S
INSIDE>>
NEWS: How does student government work, anyway? // PAGE 8-9 OPINION: How Shinerama falls short // PAGE 16 ARTS & CULTURE: For Real Dough offers edible cookie dough // PAGE 18-19
The Silhouette
Thursday, September 5, 2019
H T I W
N O O R I P T U A C D E CE
Students move into the Peter George Centre amidst construction // PAGE 3
S
The Silhouette
FOLLOW US
/THEMCMASTER SILHOUETTE
@THE SILHOUETTE
/MCMASTER SILHOUETTE
@MCMASTER SILHOUETTE
Volume 90, Issue 2 Thursday, September 5, 2019 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
LOOKING BACK
November 11, 1949
EDITORIAL BOARD editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca
Hannah Walters-Vida digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca
Maxine Gravina managing editor | managing@thesil.ca
Neda Pirouzmand online editor | online@thesil.ca
Razan Samara production editor | managing@thesil.ca
Elisabetta Paiano sections
NEWS Trisha Gregorio news reporter Shamir Malik news@thesil.ca
news editor
FEATURES Adrianna Michell features@thesil.ca
features reporter
OPINION Steffi Arkilander opinion@thesil.ca
opinion editor
SPORTS Graham West sports reporter Claire Gopaul sports@thesil.ca sports editor
ARTS AND CULTURE arts & culture editor Andrew Mrozowski arts & culture reporter Lauren O’Donnell aandc@thesil.ca MEDIA Cindy Cui photo reporter Matty Flader production coordinator Katarina Brkic production coordinator Zoya Gomes production@thesil.ca
If you say so An unintentionally ominous ad placed in the Sil 70 years ago deserves the spotlight now. Truth in advertising, who?
photo editor
ONLINE video editor Jaden Lall social media coordinator Erica Mark online@thesil.ca
CONTACT
LEGAL
MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4
The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@mcmaster.ca 6,000 circulation published by the
COVER PHOTO Hannah Walters-Vida
WRITE FOR US NEWS news@thesil.ca
OPINION opinion@thesil.ca
SPORTS sports@thesil.ca
ARTS & CULTURE aandc@thesil.ca Join our weekly meetings in MUSC B110!
The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019
| 3
News
Enter McMaster’s newest student hub
While construction has yet to be completed, the multi-purpose Peter George Centre for Living and Learning will attempt to address student needs and improve the student experience ROOM TYPE
COST
Twin bed shared room with connected shared washroom
$75 00
Double bed shared room with connected shared washroom
$7 850
Single room with connected shared washroom
$8 700
Large single room with connected shared washroom
$8 800
All students in these rooms also incur a $40 residence life fee per year.
Students moved into PGCLL the weekend of Aug. 24 HANNAH WALTERS-VIDA//EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Neda Pirouzmand Managing Editor
In April 2017, construction for McMaster University’s Peter George Centre for Living and Learning began. Situated directly beside the Ron Joyce Stadium, PGCLL is projected to be a complete 14-storey, 335,000 square foot building by Nov. 4, 2019. Holly Gibson, manager of marketing and communications for McMaster’s Housing & Conference Services, revealed that that the rationale for building PGCLL was based on demand for student housing and wellness services, a movement towards active learning at McMaster and a commitment to replace the daycare that was removed when L.R. Wilson Hall was built. Meeting minutes from a McMaster Faculty Association meeting on Apr. 23, 2019 reveal
that the new McMaster Children’s Centre was set to open in PGCLL by Aug. 7, 2019. In
Non-residence areas of PGCLL such as the active learning classrooms and Student Wellness Centre still remain under active construction. addition to the daycare, other non-residence areas of PGCLL such as the active learning classrooms and Student Wellness Centre still remain under active construction. Currently, McMaster has six other active learning spaces in L.R. Wilson Hall. PGCLL will introduce a seventh, larger
and more refined active learning space to McMaster’s campus. As Gibson said, “Whereas most active learning classrooms accommodate 30-90 people, the PGCLL active learning classroom was created in consultation with designers, architects and campus stakeholders to be one of the largest active learning spaces in North America (according to FlexSpace.org) with a capacity of 405 participants.” The purpose of an active learning classroom can be defined as a way to teach content through group-based learning. Gibson stated that instructors who utilize the spaces effectively tend to focus less on lecturing and more on facilitating active engagement amongst students. The technology of these rooms is built around fostering collaboration. For example, instructors can control whether a student’s work is displayed within their group or to the whole class. Self-directed
problem solving through case studies are just one example of how professors can use active learning classrooms. The active learning format is being successfully implemented across many faculties at McMaster. Gibson believes that not only will PGCLL be valuable for student education, but that the size and scale of PGCLL will provide a central “hub” for student life on campus. “In PGCLL, we expect to see up to 2,200 students going to/from class every hour or an hour and a half; this represents 18 per cent of the total classroom space on campus,” said Gibson. “In addition, the Student Wellness Centre handles over 50,000 student appointments a year and our on-site student residence will be home to 518 students during the academic year.” The 518 students will be distributed between four different residence room types.
Gibson believes that not only will PGCLL be valuable for student education, but that the size and scale of PGCLL will provide a central “hub” for student life on campus. During Welcome Week, students were moved into PGCLL while it was still undergoing construction. Classes which were scheduled to take place in PGCLL have been relocated due to the fact that the building is incomplete. With over two months left until the projected completion date, it is unclear whether changes will need to be made to ensure the safety and comfort of students living in PGCLL. This will likely not be the last renovation project on McMaster’s campus. Potential future prospects include a Main Street West residence, a grad residence downtown and a Bates redevelopment project. In addition, the Student Activity Building is projected to be ready for summer 2020. @theSilhouette
4 |
Thursday, Sept 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
NEWS
How does it all work? A guide to the MSU
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY (SRA)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
31 STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT
VICE - PRESIDENT (ADMINISTRATION)
Trisha Gregorio News Editor
If we want to be technical about it, the MSU was formed in 1890. In its early days, it was called the McMaster Student Body, an overarching name that belied how unequipped the organization had been in serving its entire student population. Over the years, it developed and mutated as student concerns began to diversify. Female McMaster students formed the Women’s Student Body in 1911, and in 1925, the separate needs of on- and off-campus students required that the student government be split into two. By 1946, however, all student organizations have
merged into one: a singular student government called the McMaster Student Union. In 1971, it would be included as a non-profit in the Ontario Corporations Act. The name would remain in use to the present day. We still abide by the MSU constitution that came into effect in April 1, 1979—it dictates the precedents and requirements behind the organization’s purpose, membership, structure and method of governance. The MSU continues to operate a large section of student life on campus; among others, TwelvEighty, The Union Market, Underground, The Silhouetteand CFMU-FM all fall under its jurisdiction. If you are a full-time undergraduate student, you yourself are a member of the MSU. You pay an average
VICE - PRESIDENT (EDUCATION)
of $400 in tuition ancillary fees for the MSU alone, without counting the other expenses that had to have been approved by an MSU referendum.
So here’s a quick guide to the things that might be helpful to know:
“You pay an average of $400 in tuition ancillary fees for the MSU alone, without counting the other expenses that had to have been approved by an MSU referendum.”
The upper leadership in the MSU is comprised of four positions: the President, elected by the students via electronic voting in February, and three Vice-Presidents, one each for administration, education and finance, chosen by the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) in April. Their scope extends to all facets of student culture—proposed reforms in the past have involved on-campus issues, transportation and the surrounding area around the university, as well as concerns about post-graduation life. The 47 Eastbound and 15A Alder-
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
VICE - PRESIDENT (FINANCE)
shot Go buses were granted two additional night trips during former President Ikram Farah’s tenure, while The Grind was added to TwelvEighty as per the plans of Former Vice-President of Finance Tuba D’Souza. Former President Chukky Ibehad created a transition program for new graduates, meant to help with solidifying career choices, and also operated with an access strategy for potential students to whom university is less accessible. For the 2019-2020 term, the President is Josh Marando, and the Vice-Presidents, presented in order of the units listed above, are Sarah Figueiredo, Shemar Hackett and Alexandrea Johnston. Key areas that they intend to target this year, in addition to many others, include: mental health
T
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept 5, 2019
EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB)
NEWS
If you would like to contact any of the SRA faculty representatives: Arts & Science sraartsci@msu.mcmaster.ca Business sracom@msu.mcmaster.ca
GENERAL MANAGER
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT SERVICES 5 AT-LARGE SRA REPS and sexual violence support, accessibility in education, student safety concerns, advocacy, and an increase in transparency with regards to MSU affairs.
THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY (SRA)
Comprised of thirty-one student representatives elected from each faculty, as well as the President and Vice-Presidents, the SRA functions as the MSU’s legislative body. It operates as a thirty-five member parliament, standing as the highest source of juridical authority at McMaster. It approves and revises all policy and legislation, and, barring the President, elects most MSU officers. The SRA also has the power to ratify clubs—and
to de-ratify them, as with the recent case of the Dominion Society. White supremacy concerns precipitated backlash from students, leading to the intervention of President Josh Marando and an SRA emergency meeting. By-elections for open SRA positions for the school year will be held in October. For further information, you may contact the MSU Chief Returning Officer at election@msu. mcmaster.ca
EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB)
Five SRA members at large—five officers chosen to represent the SRA’s entire membership—join the President and Vice-Presidents in the Executive Board (EB). The SRA then elects
| 5
Engineering sraeng@msu.mcmaster.ca Health Science srahealth@msu.mcmaster.ca Humanities srahuman@msu.mcmaster.ca
Josh Marando, President president@msu.mcmaster.ca Sarah Figueiredo, Vice-President (Administration) vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca Shemar Hackett, Vice-President (Education) vped@msu.mcmaster.ca Alexandrea Johnston, Vice-President (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca
Kinesiology srakin@msu.mcmaster.ca Nursing sranursing@msu.mcmaster.ca Science srasci@msu.mcmaster.ca Social Sciences srassci@msu.mcmaster.ca a General Manager, a Marketing & Communications Director, an Administrative Services Coordinator, and an Associate Vice-President: Services into the EB, all of whom are non-voting. The Board remains answerable to the SRA, and can assume its powers and responsibilities during the summer or in times of emergency. As a whole, the board, chaired by the President, oversees the organizational and bureaucratic responsibilities of the MSU.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Each academic year, the MSU is bound by its constitution to conduct a General Assembly (GA). All full-time undergraduate students are eligible to attend, and are given the opportunity to exert influence on the Union’s actions by submitting a motion for discussion. Once a motion has been seconded, the issue is brought into
open debate in a public meeting, wherein students are welcome to speak for or against it. Motions passed during the assembly are binding so long as quorum is met; otherwise, passed motions are debated within the SRA.
“Motions passed during the assembly are binding so long as quorum is met; otherwise, passed motions are debated within the SRA.”
Motions can range from a request for the Graduate Student Association and McMaster Association of Part-Time Studies to devise club systems that do not circumscribe membership, to the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) Campaign of 2015, which called for the boycott of any corporation profiting from occupation of Palestinian territory. The 2015 GA saw more than seven hundred attendees voting on the BDS motion, but the GA has since been underutilized. In 2016, the attendance dropped to 27, followed by 16 in 2017 and a paltry rise to 47 in 2018. Last March, the GA reached a new low with less than ten students in attendance. The exact date for the 2020 GA is yet to be announced.
6 |
NEWS
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
SACHA Not Invited to provide Sexual Violence Training to Welcome Week Reps McMaster instead opted to provide their own training
Olivia Fava Contributor
cw: sexual assault For Welcome Week this year, McMaster chose not to invite the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA) back to train McMaster’s reps. McMaster has instead expanded their resources and elected to provide their own training. SACHA has been invited on a contract basis to train Welcome Week reps since 2014, their goal being to “end rape culture and create a culture of consent on campus year-round”. In a statement released on their blog August 15, SACHA reported that they were informed in July that McMaster would be providing their own training this year. The statement opens with a declaration that SACHA was “sad and frustrated” by this news; the title of the post described the situation as SACHA being “pushed out” by McMaster. “Too many times, SACHA encounters organizations who want to depreciate our work while doing little to change the fundamental culture of their organization or to stop the conditions that make rape possible,” the statement reads. “We want McMaster University to commit to a strong healthy
year-round relationship with SACHA where our skills and intersectional approach to the work is valued.” Several other groups also released social media statements in solidarity with SACHA, including McMaster’s Women & Gender Equity Network (WGEN) and the Sexual Assault Centre of Brant. The next day, McMaster Equity and Inclusion Office associate vice-president Arig al Shaibah released a statement on the EIO website addressed to the campus community, addressing some “misinformation posted on social media” that was calling into question McMaster’s commitment to sexual violence prevention and response on campus. By whom or what group this misinformation was being posted was not mentioned. l Shaibah’s post reported that McMaster had expanded its Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office to the extent that it would be able to independently provide its own training to Welcome Week Residence Orientation Advisors, reps and Community Advisors through August and September. According to al Shaibah, this change has been considered for some time. Over the
last five years, student and governmental groups have both sought to ensure that universities are equipped to provide the services needed by their campus communities. Particularly, al Shaibah mentioned working with MSU administrations over the past two years on this plan. “It’s really good news that we’re actually able to have the internal capacity to do this educational work,” al Shaibah said. According to al Shaibah, the new Consultant on Sexual Violence Prevention and Response, Hagar Akua Prah, has 16 years of experience working in community-based sexual assault centres and 10 years of experience providing trauma-informed counseling in three universities as a sexual violence specialist. al Shaibah also reported that the training was a success, serving as a refresher of what issues trainees might encounter and how to respond compassionately and with an informed approach. al Shaibah cited the timing of the social media information that was released as a potential area of improvement. “…There wasn’t a lot of time to talk to people about who we are and what our intentions are and to get some good clear information out there…we encountered some hiccups with people understanding who we
are,” she mentioned. SACHA’s statement also pointed out that this change means the loss of a $9,000 contract, which will have an impact on their budget. On their Facebook page, they re-shared a 2014 blog post on the McMaster Engineering reps controversy regarding their leaked chant book, which contained a great amount of sexually violent material. The statement contained a reminder that this occurred the year SACHA began working with McMaster, and that there have been some “massive shifts” in the five years since then. SACHA also added in their statement that McMaster was one of the first Ontario campuses to hire a Sexual Violence Response Coordinator due to SACHA’s involvement. “This is only one example of how campuses benefit from working closely with their local community-based sexual assault centres. Yet, most times, we see the university getting the praise while community organizations are doing most of the labour,” the statement continues. al Shaibah emphasized that this change does not mean the severance of McMaster’s relationship with SACHA, pointing out the potential of other collaborations such as the Tarana Burke event at Mohawk
College last year, which raised $12,000 for SACHA. The event was a three-way collaboration between SACHA, Mohawk and McMaster. “The task is to reimagine how it is that we can continue to collaborate and support the work of SACHA moving forward, even though they may not continue to be contracted to do the education work for Welcome Week…there’s actually lots of other opportunities that are strengths within the McMaster institution, I think, that can probably translate to greater strengths and advocacy for SACHA’s work,” said al Shaibah. SACHA director Bonilla-Damptey and al Shaibah have also reportedly met to discuss the change, a meeting which al Shaibah described as “very collegial”. On August 16, SACHA released a Facebook post directed at 2019 Welcome Week reps, asking them to be kind to those providing the training and to bring any further concerns to decision makers. “SACHA’s in solidarity with all folks doing this work,” the post concludes. @o_fava
FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATES HAVE
WITH THE MSU Coverage Includes: • Prescription + Vision Care • Extended Health Care • Accidental Injury Benefits • Basic + Preventative Dental Care • 24/7 Phone Line for Counselling Services
Opt-out ends September 30, 2019
msumcmaster.ca/insurance
8 |
Thursday, Sept 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
NEWS
MCMASTER UNIVERS YEAR-IN-REVIEW Neda PirouzmandManaging Editor
Ursula Johnson’s Mi’kwite’tmn (Do You Remember) art exhibit opened at the McMaster Museum of Art. Through three distinct spaces and public performances, she showcased Indigenous culture and the obstacles that it faces.
About two months after the city of Hamilton added colourful crosswalks at Sterling Street and Forsyth Avenue to honour Hamilton’s LGBTQIA2S community, white paint was found dumped all over it. The police attempted to investigate and the white paint was removed.
OCTOBER 17, 2018
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
In March 2017, McMaster students voted in a referendum to approve the creation of the new Student Activity Building and expanded Pulse. The plans included a grocery store, study spaces, a multi-faith prayer space, and a nap room. Due to budgetary concerns revealed in February 2019, construction was delayed. The targeted completion date has been since moved to summer 2020.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
A series of break-ins concentrated in a short amount of time occurred near McMaster and the Westdale area. Eventually, police made an arrest on Feb. 15, 2019.
As of this day, Canadians aged 19 or older could legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis and purchase weed from regulated retailers. Andrea Farquhar, assistant vice president of McMaster communication and public affairs, revealed that students would only be allowed to consume cannabis in residence straight from a manufacturer-labelled container. This year will reveal how such rules and specifications will be enacted.
NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Dou rele ly-a in po un M Rep b b
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept 5, 2019
NEWS
RSITY
nts ove nt ed cery th Due d in as ion o
,
Need-to-know news from last year
Doug Ford’s provincial government announced their plan to reduce tuition by 10 per cent and make ancillary student fees optional. This ignited a conversation on how the funding of university organizations, clubs and services would be impacted. On Apr. 4, 2019, it was revealed that McMaster students would be able to opt-out of paying for MSU clubs and services. .
Maroons members disclose accounts of sexual assault that occurred over the past year. This led to an investigation that is currently ongoing. McMaster women’s basketball team win their first national championship.
AUGUST 7, 2019
FEBRUARY 1, 2019
NOVEMBER 15, 2018 JANUARY 17, 2019
Doug Ford’s provincial government released a mandate that all publicly-assisted colleges and universities in Ontario submit a free speech policy by January 2019. This was unanimously opposed by the McMaster Students Union Student Representative Assembly . The SRA believed that the mandate was being used to censor dissent towards hate and bigotry.
MARCH 14, 2019
Josh Marando is elected MSU president. Voter turnout for the 2019 McMaster Students Union presidential election reached the lowest that it has ever been since 2012.
Marando issued a letter urging the SRA to revoke a new club’s status due to its alleged ties to white supremacy.
| 9
10
NEWS
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
Premier Visits McMaster Innovation Park
Premier Ford’s visit prompted backlash from some members of the McMaster community
Members of the EcoCAR team pose alongside Ministers C/O ETHAN PEREIRA Olivia Fava Contributor
On August 8, Premier Doug Ford visited McMaster Innovation Park along with two other Progressive Conservative party members, Member of Provincial Parliament Donna Skelly of and MPP Ross Romano, training, colleges and universities minister. During the tour, they were notably received by leaders from Fusion Pharmaceuticals, a cancer research group, the Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Project Centre and the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge. Gord Arbeau, director of communications at McMaster, described the visit as a means of raising awareness in government about McMaster’s successes in research. “McMaster certainly prioritizes connecting government leaders and officials with our students, with our researchers and we look for opportunities to ensure that they understand the importance of the work that our students and faculty do here and the impact of that work.” Regarding the visitors themselves, he added that it’s not often provincial leaders can come to campus, so this was a good opportunity to arrange a visit. Ethan Pereira, a third year engineering student and member of the EcoCAR team, was present during Ford’s visit, which he recalled as a very brief interaction involving
little preparation on part of the students. The Premier came to speak with the students, asked what they were working on, and shook hands with him after the brief exchange; photos were taken afterwards. According to Pereira about ten to fifteen students were present for the visit. The visit was first announced after it occurred, on the Twitter accounts of the visiting politicians. McMaster Daily News also released a news article on the day of the visit after it occurred. Confidentiality was discussed with the students of the EcoCAR team before the visit, according to Pereira. “We actually didn’t know that long, he came on the Thursday and we knew on the Monday, however, were told to keep it confidential as it was a confidential visit…it was just his media team,” he said. However, there was some pushback from the McMaster community regarding this visit. Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3906, a McMaster union of academic workers, speculated that confidentiality was emphasized to avoid protest due to the Ford administration’s cuts to education, including Ontario Student Assistance Program and the implementation of the Student Choice Initiative. “The fact that the Premier of the province didn’t announce his visit I think was very intentional to prevent student protest…you would assume that the university would send out news blasts in advance
asking you to come,” said Julia Pyryeskina, a CUPE volunteer. “He’s a public servant, he has a responsibility to face the music that he has created. We have a democratic right to protest the policies that we disagree with.”
“He’s a public servant, he has a responsibility to face the music that he has created.” Julia Pyryeskina, Volunteer CUPE 3906 “[Prime Minister] Trudeau has been here before, and they have always made announcements, have booked videos…I think that McMaster actually not saying anything to the community, it’s a shame,” said Perez, referencing Prime Minister Trudeau’s January 2018 visit. “This is a way of silencing and repressing your own community.” Arbeau explained that the focus on confidentiality was a function of the visit’s purpose. “There are different types of visits; there are some where we have government officials that come to the university to announce a new program or new funding, this was more of a fact-finding visit and so the purpose was to meet one-onone.” He also cited short notice as another reason. “I don’t think
there was a long lead time in terms of planning.” Another point of interest is why McMaster Innovation Park was chosen as the venue. According to Arbeau, it was because of a visit this past April by the former Minister of Training of Colleges and Universities, Progressive-Conservative member Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, and MPP Skelly herself, for a grant announcement for Fusion Pharmaceuticals, which left the two with a positive impression. “They were so impressed…I think they went back to Queen’s Park and were talking with their colleagues there about McMaster Innovation Park, and so that led to the tour by the Premier and by the new minister [Romano],” Arbeau said. Pyryeskina considered the choice of venue to be connected to both the confidentiality of the visit and the Premier’s public image. “If he’s visiting the furthest part of McMaster pretty much no one is at because he doesn’t want to be seen, I think that’s a very intentional tactic,” she said. “I think he just picked something that is all about progress and automation and getting jobs and all of these things when he’s actually part of cutting jobs, cutting access, cutting equity, in so many ways.” In the opinion of CUPE members, this visit does not show solidarity with students and faculty on the part of the university. “The university considers
provincial government to be a significant stakeholder…but they are also are here to serve their students and…to best represent their employees and faculty, and it’s clear which way they went on that.” remarked Nathan Todd, CUPE local’s current president. Pereira also discussed the significance of this visit to the EcoCAR student team, particularly the appearance of Romano as the Minister of Training for Colleges and Universities. “I’m guessing he [Romano] was there mainly…to see what our opportunities are in the future, or how they expand by doing this competition, and how investing in students early on can help in the future,” he said, also adding that it was “always exciting” to show officials what the team has been working on. Arbeau indicated that the administration had not received any concerns, and that the university is consistently
“We take the opportunities as they present themselves to ensure that all levels of government understand the impact of the work that happens here.” Gord Arbeau, Director of communications McMaster University advocating for its students. “We take the opportunities as they present themselves to ensure that all levels of government understand the impact of the work that happens here.” He concluded by stating: “We look for opportunities to connect government with students and with our researchers and we’ll continue to do so.” @o_fava
THANK YOU, REPS! 1,200 fully personalized rep suits 3,900 students moved in to residence Dance moves that just won’t quit Successful Welcome Week 2019
It’s our turn to cheer you on. Thank you to all the supportive, hard-working, heavy-lifting, dance-breaking reps that helped make move-in unforgettable. We couldn’t have done it without you - and we wouldn’t have wanted to. Your friends at Housing & Conference Services
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
JOSH MARANDO President president@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23885
Hello McMaster, and welcome to the start of another school year. To start off, my name is Josh Marando. I am a recent graduate from the Arts and Science program. My hometown is King City, I have a dog named Myles, and I drink more coffee than I probably should. This week definitely felt different; I didn’t spend the first day of school finding my classes or figuring out the courses in which I needed to buy the textbook. Instead of being on campus as a student, I have the privilege of serving as the President of the McMaster Students Union. I want to use this opportunity to not only introduce myself and the organization of which you are a member, but also to share some advice that I always had a hard time following myself during my undergrad. As we take on another academic year, which can be a stressful time, I want to emphasize the importance of self-care. While you’re getting
September 5, 2019 | thesil.ca
used to a different routine with new classes, it can be hard to remember to take time for yourself. However, if you need to leave class early, that’s okay. If you don’t want to hang out after class, that’s okay. If you need to go off campus for a bit, that’s okay. I encourage you to take the time to learn your boundaries and set your own limits. Throughout my undergrad, I constantly felt the need to go to every event and didn’t always give myself the space I needed to miss a class or two. I tried to do everything and as a result, I ended up not being able to enjoy a lot of it. Eventually, I took the time to understand my limits and learned to respect my boundaries. You can’t pour out of an empty cup, so it is always important to do what you need to do to recharge.
“I encourage you to take the time to learn your boundaries and set your own limits.” One of the services the MSU offers to help support students is the Student Assistance Plan (SAP). The program is free, confidential, voluntary, and accessible to McMaster students, along with their roommates and parents. The plan offers psychological counselling and academic-life services, including legal, financial, and nutrition consultation. Finding a community you can relate to and having a support system can greatly enhance your time at McMaster. If the MSU can be a part of that support system or help you find that community, great.
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
If not, that’s okay too. My main goal is to try to create and maintain that support so it’s there if you need it. At McMaster, students are our greatest asset. Therefore, one of the first priorities of the MSU Board of Directors was to find ways to help students who are doing great work on campus. As I hope you all saw, ClubsFest happened recently on September 3 and 4. This year, we tried to make it more enjoyable to clubs who are there and for students who are visiting, by showcasing different clubs over two days and increasing the overall event presence on campus. The MSU also expanded its Welcome Week support, through increasing the extended GO Bus service to reduce some of the barriers commuter students may have faced. There were subsidized rep meals at TwelvEighty, free breakfasts for reps, and rep teams were provided with necessities such as menstrual products, sunscreen, and snacks. That said, there’s a lot of ways you can engage with the MSU going forward. I encourage you to check out the variety of services to see if there is anything that interests you. Our business units are also benefitting from some changes
SARAH JOSH MARANDO FIGUEIREDO President
VP (Administration)
this year. You can visit The Grind expansion, which will add more seating and new menu items to your favourite on-campus coffee shop. The offerings at Union Market have also been updated and we are now offering TwelvEighty 2 Go, an express service that offers great takeout food that is more affordable and quicker than many other oncampus eateries.
“Finding a community you can relate to and having a support system can greatly enhance your time at McMaster.” I am excited to spend the rest of my term representing undergraduate student interests and working to improve campus life. Please don’t hesitate to stop by my office in MUSC 201 to say hi, ask a question, share an idea, or tell me a joke. I hope you enjoy this coming year and take advantage of some of the many extra-curricular opportunities available on campus. Be sure to take the time you need to enjoy your McMaster experience.
SHEMAR HACKETT VP (Education)
ALEX JOHNSTON VP (Finance)
The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019
to rugged camping to camping with a door to John Mulaney’s Bar Mitzvah suit to thankles to Adrianna using Hannah’s picture for the rest of the year to getting a slushie machine for the office to also getting a cotton candy machine to cool coworkers
| 13
to the Student Choice Initiative to the line up outside ChaTime to no thumbs downs to Hannah laughing at me from her office to being in six cities today to back-to-school headaches to red ink to multiple essays due on the same day
14
OPINION
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
Opinion Reconciliation! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing… let me explain.
The Indigenous Circle teaching and Gathering space opened in 2016 HANNAH WALTERS-VIDA / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Evan Jamieson-Eckel Contributor
I‘m frustrated with what people within this institution have tried to pass off as “reconciliation”. From flying the Hiawatha belt flag for one day, to the implementation of our land acknowledgement that has become so scripted it is rendered meaningless, it seems that Mac’s officials love to find any reason to pat themselves on the back and call it reconciliation. This is all frustrating because none of it assists in meaningful reconciliation. Reconciliation is a hot buzzword in 2019, but like the word decolonize and the phrase nation-to-nation, this word has lost most of its meaning. Reconciliation is about Canada providing redress for genocide. This isn’t just some word to describe two parties getting over a dispute – it’s about resolving a shared history in which one nation tried to eliminate the others. Real reconciliation would involve breaking down systemic barriers that have oppressed Indigenous Peoples and/or providing financial compensation to overcome the disparities
faced by our communities. After exploiting Indigenous communities for years, Canada is severely indebted to Indigenous Peoples. So why then are all these attempts at reconciliation so pathetic? It’s because adequate redress is too uncomfortable for people to address. It reveals that we all are complicit in the maintenance of settler colonialism, the structure that oppresses Indigenous People in Canada to this day. It’s a tough pill to swallow, so this is the only Canadian thing I will do in this article – provide a half-assed apology like it’s 2008. Sorry.
... adequate redress is too uncomfortable for people to address. That being said, you still need to understand how frustrating and disrespectful McMaster University has been with its reconciliation. In the January 13th, 2018 issue of the
Hamilton Spectator, president Patrick Deane told the Spectator that McMaster had discussed mandatory Indigenous Studies courses and decided that forcing mandatory courses was the wrong way to educate students. We need these classes to be mandatory because students who are blatantly racist against Indigenous people will never take these courses, and their opinions need to be challenged. Forcing people to confront their prejudices is what is needed to create meaningful change - putting in a few token Indigenous people into positions of power and installing an outdoor classroom will not get the job done. Meanwhile, I had worked alongside other students to collect signatures supporting mandatory Indigenous Studies courses at Mac. We even got Mac’s Indigenous Education Council to support us. We gathered 474 signatures online and over 200 from Six Nations. It was by no means a definitive representation of our communities, but it was a hell of a lot more than the handful of people consulted by Deane and the Spec. Also, it was unfortunate
that Deane forgot to mention the petition in his interview after we had delivered the signatures directly into his hands. A convenient memory lapse, I’m sure. Sarcastic comments aside, this specific situation is reflective of most of the other examples of reconciliation at Mac. Leaders within the institution are eager to check off that reconciliation box to look good and pad their resumes in the process. On the Indigenous side of things, the same few individuals seem to take all of the tokenistic opportunities available to them to speak on behalf of Indigenous students here when they should be helping their own communities and giving other Indigenous students the opportunity to become leaders themselves. This warped take on reconciliation is not just embraced by non-Indigenous people at Mac – it’s also welcomed by narcissistic Indigenous People here. Like they say, power corrupts all. I am not asking you to consider what I have written simply because I identify as Indigenous – that is and has never been
a valid reason to speak over and for all of us, or to present ourselves as an infallible source of information. I am asking you to consider my words as they are influenced by the work I have done in my community and at Mac throughout the past six years I have been an undergrad working towards my honours degree. It just also happens to be that I am Kanienkeha:ka. Residential school survivors I’ve worked with have a saying: truth comes before reconciliation. The truth at Mac is that Indigenous People and issues are exploited by the institution, while Indigenous People themselves engage in lateral violence to fight for power within that system. This is the stuff that is being enabled when we settle for what is being passed off as reconciliation on our campus, and the truth is that it is a shitshow.
@theSilhouette
We Offer Affordable Coffee Monster Donuts, Bigger Bagels + so much more! @msu_unionmarket
/unionmarketmsu
16
|
OPINION
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
Shining for whom?
Students should be aware of who they’re donating to before they fundraise Steffi Arkilander Opinions Editor
Every Welcome Week, McMaster reps across faculties and residences partake in Shinerama, a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Shinerama is an incredibly successful fundraising campaign as McMaster fundraises over $100,000 every Welcome Week. Altogether, almost 60 Canadian universities fundraise money for Shinerama annually, collectively fundraising approximately $1 million every year. However, it may be time to question our fundraising efforts—where exactly is our money going, and why are we doing it? While Shinerama can bring students together to promote working towards a good cause, it can also alienate first years of a low socioeconomic status. Being asked for money constantly, especially during a week where many first years are acclimatizing to a new environment can be daunting. Being asked for money can make students uncomfortable, especially when university tuition and housing is a huge financial burden for many. First years may not have money to spare, but being constantly asked and reminded to donate can make people feel obliged to contribute money. As a result, many first years often feel uncomfortable going up to reps who are shining, as they’ll feel
from the
Welcome week reps are encouraged to fundraise for Shinerama HANNAH WALTERS-VIDA / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
the need to give money they don’t have. One way to tackle the issue of soliciting first years for donations is to solely run a fundraising campaign during the summer or during the school year. Welcome Week often is a place where first years feel very vulnerable due to such a new environment and asking students for money who may not be financially stable can put them in an uncomfortable position. This issue has been ongoing, but with the Ontario Student Assistance Program
cuts this year, this problem may have been especially prevalent this past Welcome Week. Simply changing the time of our annual fundraising campaign so that it is no longer during Welcome Week can help alleviate this problem so that first years don’t feel obliged to donate when they have tuition fees to cover as well. Another issue that has been raised is Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s efficacy as a charitable organization. In 2017, around 30 per cent or approximately $4 million of total funding for Cystic Fibrosis Canada went
eclectic to the elegant captivate your senses in...
#thevillage #spendithere
www.hamiltoninternationalvillage.ca -International Village BIA
-HamIntlVillage
-internationalvillagebia
towards administrative costs or fundraising fees. Although McMaster raises over $100 000 for Shinerama each year, that does not even cover overhead fees. Cystic fibrosis is a good cause to raise money for, but it is also important to critically analyze how much money actually goes towards funding research. Cystic fibrosis is a common genetic disease in Canada which is one of the reasons why fundraising efforts are so large. However, it is important to note that Cystic Fibrosis Canada states that Caucasians make up 93 per cent of diagnoses in Canada. While Caucasians are not limited to only white people, the Caucasian population in Canada is mainly white. According to Genetics Home Reference, the disease has been found to be most prevalent in White Americans (around 1 in 2 500 to 3 500) compared to African Americans (1 in 17 000) and Asian Americans (1 in 31 000). As most people affected by cystic fibrosis are white, many students feel unrepresented by our fundraising efforts. As McMaster likes to promote the fact that their students are diverse, they should consider contributing to diseases or causes that affect a diverse population, not a mainly white population. Evidently, Shinerama has a lot of room for improvement. As McMaster raises a large amount of money each year, it is important to critically analyze where our money is going. So what are some other options?
One solution to this problem could be rotating charities every year. Many local grassroots organizations such as sexual assault centre (Hamilton) are in dire need of funding and $100000 could really benefit their programming and resources. SACHA currently only has one parttime staff and the rest of the organization runs solely on volunteers. As a result, SACHA is often flooded with requests for sexual violence support. If McMaster chose to raise money for SACHA even for only one year, it would provide a huge support to an organization that provides crucial programming and training on sexual violence and bystander intervention. By raising money for local grassroots organizations, McMaster students could also improve relationships with the Hamilton community, which is one thing that many people really enjoy about Shinerama fundraising during the summer. Fundraising efforts done by McMaster students can have incredibly positive effects on our community if we do it correctly. Moving forward, we should critically analyze when we fundraise and who we are fundraising for so that our efforts can be allocated more effectively. @stcffi
Pick up HSR bus pass 1. Pick up your pass at the Campus Store 2. Create a new account at prestocard.ca 3. Tap on the HSR starting September 1st
msumcmaster.ca/HSR Full-ti stude me Hamil nts get ton tr passe ansit s!
18
A&C
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
Getting Real with For Real Dough
McMaster alumni recreates childhood memories with edible cookie dough Andrew Mrozowski A&C Editor
Isolated from the grey over-
tones of King Street West lies a splash of pink just east of Hess Street North. Walking into the space, you are immediately overwhelmed with the pleasant scent of freshly baked goodies. As your eyes gaze upon the pink shop, the show-stopping piece is the custom-made swing holding a hundred pounds of sprinkles. For Real Dough (256 King Street West) adds an escape from the downtown core by combining a bakery with the feel of a pop-up museum. For owner Diana Smiarowski, the bakery was a chance for her to get a much needed change of pace. “We came up with [an idea to] mix an element of fun while at the same time my boyfriend was craving cookie dough... We looked it up and saw places in the States but there was nowhere permanent here that you could go. We kind
of mixed the two together and we wanted to bring a feeling of nostalgia. I know lots of people [ate cookie dough] and snuck it when they were little. Coming into a place like this with the clouds, the pink...it’s just meant to bring you back to your childhood. We just wanted it to be a happy, fun place to come,” said Smiarowski. For Real Dough is an immersive experience in the heart of downtown Hamilton that meshes the feel of a pop-up
“For real Dough is an immersive experience in the heart of downtown Hamilton that meshes the feel of a pop-up with decadent edible cookie dough.”
with decadent edible cookie dough. Ranging in simple flavours like chocolate chip to more unique flavours such as cookie monster and dunkaroo. Select vegan and no gluten-added flavours are offered on the menu to ensure everybody is able to try the sweet treats For Real Dough has to offer. The bakery also boasts stuffed cookies, cookie dough paired with soft-serve ice cream and iced coffee served with cereal-flavoured milk with everything made in-house. “It’s about bringing a sweet piece of childhood back. We try and bring some fun, creative flavours that you wouldn’t find anywhere around...We see Hamilton growing and we just wanted to bring something to help it grow,” said Smiarowski. Raw cookie dough is normally not recommended for consumption due to the inclusion of raw eggs and flour. For Real Dough uses pasteurized eggs and heat-treats their flour to allow their cookie dough to be fully edible without the
“It’s about bringing a sweet piece of childhood back. We try and bring some fun, creative flabours that you wouldn’t find anywhere around...We see Hamilton growing and we just wanted to bring something to help it grow.” Diana Smiarowski, Owner For Real Dough associated health concerns of its raw counterpart. From conception to reality, the bakery was set to open its doors after a year and a
half of planning and execution. With the giant spoons above the washroom, clouds hung above the tables, and neon signs mounted to the walls, the store was ready for its softlaunch in July 2019 with an unexpected turnout. “It was wild! There is always a fear of starting a new business but it has been amazing, especially seeing people come in here happy. They’re just in such a good mood and it puts you in a good mood,” said Smiarowski. Although the bakery has a lot to offer, the menu is constantly changing with each week holding a new flavour in-store for customers. Basic flavours are kept; however, seasonal treats are swapped out to keep things fresh. “Our number of flavours are always rotating and we are constantly trying to stay innovative. It’s a nice escape for people to just kind of forget what’s going on. They’re walking back into their childhood.” said Smiarowski.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept.5, 2019
To Smiarowski and her team, For Real Dough is more than just a cookie dough cafe. It is an experience for Hamiltonians to feel transported away from their busy lives. Put your head in the clouds and enjoy the atmosphere that has been created to ignite your childhood self.
The Silhouette
19
This cookie dough cafe is not going anywhere, anytime soon making it a beautifully pink addition to King Street West. @andrewmrozowski
“Put your head in the clouds and enjoy the atmosphere that has been created to ignite your childhood.� For Real Dough is not only the perfect place for your next Instagram post but it also has sweet treats that allow you to relive your childhood years without having to leave the city.
C/O ANGEL HUANG
20
A&C
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 | www.thesil.ca
What's on in SEPT. 6 Outdoor movie screening of Avengers: Endgame 6:00 -11:00 pm
SEPT. 7 Opening Receptions: To see and see again, Minding the Archive 7:00 - 9:00 pm Mixed Matter Art Show 10:00 pm
SEPT. 9 Comic Sans Hamilton Comedy Show 7:30 - 9:30 pm
SEPT. 10
Sewing Workshop for queer, trans and two spirit young people 6:00 - 8:00 pm (recurring)
SEPT. 11
WOODLANDS PARK, BARTON ST E AND WENTWORTH ST N
HAMILTON ARTISTS INC., 155 JAMES ST N. HAVN, 26 BARTON ST E
STAIRCASE THEATRE, 27 DUNDURN ST N SPEQTRUM HAMILTON, 75 MACNAB ST S
PIER 8 SKATING RINK
Rewind Wednesday Roller Skating12:00 - 10:00 pm
SEPT. 12 SEPT. 13
CENTRE [3], 126 JAMES ST N
Zine Fair 12:00 - 5:00 pm Supercrawl
SEPT. 13- 15
Opening Reception: They Built for Eternity 7:00 - 9:00 pm
WORKERS ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTRE, 51 STUART ST
SEPT. 14 Outdoor market and petting zoo 11:00 5:00 pm
HAMILTON FARMERS’ MARKET, 35 YORK BLVD
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept.5, 2019
The Silhouette
21
September?
SPICE FACTORY, 121 HUGHSON ST N
MCMASTER INNOVATION PARK, 175 LONGWOOD RD S
ANCASTER FAIRGROUNDS, 630 TRINITY ROAD ABSINTHE HAMILTON, 38 KING WILLIAM ST
NEIGHBOUR 2 NEIGHBOUR FOOD COMMUNITY CENTRE, 310 LIMERIDGE RD W
SEPT. 27-28
REDCHURCH CAFE + GALLERY, 68 KING ST E
SEPT. 19-22
DAVID BRALEY CENTRE, SPORT HALL
Ancaster Fair, 630 TRINITY ROAD, ANCASTER
HAMILTON CITY HALL, 71 MAIN ST W
Etsy Made in Canada market LINCOLN ALEXANDER CENTRE 160 KING ST E
SEPT. 19 Take Back the Night March 6:00 - 9:00 pm
SEPT. 20 Bill Nye Comes to Mac 4:00 - 6:30 pm Book Launch: Creation 7:00 - 9:00 pm
SEPT. 22 Hamilton Youth Poets Monthly Slam 6:00 - 9:00 pm
SEPT. 26 Hamilton Fashion Week Evening of Shows 6:00 - 11:00 pm
SEPT. 28 Autumn Night Market 4:00 - 10:00 pm Adam and Steve present Willam 8:00 - 2:30 am
SEPT. 29 Food Justice and Arts Festival 11:00 - 5:00 pm
22 |
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019
A&C
Back-to-school tips and tricks Four ways you can navigate back-to-school shopping while staying sustainable and on a budget
Student shopping at Vintage Soul Geek. C/O KYLE WEST Lauren O’Donnell Features Reporter
Make a statement
As Ned Stark said: brace yourselves, back-to-school shopping is coming. Every fall, students are pressured to buy the trendiest, fashion-forward outfits in order to both fit in and stand out (at the same time, effortlessly). This is particularly overwhelming for university students. We are encountering more new people and ideas than ever before, and that is often expressed through changes in personal style. Clothes allow you to experiment with different identities until you find the one that fits you.
If you know and love Queer Eye as much as I do, you’ll know that Tan France, the fashion expert, recommends finding a ‘hero piece’, a statement item to build an outfit around. This hero piece might already be in your closet. When the first week of school comes and you are stumped for outfit ideas, a hero piece can form the foundation of an outfit that you feel comfortable and confident in. Just one item of clothing can transform your whole outfit.
While it can be freeing to reinvent yourself through clothes, it can also be financially taxing to buy an entirely new wardrobe every year. But fear not! Here are some tips and tricks for navigating back-toschool shopping that will save your wallet and your sanity.
Change up your closet with clothing swaps! Threadwork (a sustainable fashion club on campus) usually has a swap in the McMaster University Student Centre each semester. It’s a quick and easy way to refresh your wardrobe while cleaning out some of the items
Swap it out
that you no longer wear for free. There are also clothing swaps in the community; The Pale Blue Dot (240 James Street North) frequently has them, as does the Hearty Hooligan (292 Ottawa Street North). Get thrifty Thrift stores are your friend. Places like Out of the Past (308 Ottawa Street North), The Giving Closet (1162 Barton Street East) or Hawk and Sparrow (126 James Street North) will frequently have pieces that are more affordable and of higher quality than what you might find at the mall. If you don’t have the time to go in person, there are even online thrift stores, like thredUP. If you’re looking to free up some space in your closet, try donating your old clothes to avoid throwing them away. If you take them to Plato’s Closet (505 Rymal Road East) or Style Encore (989
Fennell Avenue East), then they will even pay you to donate them. This is a real thing! Check it out! Reduce, reuse, recycle Rescue your beloved old clothes by taking them to a tailor or cobbler. My life changed when I realized I could get my worn out pants repaired for $20 rather than having to face the horrors of trying on too-small jeans in a dimly-lit dressing room. Not to mention, repairing old shoes means that you don’t have to go through the time and effort of breaking in a new pair. Your ankles will thank you. Thankles? Not only do these four tips help you save money and live better, they also help to minimize your contributions to ‘fast fashion’ (buying clothes that won’t last and then throwing them away). The fashion indus-
try puts out a huge amount of pollution every year. Clothes that fall apart after a few months are not only damaging to the planet, but they are also a strain on your wallet over time as you keep having to replace them with increasingly expensive options. Buying good quality pieces or repairing the pieces that you have helps to keep clothes out of landfills. You shouldn’t feel guilty for buying new clothes or following fashion trends if that brings you joy, just keep these sustainable options in mind. Remember, by November we’ll all be wearing sweatpants anyways, so wear whatever makes you happy and comfortable! @TheSilhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept.5, 2019
SPORTS
| 23
Sports Wojtek Kraj among additions to the Men’s Volleyball team
Kraj comes from the Polish team Jastrzębski Węgiel and looks to make an immediate impact
Wojtek Kraj and head coach Dave Preston C/O FRASER CALDWELL
Graham West Sports Editor
After a tough end to their last season, the McMaster Marauders’ men’s volleyball team made key acquisitions to offset the loss of a few veteran players. Most notably, they signed Wojtek Kraj, a six foot ten middle hitter. Kraj played for Jastrzębski Węgiel, a prestigious club in Poland which is a part of the top Polish volleyball league, PlusLiga. Coming from Poland, Kraj’s familiarity with the Hamilton and McMaster community are somewhat limited. With that being said, so far he is enjoying the city and campus. “My first impressions were that Hamilton is a really pretty city. Wherever you go, you can see something that draws your
attention; on the mountain, there are biking and walking trails, the view from the lower part of Hamilton, in the city centre the huge modern buildings,” said Kraj. “Also, I really like the campus of McMaster, it’s really dense which makes it possible to walk from one end to the other.” Kraj will likely be an incredible team player and will fit right in on the Marauders. Not only is he incredibly humble and encouraging of his teammates, but he approaches volleyball with the hard work and determination required to be the best athlete he can be. “I don’t think I will bring any unique skills to the team, because I’m sure that everyone can spike, block and serve well on our team of McMaster
volleyball. Our team is really good, so I don’t feel like I’m bringing anything special apart from my height, being the tallest on the team. I hope to develop skills that will make me unique but I don’t feel like I have any, because our team is really good as I said,” stated Kraj.
cation here while also playing volleyball at a high level.
Kraj downplays his capabilities, as he posted 11 total kills total on his team in Jastrzębski Węgiel ’s two games against McMaster in the winter.
“The key thing was that McMaster is really good in terms of education, it’s ranked really high, so that’s a big bonus for me. I can play for the team, develop my skills in volleyball while also getting a great education. The drawback was the price of studying, which is really expensive, but I guess that you have to pay for the quality of your studies.”
While he faces a full year on a very competitive team, life for Kraj will encompass more than just volleyball. Come first semester he plans to focus on his studies. One of the main reasons he chose to attend McMaster was because it is highly ranked internationally. Kraj knows that he can a great edu-
Kraj set his ambitions high for the season and aims to be a part of the starting lineup, but he also understands that no matter what happens, he’s here to work hard and improve his game. He also revealed that the presence of senior players on the team makes him unsure of how many minutes on the team
he will play. However, he will strive to be the best player he can be. “Well, my biggest goal is to have a good debut, to show everyone that I haven’t come here for nothing, and that I can give a lot to our volleyball team. Of course, it requires a lot of hard work, which I’ll be putting in throughout the season. I’d also like to be in the starting six but I won’t be disappointed if I don’t make it because we have a lot of good, older players.” Kraj is above all else a team player dedicated to improving his game as well as overall being a great student athlete. He will look to make an immediate impact given his height, standing tall at six foot ten, and as his capabilities on the court. @TheSilhouette
24
|
GAMES
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019
Games
ACROSS 1- Encourage in wrongdoing; 23- Credit-tracking corp.; 5- Latin word which means “for every”; 24- Stockholm flier; 8- Elevator man; 25- Orch. section; 12- Thesaurus name; 26- Monetary unit of Panama; 14- Soft cheese; 30- Analyze grammatically; 15- Sandberg of baseball; 32- Alamogordo’s county; 16- Mild cigar; 33- Cut up; 17- Incautious; 37- Linebacker Junior; 18- Mushroomed; 38- The house of a parson; 19- Inherited wealth; 39- Knowledge; 21- Pal of Pooh; 40- An assured fact;
DOWN 1- With the bow, to a violinist; 2- Cotton seed pod; 3- ‘Zounds!’; 4- School period; 5- Evangelist’s suggestion; 6- Sue Grafton’s “___ for Evidence”; 7- Practice; 8- Binge; 9- Newbies; 10- Unmoving; 11- Ed Norton’s workplace; 13- Tastelessly affected; 14- Make beer; 20- New Deal org.; 22- Latin 101 verb; 24- Fresh; 26- Pear type; 27- To ___ (just so); 28- Regan’s dad; 29- Monster; 30- Pub orders; 31- Dazzling success;
33- “Inferno” writer; 34- Got ripped; 35- Bits of work; 36- Insect-repelling chemical; 38- Wrong; 41- Seniors’ org.; 42- Extent; 44- Le Coq ___; 45- Rodeo rope; 46- Continental cash; 47Country singer Travis; 49Plants; 51- Little pat on your buns?; 52- Neuter; 53- Middle of QED; 54- Slick; 55- Miners’ sch.; 56- Withered; 59- Opposite of paleo-;
42- More than medium; 43- Bridge positions; 44- Loathe; 45- Not emp.; 48- Hwy.; 49- Trinity member; 50- Moon of Jupiter; 52- Beautiful;
57- Nutmeg coat; 58- Recognized; 60- Hackneyed; 61- Pledge drive gift; 62- Morays; 63- More robust; 64- About; 65- Silent assent; 66- Sort;
25
|
GAMES
ACROSS 1- Lots; 6- Lined up; 10- Director Vittorio De ___; 14- Slow movement; 15- Franklin D.’s mother; 16- Stick in one’s ___; 17- Druggist; 19- Got up; 20- Warmed the bench; 21- Goad; 22- Chooses; 24- Castle protector; 25- All hands on deck;
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019
26- Endow with a spirit; 29- Heaven; 33- Crews; 34- Word repeated in a Doris Day song; 35- Loud laugh; 36- Venom; 37- Marriott rival; 38- Division word; 39- Pack ___ (quit); 40- Tolkien baddies; 41- Like Wrigley Field’s walls; 42- Resume;
44- Army command; 45- Sitting on; 46- Scorch; 47- Consisting of flowers; 50- Chemical suffix; 51- To the rear, on a boat; 54- Actress Anderson; 55- Incontestable; 58- Wicked; 59- Theater section; 60- Skip ___; 61- Contradict; 62- Computer operator; 63- Gentle push;
DOWN 1- Heidi’s home; 2- That’s a laugh!; 3- Part of Q.E.D.; 4- Cabinet dept.; 5- High-flown; 6- Broad scarf; 7- Surprise attack; 8- Surgery sites, briefly; 9- Aquatic rodent; 10- Hand tool; 11- Camaro model; 12- Dramatic troupe; 13- Takes one’s breath away;
18- Asian sea; 23- Open field; 24- Briefly; 25- Wagons; 26- Work ___; 27- Cool!; 28- Glossy fabric; 29- Freedom from war; 30- Ancient Greek colony; 31- Overindulges; 32- Destroy by degrees; 34- Thick sweet liquid; 37- Capital of Hawaii; 41- Some sausage;
43- Call ___ day; 44- Long time; 46- Curl the lip; 47- Ran away; 48- Deep affection; 49- Getting ___ years; 50- Beat by a nose; 51- Asleep; 52- National symbol; 53- Head of France; 56- Discouraging words; 57- ___ Dhabi;
FIND US BESIDE TWELVEIGHT Y BAR & GRILL FOLLOW US @MSU_THEGRIND
VISIT US FOR ALL YOUR
FOLLOW US
PRINT + DESIGN NEEDS
@UNDERGROUNDMSU
LOCATED IN THE STUDENT CENTRE BASEMENT
Homesick? Stressed? Landlord Issues? MSU Student Assistance Plan can provide help for any issue. • Academic Issues • Addiction: Drugs, Alcohol, Gaming, Smoking • Adjustment to University • Anxiety
• Grief and Bereavement • Home & Family Stress • Legal Concerns • Violence • Medical Health & Resource
• Bullying • Career Development • Depression
Referral • Nutrition • Personal Issues
• Discrimination • Financial
• Sexual Matters • Trauma
Your Student Assistance Program services include in-person, telephone or on-line counselling service.
msumcmaster.ca/SAP
NEW STRATEGY FOR UNPOPULAR POLITICIANS? SECRE T VISITS, A GENIUS MOVE C12
THURSDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR INSIDE VOICES ONLY
NOTSPEC.COM
WELCOME WEEK BINGO
September 5, 2019
Please
Eng rep with dyed beard/ hair
A torrential downpour
“HOW DO YOU FEEL”
A faint ringing Upper year in your ears SURPRISE! You live on a feels old and that lingers construction jaded through the site night Staying in your room to avoid the mayhem
“Sorry what’s your name again?”
Rep sleeping Fairy lights to give the illusion while standing of relaxation up
A surface-level friendship to get you through the day
Roommate drama
FREE SPACE
A token “chill” event for selfcare
“WE LOVE FIRST YEARS” *clap* *clap* *clap* *clap* *clap*
A hastily choreographed dance number
Rep: [is dead behind the eyes] “I’m good”
A brief moment of silence amidst the chaos
Rash from shitty free t-shirt
Attending a football game for the first and only time in your undergraduate career
Newfound freedom leads to existential despair
“McMaster is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive-”
Chugging honey to soothe your poor, poor throat
All smiles from the group on probation
“Mom? Can you take me home?”
(but no free time)
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Please please please don’ t sue us thanks.