the journal Queen’s University
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Vol. 152, Issue 19
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F r i day , J a n ua ry 2 4 , 2 0 2 5
Situated on the
traditional lands of
the Anishinaabe and
Haudenosaunee peoples.
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Since 1873
AMS EXECUTIVE DEBATE All candidates speak to enhancing the overall student experience Aya Alhasany & Lauren Nicol Assistant News Editors Five AMS executive candidates share their visions for the 2025-26 school year. Sectioned by position, the debate took place at Goodes Hall on Jan. 23 at 6 p.m., with all five candidates in attendance. Candidates include Jana Amer, HealthSci ’26, and Nicolas David Brasset Duque, ArtSci ’25 for President; Alyssa Perisa, ArtSci ’25, and Dreyden George, ArtSci ’26 for Vice-President (University Affairs); and uncontested candidate Elena Nurzynski, ArtSci ’25, for Vice-President (Operations). From Jan. 21 to 22, students submitted position-specific questions for candidates at the Queen’s Centre. At the debate, each candidate answered seven questions tailored to their role, with two minutes per response. Candidates for the same position address the same questions and delivered both opening and closing statements. Vice-President (University Affairs) The debate began with Perisa and George taking the stage
as the two candidates up for the position of Vice-President (University Affairs). When asked why she wanted to run for this role, Perisa said she wanted to contribute to the AMS and improve student lives through small changes. She emphasized the importance of using the position to advocate for diversity and inclusion. For George, he didn’t consider the role when he first began at the AMS as the social issues commissioner (external) as a first-year student. However, he believes he has a deep understanding of the barriers many students face as an Indigenous and first-generation student to attend university. He plans to advocate for students within this role. Another question highlighted concerns about the Campus Affairs Commission’s lack of direction. In response, George presented a plan to establish an international affairs centre within the commission. He outlined additional goals, including collaborating with the University to organize sanctioned tailgates for Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day, which he believes will reduce harm and minimize fines. According to Perisa, Orientation Roundtable (ORT) Mystery Concert is a large undertaking for faculty societies. If elected, she would consider moving the concert under the Campus Affairs Commission.
Queen’s Medical School professor under investigation after complaints of anti-Palestinian racism
The professor allegedly took a photo of a medical student in class wearing symbol of Palestinian solidarity Allie Moustakis Editor in Chief This article mentions harassment and discrimination that may be triggering for some readers. The Peer Support Centre offers peer-based drop-in session and is
NEWS
Queen’s Hillel marks International Holocuast Education Week PAGE 4
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open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dr. Samuel Silver, an associate professor of Nephrology at Queen’s, is facing multiple complaints from students concerning alleged anti-Palestinian behaviour and professional conduct. President of the Aesculapian Society—the society which represents all medicalstudents in the School of Medicine—Tyler Williamson, MD ’27, filed a complaint to the Department of Medicine on behalf
EDITORIALS
Student leaders need more than enthusiasm PAGE 8
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The debate took place on Jan. 23 in Goodes Hall.
PHOTO BY NELSON CHEN
Currently, the concert falls under the purview of the ORT commission. Both candidates stated the Commissioner of External Affairs should be promoted to a vice-presidential position at the executive level, given the extent of the profile and the connections the commissioner makes with government staff and politicians on all levels of government. The commissioner’s involvement in the Ontario Universities Student’s Alliance (OUSA) introduces the commissioner to several provincial politicians and stakeholders. In their closing remarks, Perisa and George emphasized amplifying student voices and the importance of advocacy, which they both hope to bring to the Vice-President (University Affairs) position.
Vice-President (Operations) Because Nurzynski is running uncontested, the
Vice-President (Operations) portion of the debate ran as a question and answer period. Like Persia and George, she opened by explaining her decision to run for her respective position. Her motivation stems from a desire to share the knowledge she has gained through her experience at Tricolour Outlet and as the current head manager of Common Ground Coffeehouse. “I’ve worked at the AMS for a few years, and I’ve gotten so much from every single role that I’ve held. I want to be able to pass that knowledge down to service head managers and their teams,” Nurzynski said. She believes the AMS provides “fantastic” job opportunities for students, further elaborating that expanding collaboration within the society is vital in understanding the wants and needs of students and workers. “I think it’s really important
to ensure the AMS is establishing strong relationships with the student body,” Nurzynski said. “I really want to learn from the student community and hear what they have to say about the AMS and what they’d like to see from it.” She hopes to increase student engagement within the AMS through creating personable and educational content. Ideas for engagement, she shared, include student focus groups, pitching stories to The Journal, and renewing the habit of regular AMS newsletters to share regular updates on services. In an effort to promote transparency, the fourth and final pillar in her platform, Nurzynski hopes to break down and share the budgets of services in a more digestible way, emphasizing the need for students to be aware of where their fees are going. See NEWS on page 2
year medical class following an incident involving Dr. Silver and a student on Dec. 3. The complaint alleges Dr. Silver took a photo of a student in class wearing a sweatshirt featuring a watermelon design—a symbol often associated with Palestinian solidarity. According to another student in the class, Dr. Silver remained behind after his lecture, reportedly looking for his AirPods, when he was seen
using his phone to zoom in and take a photo of a student who was seated near the front of the room. “He was doing the pinching motion, like zooming in. It looked very strange. So, I looked behind me to see if there was anything going on and that’s when I saw one of my classmates who was wearing a watermelon sweatshirt. It was very easy to put two and two together,” Alex*, a second-year medical student in
the class, said in an interview with The Journal. Before the incident, students, including Alex, had been boycotting Dr. Silver’s lectures due to posts on his now deleted X account, which many felt contained highly politicized content. Alex described the posts as promoting views that were perceived as anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic.
BST
Amey’s Taxi sold to Coventry Connections PAGE 10
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See NEWS on page 2
SPORTS
Women’s football continues to push the boundaries PAGE 11
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