As financial barriers to higher education limit key opportunities, it's important to reflect on what can be done to create a fairer system
By: Dawn McKee, Opinion Contributor
Education is often seen as the gateway to opportunity—a way for individuals to improve their circumstances and contribute to society in a meaningful way. However, for many, the cost of higher education presents a major obstacle, making access difficult due to circumstances largely out of their control.
If we want everyone to have the same equality of opportunity, it is clear that something must change to make education more economically accessible and less financially stressful. But what solution should we strive for? Should tuition be free, or should student loans be fully federalized?
In the current system, students from low- and middle-income families often find themselves at a disadvantage. High tuition costs and reliance on private loans—or even government programs like OSAP, which are available but still require students to take on debt—can be stressful and may discourage some from pursuing post-secondary education. Some students also work multiple jobs while at university to afford tuition and living costs each semester, further adding to the challenge of balancing academics and finances.
Meanwhile, students from wealthier families who can pay for their tuition pursue higher education without the same financial worries. This creates an unfair system where a person’s access to education—and therefore their prospects—depends, to some degree, on their socioeconomic background rather than their abilities or ambitions.
One solution is to make tuition free and covered by a government fund. This would remove financial barriers entirely for domestic students, allowing all students within the country, regardless of income, to pursue higher education. In most cases, however, international students would still be required to pay tuition, though potentially at a reduced rate. Countries like Germany and Sweden have already adopted this model and seen positive results, including increased enrollment and reduced inequality in access to education.
Beyond benefiting individual students, this approach could strengthen the country as a whole by creating an increasingly educated workforce, driving economic growth and reducing dependence on social welfare programs in the long term. When higher education is accessible, more people can contribute meaningfully to society and earn more for themselves, leading to greater innovation, productivity and overall stability.
When higher education is accessible, more people can contribute meaningfully to society and earn more for themselves, leading to greater innovation, productivity and overall stability.
Some argue that free tuition could lead to overcrowded schools and higher taxes, but these challenges can be addressed through careful planning and resource management within the higher education system.
Another option is to federalize student loans. Under this system, the government would handle all loans, offering lower interest rates and more flexible payment plans based on income.
Currently, in Canada, student loans are split between federal and provincial programs, leading to inconsistencies in interest rates, repayment terms and eligibility for assistance. Some provinces have eliminated interest on loans, while others still charge it, creating an uneven playing field for borrowers depending on where they live.
A fully federalized system would standardize these conditions, ensuring that all students, regardless of their province or their parents' income, have access to the same repayment benefits and financial assistance. It could also reduce or eliminate the need for private loans, which often have higher interest rates and stricter repayment conditions.
A fully federalized system would standardize these conditions, ensuring that all students, regardless of their province or their parents' income, have access to the same repayment benefits and financial assistance.
By making student loans more accessible, manageable and equitable, federalization could reduce financial stress and allow students to focus on their studies and careers. While this option doesn’t eliminate tuition costs, it would significantly reduce and equalize the financial burden on students, making education more affordable in the long run.
Both approaches have their strengths, but they share a common goal: ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their family's financial background. For both individual students and society as a whole, access to education should not be determined by pre-existing economic circumstances beyond students' control.
Student democracy is a fundamental principle of the MSU, but as participation falters, what can we do to re-centre it in student life?
Election turnout is a yearly topic of discussion at the Silhouette and throughout the MSU, whether there excitement at high participation, or more frequently worry over student disinterest.
The 2024 McMaster Students Union presidential election saw a 56 per cent increase in voter turnout from 2023, something re-elected MSU President Jovan Popovic saw as a testament to the MSU’s increasing connection with students coming out of the pandemic. But while this increase in turnout is important, it misses the reality that the MSU has been in a crisis of democratic disengagement for years.
The introduction of electronic voting to MSU elections in 2010 saw student participation jump from nine per cent to 22 per cent in one year. Over the next 7 years, turnout continued on an upward trend, remaining for 5 years at over 40 per cent until its sudden 13 per cent drop in 2018. From then on, presidential elections have continued to see disappointingly low voter turnout and overall engagement in student politics, including the acclamation of a president in 2021 when only one candidate ran.
Even last year’s rebound hides ongoing struggles. 2024’s MSU General Assembly saw a 50 per cent decline in attendance since 2023, from ten to five members present, more than 750 people shy of quorum each time. This not only means that the General Assembly’s resolutions are non-binding, but that it also fails to effectively inform the Student Representative Assembly of student opinion.
The difference between presidential election turnout and participation in the other facets of student democracy illustrates students’ complex relationship with the MSU and its president. The well publicized presidential race, with platforms full of often detailed and/or ambitious promises, attracts participation perhaps because it seems to be the easiest and highest impact way to have your voice heard in the MSU.
The well publicized presidential race, with platforms full of typically detailed and/or ambitious promises, attracts participation perhaps because it seems to be the easiest and highest impact way to have your voice heard in the MSU.
The presidential election is democracy at work without the complex procedure of the SRA, the referendum process, or the General Assembly. These procedures exist for a reason but they have to be balanced with creating a democratic spirit among students.
There is one exception to the recent democratic decline of the MSU, and that is 2024’s bike share referendum, which saw what was for a referendum tremendous turnout. In a year when the only other referendum, the Food Accessibility Initiative, failed to gain enough votes to meet quorum, the bike share referendum passed with tremendous support.
The bike share campaign was a long and very public one, with student activists pushing the measure through at every step of the referendum process. The referendum’s supporters had over a year to promote their position on the referendum.
The MSU’s election rules limit campaigning to a set period prior to referenda, to ensure fairness. McMaster bike share was able to work around this because the process of gathering signatures — which the bike share needed as a student initiated referendum — did not violate the campaigning rules. Without this extra campaign period the bike share referendum might not have succeeded in getting the necessary 10 per cent voter turnout for a referendum to be valid.
The alternative however, was demonstrated in the failure of the Food Security Initiative, initiated by President Popovic. Campaigning was limited to a brief period prior to the referendum and without ample time to inform and excite students, not enough turned out.
While the strict campaign period makes sense for the election of student representatives, as it is important that those elections be competitive and that each candidate be given a fair chance, referenda are not competitions. Limiting elected representatives' allowed time to communicate with their constituents for or against a referendum is not an effective way to encourage student democracy.
Simply informing students of a referendum shortly before the voting period without much opportunity to inspire them to take action appears to be an ineffective way of increasing political participation. If our best examples of democratic culture rely on motivating students through positive messaging — whether that be the platforms of promising presidential candidates or the potential benefits of passing a referendum — it may be time to reconsider how we allow students to be informed about their student union's initiatives.
Students need more freedom to actively and effectively participate in their student government on their often limited schedule. Empowering students and our political representatives to promote their initiatives activelywill empower student democracy.
While Olalere's campaigns aims to address a wide range of student issues, some points lack detailed planning and would benefit from more research and consultation
Olami Olalere's campaign succeeds in highlighting a wide scope of student issues on campus while proposing initiatives to improve the operations of the MSU. However, many of these promises lack clarity, substance and proper consultations with key stakeholders and experts on campus.
In his campaign, Olalere's first pillar focuses on increasing traffic to MSU services by enhancing advertising methods. While Olarere shared with the Silhouette that he consulted full-time MSU staff about student usage of MSU services, his platform fails to include any data or specific details from these consultations to validate the need for this promise.
In his platform point on housing accessibility, Olalere mentioned his intention to create a route of communication between students and the municipal government to improve tenant protections for students. However, this proposal lacks clarity regarding who exactly students would be communicating with or what concrete steps would be taken to implement this communication channel. Olami did not state that he had consulted with any city officials on this point.
Student Engagement
In the second pillar of his campaign, Olalere envisions creating a “Maroon Wall”, a dedicated space for students to express themselves, share stories and engage with peers. Yet, key details about the initiative remain undefined, such as where the wall would be located.
Olalere intends to work with McMaster Athletics to create a student-only stand for sports games on campus to encourage student engagement in sports and to foster school spirit.
“I go to almost all the basketball games, almost all the football games, soccer games, men, women, volleyball games. I support the team, physically in all these aspects. I enjoy watching the team . . . and I go to these [games]. I am seeing the attendance. It is low,” said Olarere.
Olalere did consult with Director of McMaster Athletics and Recreation Keenan Jeppesen, and both agreed this was a worthwhile initiative to explore.
One of Olalere's proposals involves arranging monthly meetings with students in the McMaster University Students Centre, where, if elected as MSU president, he would provide a space for students to voice their concerns.
When speaking to the Silhouette, he was asked how he would handle students raising controversial topics and ensuring that such public discussions are respectful. Olalere acknowledged the potential for these issues but ultimately stated that students' voices should be heard. More consideration into the safety and security of this event could help to strengthen this platform point.
He further suggested that the meetings would be reassessed halfway through, though this response lacked clarity on how potential conflicts would be managed effectively and whether any concrete actions or protocols would be implemented to ensure fair representation and productive dialogue.
Student Expression
The third pillar of Olalere's campaign includes implementing a new MSU service called “MSUTV”. This student-run media outlet would aim to showcase life and events on campus.
However, there are already two existing student-run MSU services. The Silhouette, McMaster's student-led newspaper established in 1930, and 93.3 CFMU, McMaster's campus radio station established in 1963, similarly cover campus events, news and sports.
As of May 1, 2025, both departments will be funded by the CFMU Radio Inc. student fee to enable greater cross-collaboration, including more joint video initiatives.
Olalere's platform does not acknowledge these established services or indicate whether he consulted on the creation of a new campus media outlet. Olalere did not consult with the Silhouette or CFMU about what exactly his "MSUTV" would cover and how the two services might overlap.
When questioned in an interview, Olalere elaborated on his idea, including plans for post-game interviews and opportunities for students to interview athletes, with these segments and games being broadcasted on television. This would bridge the gap between the athletics and student sides of campus life, according to Olalere.
The current campus screen network that the MSU owns were replaced through a capital-expenditure request to the SRA in 2022. They currently run paid advertising and the Silhouette news ticker. There has been no clarification from the candidate if he proposes to still have this remain in addition to the "MSUTV" content.
However, he still did not clarify how his new proposed media service would fit alongside and be distinguished from the two already existing campus media services.
Finally, when being interviewed by the Silhouette, Olalere walked back one of his points in his original campaign platform that he provided. When discussing his proposed housing fair, he admitted he thought the idea was infeasible.
Overall, Olalere's campaign succeeds in presenting himself as a candidate eager to empower student voices.
It is also worth noting that Olalere is the only candidate running for MSU President from outside of the "MSU Bubble," showcasing the want for students to get involved to make a difference on campus.
Nevertheless, it ultimately falls short due to lack of clarity in his proposals and a failure to provide details on how he plans to implement his ideas effectively.
McMaster students share their experiences accessing the SWC and what the service has done to enhance student accessibility
The Student Wellness Centre is a McMaster University service that provides undergraduate and graduate students counselling and medical care as well as undertakes health promotion initiatives. In September 2023, the Silhouette spoke with Debbie Nifakis, a psychologist and SWC’s associate director of counselling, as well as with three undergraduate students about their relationship with the SWC.
Nifakis shared that the SWC cares very deeply about their counselling services. Currently, the SWC operates under the Pathways to Care model, which offers students a diverse array of resources in an effort to help find the best combination of service for an individual.
“With Pathways to Care, it helps people to see what are the different options that you have when you come here ... So it really helped the counselor and the student together to look at "what are your needs and where would you best get them met?",” said Nifakis.
Fiona Allen, a fourth-year Health Sciences student at McMaster, has accessed both SWC medical care and mental health services. Allen explained that she found the service to be very helpful and organized, as she was able to have both a general practitioner and a psychiatrist through the SWC
“I found even like the general physicians, who see you for all of your medical needs, they're very knowledgeable of mental health and they were very understanding,” said Allen.
Breanne Poernbacher, a fourth-year anthropology student at McMaster, sought out mental health support from the SWC this past summer. She explained that she is very appreciative of the medical care she has received and encouraged those who need it to seek support from the SWC. She emphasized how the SWC's trauma-centered approach was a good fit for her while seeking support.
“Even before the whole procedure, which is a very safe procedure, [the doctor said] "Yeah, [any] worries that I can address? Do you want me to like tell you before I touch you, or are you comfortable with this?" It's just really nice that that's in their practice. It makes it a lot more comfortable as someone that survived trauma to access that,” said Poernbacher.
Poernbacher explained that while she felt the support she received from the SWC was a positive experience, she also felt she had to overshare to the front desk in order to convey the urgency of her requiring support.
“If I left that information out they probably would have tried to push my appointment to the next day or the next week even,” said Poernbacher.
Anisah Ali, a fourth-year Health and Society with a specialization in Mental Health and Addiction student at McMaster, accessed the counselling service at start of her undergraduate education and now again in her last year.
Ali shared that she began counselling in Aug. 2023. She shared that despite the overall positive and smooth intake, she was a bit disappointed to learn that they currently do not have any South-Asian therapists working.
Ali shared that during the time of her intake, the only South-Asian therapist employed was on leave. In a follow-up statement six months later, she stated she had become well acquainted with her current therapist and was not interested in switching. However, she noted that to her knowledge therapists at SWC lack diversity relative to who they treat.
“It was unfortunate to not have somebody who gets my cultural background, because obviously, that informs what I see from therapy,” said Ali.
It was unfortunate to not have somebody who gets my cultural background, because obviously, that informs what I see from therapy.
Anisah Ali Fourth-year Health and Society student
Moreover, both Allen and Ali both expressed that an area for improvement would be the capacity of staff for counselling services. Allen shared that overall she is very happy with her service, but she wished the wait times could be reduced. Ali expressed that with a larger capacity, they would be able to take more students in per day.
“Probably, if anything, it would just be reducing the wait times. I know that's difficult because there's obviously a lot of students and a lot of students who have mental health needs [and] general medical needs and only so many staff, but I feel that that would be a great place to invest,” said Allen.
Nifakis shared that her team wanted to counter this by introducing a walk-in system last year, which is now titled the drop-in system. The goal was to make counselling more accessible so people could get the help they needed on the same day.
Nifakis shared that there was an overwhelmingly positive response, but did not provide any data to support this claim when asked through email correspondence.
Nifakis also explained that sometimes despite their best efforts, sometimes they need to turn people away. She explained that situations deemed emergencies are prioritized. Nifakis expressed that resources are limited for the service, though they plan to hire a few more people.
“Now even walking in is a little bit limited because if we had two or three counselors on there would only allow for maybe six, seven people. So there were days where we might have had to turn people away, because we just didn't have enough openings for the walk in. So that's always a bit of an issue,” said Nifakis.
Poernbacher shared an earlier experience where she was unable to receive counselling care at a frequent basis that accommodated her well-being.
Poernbacher partook in one of their counselling services that help students overcome a particular situation in their life, but she expressed that not being able to access that therapist after the eighth-week mark had been difficult.
“Now I am without a therapist and I have been recommended to continue long term care. So that's why I ended up finding a therapist outside of SWC and pretty much paying out of pocket,” said Poernbacher.
Now I am without a therapist and I have been recommended to continue long term care. So that's why I ended up finding a therapist outside of SWC and pretty much paying out of pocket.
In March 2024 we reached out to Fezan Khokhar, the director of the McMaster Students Union's Emergency First Response Team, to discuss findings from the report they shared with the MSU Executive Board in February 2024.
In their report, it was noted that between August 2023 and February 2024 there was a decrease in mental health calls, in comparison to the previous year’s report. Khokhar shared that these statistics are subject to change as the full year's data has not yet been collected.
In the EFRT report, they also attributed this decrease in part to SWC drop-in counseling and the hiring of a mental health nurse through a McMaster initiative initiative called the Student Urgent Response Team. The goal of the latter program was to have someone specialized in order to support students in crisis, alongside other campus security staff. This project was funded by Bell Let's Talk's implementation grant, which provided McMaster $100,000.
Khokhar explained that in a conversation with Rosanne Kent, SWC director, she expressed their efforts to provide increased access to counselling. Khokhar shared that he hoped those responsible for the finances of SWC continue to help them build their drop-in counselling services.
“I'm viewing it, as in my opinion, that we're seeing [the] Student Wellness Center provide more support towards individuals who have any mental health illnesses or are going through any crisis so that they don't reach the point of panic attacks or intense thoughts of suicide. [This] tends to be when we're called,” said Khokhar.
The Silhouette was able to recently follow up with two of the undergraduate students we spoke to earlier in the year.
Allen expressed that she actually had to switch doctors this past year. She was greatly appreciative of the effort that the SWC took to ensure the transition was smooth internally and that her care continued without any issues.
Furthermore, she shared that since the last time she spoke with The Silhouette, she had come to terms with the unchangeable chronic aspects of her mental health conditions. While that process had been difficult, the SWC's treatment provided her with a sense of self. She shared that as she prepares for graduation, the SWC has effectively helped her begin to plan the transfer of her medical care.
"Sometimes, my [mental health] makes me feel like I am completely out of control. It is nice to get a degree of control back through the autonomy and respect I’m given as a patient at the SWC. Although I’ll lose access to the SWC shortly after I graduate this year, I feel empowered to advocate for myself and my needs," said Allen in an email statement to the Silhouette.
Conversely, Ali's follow-up statement expressed that she believed the SWC does not significantly recognize the chronic treatment of mental health. She wishes that cultural aspects of mental health presentation were more clearly acknowledged.
"I think they should improve how they engage in actual sessions to take note of cultural differences present in how [mental health] symptoms arise," said Ali in an email statement to The Silhouette.
Overall, students who have used the counselling services have a deep appreciation for the SWC and any suggestions for improvement merely stem from their personal experiences with the center.
If you would like to share your pwn experiences with the SWC, the centre is asking those who have used the service in the past twelve months to share their experiences anonymously.
All of our elections have the same general process but, for each election, the time frames are a little bit different. For a general rundown, we have a nomination period that is open for a certain number of days. At the end of the nomination period, we'll have a meeting with all the candidates to go over the election roles, important dates and the timeline. After this meeting, the candidates start campaigning. We will just be monitoring the candidates' campaigns. Then, students can vote for the candidate that they feel would best represent them in the election.
What do you do?
I'm in charge of managing the elections department's administrative side. The Deputy Returning Officer works on all the promotions and social media. We both work together to make sure that the elections department runs smoothly and that elections are held fairly and equitably.
What drew you to your position?
I was the previous Chief Returning Officer for the McMaster Science Society. Through that position, I got a sense of why this work is important. You have a lot of power to promote and show the importance of running for elections and supporting the candidates who are passionate about running for a position. Student governance is really important and I feel like a lot of people don't recognize the work that many people who participate in student government do because a lot of the stuff that they do is behind the scenes. At the same time, it's the behind the scenes stuff that keeps everything running.
Student governance is really important and I feel like a lot of people don't recognize the work that many people who participate in student government do because a lot of the stuff that they do is behind the scenes. At the same time, it's the behind the scenes stuff that keeps everything running.
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
Can you elaborate on why student government is important to you?
Student government is a really good opportunity for people to get involved in the school and actually make decisions that are important to the students. It's a really good way for students' voices to be heard. Even if some of the things that we want may not be well respected by the school or may not be immediately enacted, even having the chance to voice your opinions is important. If you think about it in the sense that, “I don't think McMaster [University] would listen to me about my opinion, so I'm just not going to voice it,” then who is going to talk about what's important to the students? It's really important that students are advocating for themselves and, even if one person doesn't want to explicitly talk to the McMaster administration about something, they have representatives who are there to represent them in front of the school. Through these student governance opportunities, students have the opportunity to actually bring forward their concerns and actually make changes to see what they want in the school.
If you think about it in the sense that, “I don't think McMaster [University] would listen to me about my opinion, so I'm just not going to voice it,” then who is going to talk about what's important to the students?
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
What would you want others to know about the elections department and running for election?
Even though running for an election may seem daunting at first, we try to make the process as easy as possible by putting up resources and giving students as much of an opportunity as possible to ask questions and be an active participant. The elections department is always there to support candidates and answer any questions about running. Running for elections could be scary, especially if you're doing it for the first time, because you have to make a whole campaign and there are all these rules that you have to follow. But, I think it's also a really good opportunity for students to learn from the experience and put themselves out there.
We always welcome people to set up a chat to help walk them through the process if they feel that anything is unclear. We also want students to know the importance of voting in elections and how important it is to have their voice heard in the voting process, even if it just seems like a checkbox on a ballot. You may feel like your vote doesn't matter in the election. Each and every person who does end up voting, your vote definitely counts towards the result. While students may not have to be a super active member of the McMaster community, just casting your vote on polling day is really important.
We also want students to know the importance of voting in elections and how important it is to have their voice heard in the voting process, even if it just seems like a checkbox on a ballot. You may feel like your vote doesn't matter in the election. Each and every person who does end up voting, your vote definitely counts towards the result.
Brenda Lin, Chief Returning Officer, McMaster Students Union Elections Department
From medical and law schools to highly coveted graduate programs, volunteer experience is a must – but at what cost?
Picture this: You are a highly driven and passionate student, aspiring to become a surgeon. Balancing work and full-time studies to support yourself and your family, you have very little time outside of your commitments. However, your unwavering dedication to school and work has earned you glowing references, excellent grades, and a diverse skill set. You are on the cusp of making your dreams come true, but there’s one problem – you don’t have the hundreds of hours of volunteer experience recommended to apply to MD programs in the country.
For many undergraduate students, this dilemma is a reality – one that comes at the cost of their futures.
A variety of professional schools and graduate programs either require or give significant weight to volunteer experience during undergraduate years. For instance, medical and law schools ask applicants to submit a thorough portfolio of their experiences, called an autobiographical sketch. And post-graduate programs require students to submit their CVs as a key component of the application.
For students, volunteering is an opportunity to build valuable skills, foster new relationships and learn more about their field of interest. On the other hand, for universities, a student’s volunteer work demonstrates their holistic qualities, allowing admissions teams to select candidates they believe will represent the institution’s visions and values.
However, gaining volunteer experience is not feasible for everyone. Students coming from low-income or socioeconomically disadvantaged households often juggle multiple courses and jobs just to make ends meet.
Is it truly fair to expect students to devote hours to unpaid work when they are worried about paying the month’s rent or providing for their families? Should they be more concerned about putting food on the table or committing to a leadership role to serve their community?
The short answer is no.
As much as volunteering demonstrates an applicant’s skills and qualities, it is a privilege – one that hinders students from achieving their full potential and traps them in a vicious cycle of income inequality.
As much as volunteering demonstrates an applicant’s skills and qualities, it is a privilege – one that hinders students from achieving their full potential and traps them in a vicious cycle of income inequality.
Volunteering requirements inadvertently pose barriers for talented individuals who lack the time or resources to commit to unpaid work, skewing the pool of applicants and matriculants to post-graduate programs.
In the context of low-income or disadvantaged students, paid experience should be equally valued and recognized by admission committees. Whether a student volunteered countless hours at a world-renowned research facility or worked long shifts at a fast-food restaurant shouldn’t matter. If admissions committees are truly looking for candidates with holistic qualities instead of stellar achievements, what should matter is the depth of learning students experience in their roles.
Higher education, and more importantly, the opportunity to pursue one’s dream career shouldn’t be a privilege solely afforded by rich kids.
As institutions begin to adopt and prioritize equity-based practices, it is imperative that universities work to remove obstacles for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and find more inclusive ways to measure an applicant’s qualities or merit.
As institutions begin to adopt and prioritize equity-based practices, it is imperative that universities work to remove obstacles for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and find more inclusive ways to measure an applicant’s qualities or merit.
McMaster’s international student population faces struggles navigating the housing market, including housing scams, communication barriers and exploitative landlords.
For McMaster University students, navigating the Hamilton housing market can be a challenging experience. With a housing crisis on the rise and rent prices rapidly increasing, many McMaster students struggle to find affordable and accessible places to live.
International students in particular face unique struggles with finding housing. Fourth-year international computer science student Nisheet Kumar Sobti explained how communication barriers between international students and landlords complicate the already difficult process of finding student housing.
“First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English,” said Sobti.
First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English.
In the 2022-2023 school year, approximately 6,500 of McMaster students were international, making up 17.5 per cent of the student body. Sobti explained that the struggles specific to this student population are real and ongoing, which became most apparent to him during his experience finding housing.
“Finding a house the first time was so difficult. There were a lot of scams going on. A lot of landlords, they didn't want to give a house to international students because we couldn’t meet in-person,” said Sobti.
Housing scams can include advertisements for houses that don’t exist or already-rented properties, suspicious requests for money or false lists of amenities. Many incoming international students are unable to attend in-person house showings prior to signing a lease, making them subject to misleading advertisements or housing scams.
Second-year software engineering student Aysu Özdal echoed Sobti’s sentiments. Özdal explained that despite feeling apprehensive to sign her lease, she was desperate to find somewhere to live for the upcoming school year.
“Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back,” said Özdal.
Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back.
Özdal explained that although her lease agreement ended up being legitimate, this is not the case for every student put in her position. Beyond language barriers and physical distance, international students aren’t always well informed on their rights as a tenant and navigating potentially exploitative landlords.
McMaster arts and science graduate and current CFMU community outreach coordinator Sharang Sharma spoke on this barrier, explaining that international students a prime target for exploitative landlords.
“Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective,” said Sharma.
Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective.
Sharang Sharma, arts and science graduate and CFMU community outreach coordinator
McMaster does have programs in place, such as International Student Services office, that aim to address these barriers and assist international students in their transition to Canada. However, many international students still face these struggles and are victims to scams and unlawful housing conditions.
Fourth-year international health science student Vitoria Murakami Olyntho shared her thoughts on this shared circumstance and suggested some potential avenues for McMaster to get involved.
“I wish McMaster could take more of an involved role in helping students find housing. Maybe having groups of McMaster accredited landlords or regions where there's kind of a partnership between the school and the housing market…It would be easier to navigate, it would be less confusing and [feel] more trusting,” said Murakami Olyntho.
Not only does this student population face specific barriers when navigating finding places to live close to campus, such as facing housing scams and communication difficulties, but they also are often scapegoated market.
This year, federal government officials stated that the growing number of international students entering Canada has put a strain on housing availability and as a result has driven up rent prices.
Rates of issued international student study permits in Canada have increased by 75 per cent over the last five years. and this increasing blame has resulted in the federal government considering an international student cap.
Conversations around an international student cap are ongoing, all the while incoming international students continue to struggle to find secure and affordable places to live. For more information on resources for international students, visit the International Student Services office.
McMaster introduced updates to the MSAF policy for the 2023/2024 school year, including clarification on the types of requests for relief and timelines associated with requests
The McMaster Student Absence Form allows McMaster University students to request relief from coursework due to medical or personal reasons.
McMaster recently updated their MSAF policy to clarify some terms and add more definitive timelines to the process. This new policy came into effect on Sept. 1.
“[MSAF]'s recognizing that absence has happened. It's also honoring that when an absence happens, that it creates a lot of anxiety for students. So we want to make sure that there is appropriate relief provided so that they're able to keep up with their work, not fall behind not face any academic repercussions, you know, great loss or falling behind in the work” said Kim Dej, vice provost (teaching and learning).
These updates include the renaming the forms for each type MSAF available to students.
Previously titled Type A and B forms, under they new policy they are now referred to as self report and administrative report, respectively. Dej explained that the previous titles were vague and hoped the renaming would make it easier for students to understand where to find them and when to use them. The self report form can be completed through Mosaic, while the administrative report must be filed by an academic advisor.
Dej also explained many of the newly implemented changes were in order to provide greater clarity for students and instructors.
Under the previous policy, there was no time frame by which students were required to have informed their professors about their request for relief. This ambiguity often caused miscommunication between students and instructors and hindered the instructor's ability to offer proper support, in turn harming the student's ability to catch up.
“The things that we've done to change the policy are really trying to tighten all of those timelines to make sure that students can catch up properly and that institute instructors are able to provide prompt support and relief as well,” said Dej.
Previously, what is now known as the self report MSAF indicated that when you utilize it, you can request relief for any work that falls into the three days of absences that is under 25 per cent. This remains the same in the new policy, but the new policy also requires that within 24 hours following the third day of relief, you must contact all instructors whose coursework was impacted by the absence.
This remains the same in the new policy, but the new policy also requires that within 24 hours following the third day of relief, you must contact all instructors whose coursework was impacted by the absence.
The administrative report MSAF is primarily utilized when a student finds that their absence exceeded three days or if the cumulative coursework they’re seeking relief for will exceed 25per cent per course.
The new policy indicates that if the coursework exceeds 35 per cent, students must speak to an academic advisor in their department. Dej explained that this requirement is so that students receive proper support and that they are able to catch up when missing such a large portion of their coursework.
“If you've deferred different pieces throughout the course and now the cumulative value of those is more than 35 per cent we ask that students go through the administrative report, not because they've done anything wrong, [but because] we just want to make sure that they're okay. That's a lot to miss in a course [and] we want to make sure that they're able to keep up and catch up,” said Dej.
We ask that students go through the administrative report, not because they've done anything wrong, [but because] we just want to make sure that they're okay. That's a lot to miss in a course [and] we want to make sure that they're able to keep up and catch up.
Kim Dej, vice provost (teaching and learning)
The conversations about these updates to the MSAF policy have been in the works since Fall 2022 and involved many levels of governance at McMaster, including the Undergraduate Council and the McMaster Students Union.
Dej emphasized that there is always room for improvement for these policies and as the year progresses Dej’s team will be investigating the use of MSAF between previous years and this current year, to find what is or isn’t working.
Dej also encouraged students to send her emails to [email protected] to voice their opinions about the MSAF.
“I'm always here to listen, I would love to find more forums for students to have a voice in these kinds of policy discussions. We have spectacular undergraduate student representation on [the] Undergraduate Council, but in the end, it's seven voices representing over 30,000 students,” said Dej.
The new MSAF policies have been implemented to encourage students to request relief and to aid instructors to better support students when they do need help. Ways to improve the policy will continue to be explored and shaped by student experience.
After disappointing losses against Guelph and Laurier, the women’s lacrosse team looks to bounce back in coming games
On Sept. 10, the McMaster University women’s lacrosse team kicked their season off with a tournament style weekend which saw the Marauders take on the University of Guelph Gryphons and the Laurier University Golden Hawks in Guelph. Despite a strong showing, the team lost both games.
In their first game against Guelph, the Marauders lost with a score of 7-12. The second game of the day against Laurier saw them lose 6-15.
While these results may cause distress, the team is encouraged by their growth so far this season.
One major case of the team’s growth has been second-year player Lexi Sheppard. After a scoreless first season, Sheppard was able to bag four goals in her first weekend for the Marauders, earning her Athlete of the Week honours on Sept. 12.
Sheppard attributes her progress and the progress of the team to support from the university and positive leaders on the field. This year, McMaster also allowed the team to access field time much earlier before the regular season began.
“It was definitely way better than last year because we got way more field time beforehand, so we were able to work as a team more. Whereas last year [the season] was more rushed and we were pushed into it,” said Sheppard.
With women’s lacrosse being an Ontario University Athletics team, there can be many instances of athletes lacking access to facilities and services; such as the school’s High-Performance area, sports medicine services, and outdoor field space. OUA athletes do not usually get first choice access to these services, in comparison with McMaster U Sports teams. However, it seems like the increase in practice is helping the team to build.
“I definitely see us to be building to become a better team with the support of the school,” said Sheppard.
Another driving factor towards growth in the team has been the team captains. Both of this year’s captains, second-year Annika Perrino and fourth-year Cassidy Anyon, have caused a dynamic shift in the team with their presence.
“Definitely what's helping our team are the captains on the team. They really lead by example well and they’re a good positive influence. They make everyone feel comfortable to try even if they’re nervous,” said Sheppard.
Sheppard also attributed their improvements to the positivity and comfort encouraged by Perrino and Anyon.
“My teammates make me comfortable in trying new things. Last year I was kind of shy and didn’t want to be in anyone’s way, but this year they’ve done a good job of making it a comfortable space and causing me to not be afraid to go for it,” said Sheppard.
While the team is evidently growing and becoming better, there is some room for improvement.
The scores indicate that the team especially has space to improve defensively.
“We could work on communicating on defense and making it tighter so you’re always there to support someone. . .Moving forward [the team will be] just working on more of our defensive unit and our team play all around,” explained Sheppard.
If the Marauders can make this improvement defensively and quickly, they will likely be able to improve throughout the season. Combined with the growth of a positive team culture, this might be able to spur the team on for seasons to come.
Residence orientation representatives and Maroons share the work that went into making Welcome Week a success
Behind Welcome Week 2023 are students who volunteer their time to help empower and welcome first-year students as they start this next chapter of their lives.
Laurie He, a fourth-year sensory motors system student, is a residence orientation representative for Bates Residence and Moulton Hall this year. RORs are assigned specific residences and help students settle into their new homes during Welcome Week.
“We help get the first years settled in like to their new home…I know at times they're experiencing homesickness or just everything is very new, in a completely new environment for the first years. Our job is kind of to make them feel as welcome as they do in their homes,” explained He.
Daisy Thang, a third-year communications student and a Multimedia Assistant at the Silhouette, was a McMaster Students UnionMaroon this year. The Maroons aim to connect with students at Welcome Week and throughout the year.
Thang shared that this year's Welcome Week training was more immersive than in past years and helped her feel prepared for events of the week.
"They switched up the format, so it was actually more situational. They had us in smaller groups, it was a lot more dynamic. We were able to kind of have more one-on-one, or small group sessions where we were able to be more collaborative and kind of act out the scenarios. I feel like that prepared us way better for the situations that we'd be put in during Welcome Week,” said Thang.
Both He and Thang said they loved meeting the incoming students. He shared that her favorite event was Capture the Watermelon, hosted by Boulton and McKidden residence representatives. They used the event as a way for students to meet in an enjoyable way and start off the week on the right foot.
“I think that was like a great way to like just have the first years get friendly with each other… I think it was a great time for everyone. I think 100 people participated in it because it was 50 versus 50 people and then a lot of their friends came in they supported them. I think it was like a great introductory event to welcome week,” said He.
Thang explained how well-run this year's Welcome Week was, especially compared to her own Welcome Week in 2021.
“2021 was the first full-scale welcome we've had since COVID-19. So I think there were definitely kinks that need to be worked out. I feel like this year, we were able to kind of like ride off that high from last year's Welcome Week and people were a lot more in tune. I think it was very well organized, credit to the planners and I feel like this was a very healing experience,” said Thang.
“2021 was the first full-scale welcome we've had since COVID-19. So I think there were definitely kinks that need to be worked out. I feel like this year, we were able to kind of like ride off that high from last year's Welcome Week and people were a lot more in tune. I think it was very well organized, credit to the planners and I feel like this was a very healing experience."
Daisy Thang, Maroon, McMaster Students Union
Both He and Thang shared that they hope first years were able to put themselves out there during Welcome Week, whatever that looks like for them.
Thang expressed that even if the social aspect of Welcome Week didn’t resonate with you, there are endless activities and groups on campus throughout the year that may better fit your comfort level and personal goals.
“The big takeaway would be. . .it's okay if you stay in your dorm. Its okay if like these huge crowds were daunting and you didn't want to put yourself out there and make yourself uncomfortable. There are limits to that and your feelings are still valid throughout,” said Thang.
“The big takeaway would be. . .It's okay if you stay in your dorm. Its okay if like these huge crowds were daunting and you didn't want to put yourself out there and make yourself uncomfortable. There are limits to that and your feelings are still valid throughout."
Daisy Thang, Maroon, McMaster Students Union
To see more coverage of Welcome Week 2023 visit the Silhouette on TikTok.
