, and having a joint team vision seems to be a top priority for Jones. He looks to capitalize on this strength in the upcoming year.
“Our strength is our team vision and cohesion. What I love about rugby is that if you are clear and working toward the same strategic end, teams that maybe don’t have the Micheal Jordans of the world can still be competitive,” said Jones.
Our strength is our team vision and cohesion. What I love about rugby is that if you are clear and working toward the same strategic end, teams that maybe don’t have the Micheal Jordans of the world can still be competitive.
Chris Jones, head coach, McMaster women's rugby team
As the team heads into the 2024 season, a mix of first years along with a strong group of returning players look to carry the women’s rugby team to greater heights. Older experienced players will look to further implement Jones' tactics, as they’ve had two seasons to become accustomed to them.
“This year we’ve really solidified the way we want to play, the structure offensively. We’ll leave that in for a few years but it feels like we have a good set-up,” said Jones.
The Marauder’s kicked off their season with a home opener against Trent University on August 31st. Soon, they will face Brock University's team, ranked eighth in preseason statistics , in their second game of the season on September 7th.
To end the season the team will go up against a USPORT powerhouse team, Queen’s University, on October 5th. The Gaels are ranked second in preseason rankings. Despite these tough matchups, Jones' team aims to focus on what they can control throughout the season.
“A goal to say we want to get to the quarters or semi’s is not actionable, we can’t do anything about that. So one thing we want to see is us hitting our shapes, upwards of 50 per cent to 60,” said Jones.
A goal to say we want to get to the quarters or semi’s is not actionable, we can’t do anything about that. So one thing we want to see is us hitting our shapes, upwards of 50 per cent to 60.
Chris Jones, head coach, McMaster women's rugby team
With a key matchup coming up September 7th, against the Brock Badgers in St. Catharines, the Marauders and Jones will test their abilities against a high level team.
Discover fresh faces and exciting opportunities with the newest clubs at McMaster University
McMaster University has over 250 student-run clubs on campus across diverse categories that include but are not limited to academics and athletics, culture and religion and social issues.
Students have the freedom to pursue their passions that are related to their degree or independent of it. The variety of clubs at McMaster create spaces for students to connect with likeminded individuals and get involved with exciting initiatives and events.
While there is a vast amount of MSU clubs, this number only continues to grow as new intelligent cohorts join the McMaster community. Here are a few new notable MSU clubs to check out!
Eating Disorder Awareness McMaster
To raise awareness of eating disorders and their effects on people's lives, Eating Disorder Awareness McMaster aims to share helpful information to the McMaster community and resources to those affected. EDMAC is a newly created affiliate of the Collaborative Eating Disorder Awareness Association, a nonprofit organization that shares a similar mission to generate a better understanding of eating disorders in Canada. Sharing information about eating disorders spreads awareness to those ignorant to their severity and validates students that may not know how to seek treatment.
McMaster BlackPrint
Made for black men by black men, McMaster BlackPrint is a club dedicated to creating spaces to bring together and uplift black-identifying male students. Black male students are often underrepresented in university spaces. Through collaborative events with other MSU clubs and support from the Black Student Success Centre, showcased on their social media, BlackPrint creates safe spaces for mental health discussions, academic tools, and career-planning resources.
McMaster Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society
An exclusive club that supports McMaster’s finest academics, the Golden Key International Honour Society is an invite-only club where its members are among the top 15 per cent of their field of study. The Golden Key International Honour Society is stated to be the largest collegiate society on both their social media and official website. Holding connections with over 400 universities, this club represents the McMaster chapter of this honour society. Members of this club are provided exclusive networking opportunities, scholarships, and career-building resources.
McMaster Young Liberals
Currently McMaster’s only politically affiliated MSU club, the McMaster Young Liberals are returning after
“My big goal is I want a lot of people to come out and see that politics can be fun. I want to decrease that perceived barrier of entry into it. I want to get people to come out and realize they can make an actual difference in their community and really be involved,” said Max Dressler, provincial president of McMaster Young Liberals.
McMaster Young Liberals hopes to create a space for students both new and familiar to politics to openly discuss their concerns and opinions.
“Get involved and share your opinions because those opinions may very well become law,”
Whether you're looking to meet new people or discover a new interest, consider checking out a new club this semester.
Hamilton-based band Babbage Industries joins worldwide celebration encouraging everyone to
stop and listen to the music
On Aug. 30, local band Babbage Industries played a free concert from the porch of a house near Churchill Park in Westdale. Members of the Westdale community gathered to enjoy an evening of music.
Play Music on the Porch Day was started in 2014 by artist Brian Mallman who wondered, “What if for one day everything stopped and we all just listened to the music?” The event is held on the last Saturday in August and has grown to include thousands of musicians from over 70 countries. To participate you simply go outside and play music.
What if one day everything stopped and we all just listened to the music?
Brian Mallman, founder, Play Music on the Porch Day
Participants could register online to be on the Play Music on the Porch Day worldwide map, which showcases the global extent of the day. Monica Knott, the event host and bassist, remarked “We’re just one little dot in all of the dots. It’s everywhere. It’s kind of cool to know that everywhere in the world everybody was doing something like that.”
This was the first time Babbage Industries participated in Play Music on the Porch Day, having heard about the idea last year. However, they had been playing music on the porch since the COVID-19 pandemic. "We wanted to play music together and of course it’s really impossible to do that during COVID times. So we practiced exactly that way many times and the neighbours would sit on their porch and [cheer] and that sort of thing," said Knott.
Play Music on the Porch Day provides an opportunity for people to meet their neighbors and build community. In between songs, the band and audience talked about music and other shared interests. The audience was encouraged to sing along to songs they knew. Knott mentioned that one woman brought a melodica and played along and another passerby happened to be an accordion player.
Knott enjoyed witnessing small interactions between people, like her neighbor going to get a chair from his house for another attendee. “We consume music, for sure. We wear our headphones, but it doesn’t build interactions like we’re having right now. Even when you go to a concert, you go with your friends, you dance with your friends, but you’re not necessarily making those connections. But this made connections,” said Knott.
We consume music, for sure. We wear our headphones, but it doesn't build interactions like we're having right now. Even when you go to a concert, you go with your friends, you dance with your friends, but you're not necessarily making those connections. But this made connections.
Monica Knott, event host and bassist, Play Music on the Porch Day
Babbage Industries enjoys performing regularly. “As a band, we just love playing together. One thing we love more than anything is just hanging out, making music, being good to each other,” said Knott. The band’s upcoming engagements include the Hamilton for Haiti fundraiser and I’ll be Mother, an original musical. Knott said she hopes to host Play Music on the Porch Day again and have more musicians join in next year.
A look into the varsity wrestling team's progress, and ambitions for the upcoming season under Coach Ahmed Shamiya
As the new school year begins, anticipation is building within McMaster University's varsity wrestling team. Under the leadership of Coach Ahmed Shamiya since 2019, the team is in a position to make a significant impact this season. After five years of steady progress in areas like adopting a winning mentality, the team is ready to transform potential into results.
In an interview with The Silhouette, Shamiya looked back on his time as coach and expressed confidence in the team's development. "When I started, there was a lot of potential, but [...] a lot of work to be done [...] I believe this year we will reap the fruits of our labour," said Shamiya.
When I started, there was a lot of potential, but [...] a lot of work to be done [...] I believe this year we will reap the fruits of our labour.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
He admitted that creating a winning culture has been a lengthy process. But that the team's confidence going into the season is a direct result of an altering of the team's beliefs, attitudes, and actions to place an emphasis on cooperation, discipline, and the common goal of success. "Although wrestling is an individual sport, it builds camaraderie like no other," Ahmed noted.
Coach Ahmed has led the club to several significant accomplishments since taking over in 2019 . The team has continuously performed well, winning two Rookie of the Year titles - which recognize outstanding first-year athletes for exceptional talent - to earning both the male and female Athletes of the Year. The women’s team, in particular, has made history with a top-three finish at the U-Sport National Championships.
Despite these accomplishments, the team's objectives for this year are still very high. "Our goal this year [...] is to be national [...] and OUA champions," said Shamiya. However, he also stressed that achieving these titles will need more than simply skill.
Our goal this year [...] is to be national [...] and OUA champions.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
Perseverance and loyalty to their basic principles will be needed, particularly in the face of difficulties. "When things get difficult, it can be very easy to abandon your goal. It can be easy to abandon your values. It's just a matter of sticking to that no matter what happens," he stressed.
Wrestling is a demanding sport, and injuries have been a significant challenge for the team in the past. "In the past we've had championship teams on paper, but then two weeks, three weeks out from the national championships, one of our key wrestlers will get injured and will not be able to wrestle that tournament" said Shamiya. In the interview, Coach Ahmed emphasizes the need to balance pushing athletes to their limits whilst also ensuring optimal recovery. A key wrestler missing from the lineup can severely impact the team’s chances at a national title, making injury prevention a top priority.
Coach Ahmed is optimistic about the direction of the McMaster wrestling team as they get ready for another tough season. “[Brock has] been very dominant [...] and you got to give them credit [...] but I truly believe that [...] in time, we will pass them. It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of when – and I truly believe that” said Shamiya.
[Brock has] been very dominant [...] and you got to give them credit [...] but I truly believe that [...] in time, we will pass them. It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of when – and I truly believe that.
Ahmed Shamiya, coach, varsity wrestling team
According to Shamiya, the culture of the team, which prioritizes academic and athletic achievement, will also see its members implement the teachings they have learned in their personal and professional life, off the wrestling mat. "Excellence is a transferable skill," Ahmed emphasized, "the pursuit of greatness will make you so much better as a person and that will translate to all aspects of life post wrestling”.
As the McMaster wrestling team heads into the new season, the strong foundation they’ve built over the last five years sets them up for continued growth and success. With a clear vision and a commitment to their values, the team feels ready to take on the challenges ahead.
When determining who gets a spot in residence during your first year of undergrad, your high school grades should not be the deciding factor of your eligibility.
Despite being overjoyed at being accepted to McMaster University in 2021, as someone who does not live within commuting distance from the school, I was also heavily concerned about living in residence during my first year.
While attending one of the onboarding information sessions McMaster offers to its incoming students about living in residence, I learned that I needed to have at least a 90 percent average to secure a spot in residence if I wanted to live on campus.
I learned that I needed to have at least a 90 percent average to secure a spot in residence if I wanted to live on campus.
Although I was fortunate enough to have an average that guaranteed me a spot in residence, I quickly realized that other students were not as fortunate.
McMaster is regarded as a highly competitive university. With limited program choices and spots for high school students to fill, it's no surprise that the incoming student averages are significantly high, though acceptance averages vary across faculties and can lead to certain majors being disproportionately represented within residence.
For example, a potential Health and Society student would need a high school average between the low to high 80s while a Life Sciences student would need a high school average of the high 80s to low 90s to be considered for acceptance.
The discrepancy in high school admission averages alone seems to favour certain types of programs. It is important to note that your program does not place you at a disadvantage for a spot within residency as only your high school average is considered. Yet, it can mislead you if you don’t meet the guaranteed residence cut-off while you meet your program cut-off.
Once students are conditionally accepted into their program, they may want to maintain their current average rather than continuously work to obtain a higher average.
Although there is nothing wrong with this, it may have put you at a disadvantage for residency as your program cut off differs from the residency cut off. This is only one circumstance why an incoming student may not make the residency cut-off.
Many more can be due to extenuating circumstances that a student had no control over such as family and personal challenges, the pandemic, and much more that cannot be explained by a simple average.
Guaranteeing residency based on a student's grade limits student potential.
Rewarding students a spot to live on campus rather than assessing them on a needs basis places students who require a place on residency but who don't meet the cut-off at a large disadvantage.
On average there are around 8,044 first-year students incoming each year. However, there are only 4,186 rooms for these students to fill. This means that about 48 per cent of the first-year population will need to find a place off campus to live or commute. There are simply not enough residence spots to accommodate everyone.
On average there are around 8,044 first-year students incoming each year. However, there are only 4,186 rooms for these students to fill.
Students should be assessed on their urgency for residency rather than it being handed out for doing well in high school as their averages do not tell a complete story of who a student may be. Additionally, many students meet the guaranteed admission but do not need a residence spot and live on campus anyway for the experience.
It may be more time-consuming for the university to read through all of the applications and assess who may deserve a spot in residence. However, this also weeds out the students who are not interested in residency as this process encourages students to reflect if residency is right for them.
The transition between high school and university is difficult as it is. Students who truly need to live in residence should not be placed at a disadvantage because their high school average was below the guaranteed average of 90 percent.
McMaster University should transition from guaranteeing students with a minimum of a 90 per cent average a spot on residence to allotting first-year students residency spots based on needs. This change will benefit incoming students more than the current system and it will truly help those students who need a spot in residence.
This year's gritLIT was a five-day celebration of the excellence, diversity and culture of the city's literary arts community
Originating as a grassroots initiative, the gritLIT literary festival has grown into a five-day celebration of Hamilton's local talent and authors from across Canada. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival which took place from Apr 17 to Apr 21.
gritLIT describes itself as an intimate festival with a focus on local Hamilton writers.
“People don't know what to expect, and if it's something you're intimidated by or you haven't really been in that literary world, just the idea of a literary festival can sound kind of snobbish or exclusive. And we're absolutely not that,” explained Jessica Rose, interim artistic director at gritLIT.
People don't know what to expect, and if it's something you're intimidated by or you haven't really been in that literary world, just the idea of a literary festival can sound kind of snobbish or exclusive. And we're absolutely not that.
Jessica Rose
gritLIT, Interim Artistic Director
In addition to gritLIT’s commitment to celebrating excellence in the literary arts and bringing cultural traffic to Hamilton, the festival is focused on promoting a diversity of perspective and experience in their programming.
“We've got some incredible authors coming this year who are sharing their trans experience, their immigration experiences — very much their lived experiences — whether they're telling it through memoir or poetry or fiction,” said Rose.
We've got some incredible authors coming this year who are sharing their trans experience, their immigration experiences — very much their lived experiences — whether they're telling it through memoir or poetry or fiction.
Jessica Rose
gritLIT, Interim Artistic Director
During the pandemic, gritLIT organizers saw the importance of virtual programming, which the festival still continues today through a hybrid format. This year, gritLIT will be hosting their 20th anniversary celebration and writing contest awards online to accommodate viewers and contest participants from across Canada.
“Accessibility is really, really important to us. There were so many negative things about the pandemic, but one amazing thing was we were able to have people tune into gritLIT events from across the country,” explained Rose.
Over the 30 events that gritLIT held, the festival drew in thousands of attendees. The larger events included an evening with Margaret Atwood, who was speaking about her latest work Old Babes in the Wood at Theatre Aquarius.
Efforts to engage younger audiences included new events like their flash fiction contest and involvement from the youth committee. Last year, the gritLIT youth committee organized a mixer event for attendees to discuss their favorite books, which was well-received by the younger crowd.
“We find once people come to a gritLIT event, they come back and they come back and they come back. So, we're just excited to see the demographics change a little bit, seeing some of those younger faces,” said Rose
