The Fulcrum_Vol.82_Issue_8 by the-Fulcrum

CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 8th, 2021

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Academic Freedom Report A detailed look at the reports highlights

UofO launches centre dedicated to Black health The centre opened on October 21st

Mason: On divestment Hey, Mr. Frémont? Can we divest, please?

That time of the month Period Piece opens up at Arts Court Theatre

Clasic Toronto Gee-Gees upset Varsity Blues in first round of OUA football playoffs

Bat sh*t crazy Learn why one UofO PHD student is studying bat guano

Deconstructing Rape Myths Image held of monster crouching in the darkness contradicts reality that perpetrators walk amongst us in the daylight

Sanjida’s Red and Green flags Wanna be Sanjida’s friend? Learn what not to do.

UofOFulcrum UofOFulcrum @instafulcrum

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NEWS

NEWS EDITORS

Bridget Coady & Zoe Mason news@thefulcrum.ca

U of O releases Committee on Academic Freedom’s report Here’s a look at the highlights and major recommendations from the report Charley Dutil editor-in-chief

he University of Ottawa has publicly released the Committee on Academic Freedom’s report. The committee, which was created on March 30 to explore issues and challenges surrounding academic freedom and freedom of expression at the University of Ottawa, was headed by retired justice Michel Bastarache and composed of five U of O faculty staff. The report sought to answer six fundamental questions when it comes to the challenges faced by the University of Ottawa when defining academic freedom and freedom of expression for its members. It also produced seven recommendations in the hopes of improving the university community’s understanding of academic freedom and freedom of expression. A common theme in the report is that the University needs to protect academic freedom as well as freedom of expression. The report calls on the U of O to “unequivocally reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression, and that it clarify its rights and obligations as an educational institution.”

Committee against the censorship of words in a respectful academic context

One of the questions that the committee sought to answer was: “How should the University balance academic freedom with its values of equity, diversity and inclusion?” This is a question that has been raised countless times in the last year when debating the incidents surrounding professor Verushka Lieutenant-Duval’s use of the ‘N-word’ in a virtual lecture in September 2020. The committee was clear in its report that it is not in favour of institutional or self-censorship that is apt to compromise the dissemination of knowledge or is motivated by fear of public repudiation. “The Committee is therefore against the exclusion of words, works or ideas in the context of respectful academic presentations and discussions whose educational goal is to

promote the dissemination of knowledge.” The committee says it believes students and the University community must be willing to address sensitive topics in an academic context. It recommends providing notices in advance when sensitive topics will be discussed that could offend some students so they are not caught off guard. An example of this would be content warnings at the beginning of a sensitive article in a reading. The committee also recommends the implementation of a diversity and inclusion training program along with a personal consultation service for faculty members. According to the committee, the consultations they held, showed faculty members often “feel illequipped to address” these issues and that they “urgently need information and resources to do so.”

Cyberbullying needs to be addressed

A clear offshoot of the Lieutenant-Duval incident was the rise in cyberbullying — many students and faculty members who shared their opinion on the incident were targeted online by individuals with malicious intentions. The report suggests the University of Ottawa establishes a clear policy to deal with cyberbullying. ”The Committee recommends that the administration establish an action plan not only to fight racism and discrimination, but also cyberbullying — a constantly increasing threat to both freedoms that is more and more difficult to keep in check.” The committee, without outright naming specific incidents, justified the need for this policy by stating it comes from many incidents that have led to faculty and some students feeling unsafe due to cyberbullying. “The many incidents that left faculty and some students feeling insecure showed that there is a need to establish norms of conduct applicable to students, faculty and other University staff, and measures prohibiting cyberbullying.” “Dialogue and the search for truth will be impossible if differences of opinion give rise to invective and insults, disrespect for diversity or disregard for human dignity. The University must regulate such conduct and

possibly review the scope of the principles underlying Policy 121—Statement on Free Expression,” reads the report.

Committee wants the U of O to reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom

A common theme of the report was the U of O’s need to unequivocally reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression. One of the more damning statements in the report was that the institution needs to clarify its rights and obligations as an educational institution. “The members of the University community must be certain of the University’s support when their right to free expression is at stake, and they must be able to rely on an effective mechanism for addressing issues of concern in that regard.” But the report does mention this cannot be done at the expense of silencing marginalized people and groups and that each situation that arises should be evaluated using three criteria — legality, legitimacy, and necessity. “We believe that three criteria should be used to decide contentious issues: legality, legitimacy, and necessity (based on proportionality),” reads the report. “However, the University will not normally wish to limit its actions to suppressing speech that is illegal since it considers that expressing certain facts and ideas can offend, shock, anger or jeopardize free expression for fear of further marginalization or stigma.” “The University strives to encourage respectful, tolerant and empathetic discourse, and will thus seek a balance, in the same way a professor would not want to disregard the impact of certain teachings.” “Freedom of expression and academic freedom should be vigorously protected, but not at the expense of silencing marginalized people and groups. There is no straightforward solution to this dilemma. Each case needs to be analyzed within its context.”

Committee recommends establishment of standing committee on academic freedom

One of the major recommendations made by the committee is for the University of Ottawa to establish a standing committee

to review and implement the policy on academic freedom and freedom of expression. This committee’s mission would be to strengthen the protections for academic freedom and to handle complaints received about academic freedom at the University. “In essence, the committee would support the mandate of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic Affairs, to protect academic freedom, thereby increasing the tools at the VicePresident’s disposal for carrying out the position’s duties in that regard and strengthening accountability to the University community,” reads the report. The report says that this new committee would have to do more than simply hear from complainants, conduct investigations and impose penalties. The committee would have to define “the nature of the complaint or worrisome incident and subsequently examine the situation by applying known criteria.” The report suggests the committee could study implementing “policies and principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression in all areas of activity (teaching, research, academic conferences, etc.) on campus.” This committee would compile an annual report on complaints that have been received and processed and analyzed, then share this report with the vice president, academic affairs. Although the structure and composition of this committee will be left to the discretion of the U of O administration, Bastarache’s committee recommends about five members who

The U of O campus. Photo: Dasser Kamran/Fulcrum

are experts in the field with two-year mandates.

What went into creating the report?

The committee’s report was late — it was supposed to be released over the summer. Multiple delays made it so it was released this afternoon on Nov. 4. These delays were blamed on translation issues and other technical problems by U of O president Jacques Frémont at Senate and Board of Governors meetings over the last few months. To create the report the Committee held two rounds of consultations where they invited members of the U of O community to submit briefs or comments sharing their opinions or positions on the issues raised by the committee. In total, the committee received 102 briefs and comments from the community. Retired justice Bastarache also reached out to faculty professional associations, student associations, support staff and the Action Committee on Antiracism and Inclusion to hear directly from them. Only two groups declined the invitation, the Support Staff of the University of Ottawa (SSUO) and the BIPOC caucus — both did submit a brief. The Committee also did an environmental scan to research how questions on academic freedom and freedom of expression are handled at other Canadian universities and around the world. “The Committee obtained and analyzed documents from Canadian universities on the concepts of academic freedom and freedom of expression, in order to see how they are interpreted

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and applied.” These consultations and research were made to give the committee the clearest picture possible before they made their recommendations to the U of O administration. “Not surprisingly, the Committee came across significant differences of opinion. There is no consensus at the University of Ottawa or at Canadian universities as a whole, even though most stakeholders believe in the importance of the freedoms in question,” concluded the report. “The Committee did not try to sway anyone during its consultations, whose purpose was to let participants have their say. The Committee acted strictly in a listening capacity.” As for its recommendation on if academic freedom or freedom of expression should be further regulated with penalties and consequences, the committee said it didn’t believe so but punted the question to its new recommended standing committee. “With regard to limits on rights, the Committee could find very few helpful precedents, particularly when it came to potential penalties for offenders.” “The Committee proposed the establishment of another committee that would review complaints or situations requiring action by the administration, together with an analytical grid and criteria that would enable consistent, balanced decisions.” “The Committee did not recommend any penalties, as it felt that the system currently in place should be used.”

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University of Ottawa launches first research centre dedicated to Black health in Canada

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health Launched on Oct. 21st Ciku Gitonga

contributor

n Oct. 21, a webinar was held to launch the Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health (ICBH) at the University of Ottawa. This launch signifies a big step in the breaking down of barriers to equity for the diverse Black communities across Canada. “The ICBH is the first Canadian research centre entirely dedicated to studying Black health in Canada — the biological, social, cultural and economic determinants of black health,” said Dr. Jude Mary Cénat. Dr. Cénat, an assistant professor in the clinical psychology program at the U of O, spearheaded the efforts to establish the ICBH. “The idea for the centre is from a study I participated in on Black mental health that was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada,” shared Dr. Cénat. “In that project, we found that there was a very strong link between mental

and physical health. I spoke about addressing these issues in the Black community with the dean of the faculty of social sciences, Victoria Barham. Under her leadership, I started the consultation process to build a research team.” Historically, Black Canadians have lagged behind their white counterparts in terms of receiving quality healthcare due to a range of complex factors best summarized as systemic racism. This racism manifests in factors such as lower earning power and access to medical resources, conscious and subconscious biases of health practitioners to their Black patients, the scarcity of Black health practitioners, and the well-documented intergenerational effects of racial trauma on the physical and mental health of Black people. By the time of the webinar launch, the ICBH had taken shape, the centre will feature researchers from five different faculties of the University of Ottawa, five research institutes from hospitals affiliated with the University, and five research chairs.

Each of these experts will be heading a specific research axis in Black health. These five research axes make up the ICBH: prevention and management of chronic disease, infectious diseases, mental health and substance use, population and public health, child and adolescent health. The webinar began with an address by the president and vice chancellor of the University of Ottawa, Jacques Frémont. He emphasized the University’s commitment to improving the BIPOC experience on campus, citing efforts to hire faculty members and mental health practitioners of colour. This was followed by an address by Dr. Jude Mary Cénat, where he outlined the ICBH main objectives and staff composition. He emphasized the Centre’s intersectional approach to the study of Black health, taking into account the range of risk factors Black communities face. “The Centre also has a collegial leadership structure that allows us to ground ourselves in the community. What I mean by that

is that, at the Centre, we do not want to work for the Black community, we want to work with the Black community.” Candice St-Aubin, the vice president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), gave a short address to those in attendance of the webinar in which she highlighted the importance of community-led initiatives in tackling health equity disparities. She referenced the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund, an initiative where the PHAC partners with community-based organizations to implement culturally focused programs addressing Black mental health. St-Aubin also touched upon the fact that Black communities in Canada have disproportionately high COVID-19 infection rates, saying; “This is not simply a matter of biological differences,” and going on to attribute the differences to factors such as the overrepresentation of Black Canadians in frontline workers, and the likelihood of employment conditions without paid sick leave. Greg Fergus, a Black Liberal

Member of Parliament, made a short address in which he warned the members of the ICBH of the difficult road ahead. “If you think setting up this Centre was hard, continuing its efforts will be even tougher. The main challenge is to actually capture what is going on, to capture the disaggregated data. When you are facing unconscious bias, people think the systems they set up are fair. But when you look at the data and see the disparities, you have to ask yourself ‘Were we being as fair as we could be?’ Have the courage to continue digging, continue looking into these issues.” Courage is not the only thing that will sustain the ICBH. In an interview with Dr. Cénat, he mentioned the vital need for continuous funding for the Centre. He mentioned an upcoming project that is still in its negotiation process that will deal with the effects of COVID-19 in Black communities in Canada. “We have what we want now,” he said. “But we will eventually need more.”

Mason: On divestment and “collective effort in Canadian society” Hey, Mr. Frémont? Can we divest, please? Zoë Mason news editor

ast week, Canadian university students and climate activists scored a major victory when the University of Toronto announced that it would be divesting from fossil fuels. The divestment will begin immediately, with U of T stating its intentions to divest from its direct investments in fossil fuel companies over the next twelve months, and from indirect investments by 2030. The announcement has the potential to set off something of a domino effect on campuses across the country, given the place of considerable prestige U of T occupies in the Canadian academic sphere. While it may be a flagship in this province, U of T is far from an outlier in this endeavour. In October, Dartmouth became the fifth American ivy league university to announce its divestment from fossil fuels, a string of commitments that set a global precedent for the world’s

most prestigious universities. In Canada, the University of Victoria, the University of Guelph, as well as several other publicly funded post-secondary institutions have already begun divesting from fossil fuels. All of these institutions also committed to achieving net-zero emissions by various deadlines. All this is important, because even as the precedents close in around the University of Ottawa, the administration continues to refuse any commitments to divestment. In May, campus environmental organization Climate Justice UO (CJCuO), published a letter on its Instagram from U of O president Jacques Frémont’s it received in response to their divestment campaign. The letter is a lesson in avoiding the question. “After a methodical examination that included panel discussions on campus, commissioning experts’ reports and hearing from advocates, a holistic approach to reducing our impact on the environment well beyond fossil fuel divestment was recommended. This allows uOttawa to contribute

to the collective effort in Canadian society to confront the threat posed by climate change and global warming,” wrote Frémont. The gist of that wordy but largely empty passage is that the U of O will not divest. There are so many bones I’d like to pick with these statements. The first, of course, is the simple question: why can your “holistic approach” that goes “well beyond” divestment not simply include divestment? Why are these things mutually exclusive? Frémont does not provide an answer to that question, beyond the haphazard excuse that in the event of divestment, “while the ownership would change, the issue would continue to exist.” The sentiment is “if it’s not me, it’s somebody else,” but what the statement fails to grasp is that students would much rather it be somebody else, somebody whose money does not come from our tuition dollars. This illustrates a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the political side of this decision, which is to demonstrate an opposition to the fossil fuel

Will there ever be a wake up call loud enough for institutional action? Photo: Bridget Coady/Fulcrum

industry as an institution, and therefore represent the voices of the students it serves, who are calling in increasing numbers for divestment. The second is Frémont’s reference to “the collective effort in Canadian society”. By the time the letter was written, several Canadian universities had already committed to divestment. Today, U of T, the country’s biggest university, is among them. It seems to me the collective effort in Canadian society is beginning to include a collective effort from Canadian universities,

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and it’s beginning to include divestment. Frémont listed a number of the U of O’s climatecentred initiatives at the end of his letter. He noted that the U of O was the first university in Canada and the second in the world to sign the Montreal Carbon Pledge, a 2014 United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN-PRI) pledge that committed signatory investors to a formal carbon footprint goal. Great. So we were, at one time, leaders. That was seven years ago, and we’ve blown it since then. How

long are we as an institution going to fight the growing divestment movement? Nobody is asking the U of O to dismantle the fossil fuel industry, but we could at least stop giving them our money. If Frémont really wants the U of O to contribute to the collective effort to confront this threat, let’s hope U of T has given him the push to finally do so. Wasn’t it nice to be a leader? We might not be first, but we don’t have to be last. It’s too late for leadership, but it’s not too late for solidarity.

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HanVoice uOttawa on Canada’s new pilot project for the private

sponsorship of North Korean refugees

Upcoming panel with North Korean Refugee is just one way for students to get involved Bridget Coady news editor

anVoice, a Canadian human rights group that advocates for policy and action on North Korea, announced the beginning of a pilot project which will make Canada the first country to accept North Korean refugees through private sponsorship. The co-presidents of HanVoice’s University of Ottawa chapter, Jinee Lee and Matthew Min, sat down with the Fulcrum to discuss how the pilot project will steer the club’s work in the coming months. Min got involved with HanVoice “because it was a unique topic that not a lot of organizations and clubs were discussing. One thing that stuck out to me was how much the collective

passion of envoys throughout the country with all the university chapters, how intense it was, and how much they really deeply cared about the topic […] everyone had a like-minded collective goal to try to help with the North Korean refugee situation.” Lee joined HanVoice uOttawa more recently, at the end of last year. Lee shared, “I thought it was interesting that there was a student-led chapter that’s part of an organization that seeks to help and learn about North Korean human rights. I [was interested in] the overall situation and the history and what we can do in Canada to help refugees that are seeking help.” Lee continued to speak on how this pilot project will provide a great opportunity for university students who feel idealistic and want to effect tangible change. “I think that being part of the club or just the effort in general, offers that it really gives you insight on the direct impact that you can make, just as an ordinary

citizen in Canada. I think that that’s another significance of being the first private sponsorship for North Korean refugees, is just the fact that we can really make that direct impact.” Similarly for Min, the groundbreaking part of this pilot program lies in the ability to involve any and all Canadians through donations. “Unlike the United States and South Korea (the only other nations that provide resettlement of North Korean refugees), we’re in a unique position right now where the pilot program is a private sponsorship program, which means uOttawa can come in and help, they can donate and they can [provide] funds and financial support and actively be involved with the resettlement or Northern refugees when it comes to their relocation, their training and eventually the goal of them being self-sufficient.” “We’re going to be emphasizing fundraising events to help financially contribute to the private sponsorship program,” said Min.

HanVoice is a Canadian human rights group that advocates for policy and action on North Korea. Image: HanVoice/

“One thing we are planning to do as well is a pioneer project program. So we’ll be inviting in North Korean refugee, Sam Kim and having a joint event with Carleton university[’s branch of HanVoice] and presenting a mini pane to an audience that could have almost a direct conversation, and a direct exposure to a situa-

tion that a lot of people are unaware of or maybe not as educated as they could be.” Lee spoke of the upcoming awareness campaigns the club is planning and the panel where Kim will “speak about his story and his experiences and [to provide] a different perspective, a real-life perspective on the ongoings of North Ko-

rea and what North Korean refugees have to go through to seek protection and security from their country.” Students interested in the upcoming events HanVoice will be hosting can watch the club’s Facebook page for updates and ways to get involved.

Student leaders disappointed with report by Committee on Academic Freedom

Union says report’s reccommendations fail to reflect consultations comittee had with students CharleyDutil

editor-in-chief The release of the University of Ottawa’s Committee on Academic Freedom’s report has drawn ire from student leaders at the University. Both the University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) and Graduate Student Association (GSAÉD) have called the report a disappointment. The unions were joined in their criticism of the report by the Black Leaders Student Association (BLSA) as well as Hannan Mohamud and Saada Hussen, the undergraduate student representatives on the University’s Board of Governors. On Nov. 4, UOSU released a joint statement with Mohamud and Hussen, expressing their mutual despondency with the report. The statement says that the report disregarded consultations the committee had with student leaders and “disregards the need for mutual respect in favour of the freedom to use racial slurs in a classroom.” “Students at uOttawa deserve to receive their

education in a dignified environment, free from discrimination,” said Tim Gulliver, the UOSU’s president as part of the statement. “Of all parties to this report, academics should be fully aware of the fact that words matter,” the statement continued. “There is absolutely no need to use racial slurs in an academic setting. It is possible to have conversations about discrimination without using discriminatory language.” The UOSU believes the report failed to take into account anti-racism movements at the university such as 4,000 individuals signing a petition by the caucus of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour professors and Librarians at the University of Ottawa that expressed disappointment “for framing anti-racist issues as a threat to academic freedom.” “We need evidence that student voices are being heard,” said UOSU equity commissioner Sana Almansour. “BIPOC students deserve to be at the centre of conversations that directly impact them.” The joint statement took particular issue with rec-

ommendation F, writing: “While the UOSU believes strongly in the importance of robust academic freedom, Recommendation F of the report seems to sanction the use of virulent language, without weighing the responsibilities of professors to maintain a respectful learning environment.” Recommendation F suggests that the University must “protect academic freedom and freedom of expression in fulfillment of its teaching and research mission.” In this recommendation, the committee also took a stance against “the exclusion of words, works or ideas in the context of respectful academic presentations and discussions whose educational goal is to promote the dissemination of knowledge.” “The Committee believes that students and the University community must be willing to address sensitive topics in an academic context. Providing advance notice of topics deemed sensitive by some students may be expedient in certain cases to ensure they are not caught off guard. It must not affect the professional responsibilities of faculty, however.”

GSAÉD shared in a statement to the Fulcrum, that the report was “biased in its number of responses from uOttawa academic members, and this reflects in the authors’ approach to this subject.” “The lack of student representation, and indeed any non-academic members of the university community, on this Committee was a clear downfall. We can only hope this was an oversight, rather than a purposeful design to promote a certain agenda,” wrote the association in its statement. The GSAÉD says that although several of their recommendations can be found in the report, they do not endorse the report. “The GSAÉD reinforces that our brief consultation with the Committee on Academic Freedom should not infer our support for the presentation and content of the report. While we note that several of our recommendations are present in the report, including the creation of a review committee, we consider the overall report a biased and dissatisfying outcome to this process.” The association believes there is a major disconnect between the way academic

freedom is understood in research and interpreted in classrooms on campus. “Ability and necessity seem to be conflated in the report, which is particularly troubling in light of the events which led to the formation of the Committee. […] We contend there is a disconnect between the understanding of academic freedom in research and how this is taken up in the classroom and around campus.” GSAÉD also shares UOSU’s opinion that the report empowers academics to “say ‘whatever they want, however they want.’” “The report does not engage enough with the implications and repercussions of academics feeling empowered to do and say ‘whatever they want, however, they want,’ ” the group statement reads.“While academic freedom is a central pillar of our institution, it exists alongside the need to uphold the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization.” The association’s governance commissioner, Cameron Smith called the report a “missed opportunity to emphasize an ethic of care, mutual respect, and

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acknowledge the pedagogical responsibilities academics have when engaging with sensitive content,”. The BSLA also put out a statement regarding the committee’s report. The association believes the committee made it clear where its allegiances lied with the report. “According to the committee and the board of trustees, the academic freedom of professors far outweighs the university’s obligation to create a comfortable space for their students to learn.” “The report seemed to focus on the harassment felt by the faculty when students responded to their petition while acknowledging that the freedom of speech of those students wasn’t protected.” “Truthfully we and many other organizations didn’t expect much in the way of change from this committee as appeasing the faculty, shareholders and board of trustees was clearly its goal.” “We will continue to demand better from our academic institution while leaving the door open for further communication.”

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ARTS

ARTS EDITOR

ZOFKA SVEC arts@thefulcrum.ca

Visual art: The New Generation Photography Award Subversive beauty through modern photography Zofka Svec arts editor

his weekend, I went to see the New Generation Photography Award exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada (that’s a mouthful). Each year, the award recognizes three outstanding Canadian photographers under the age of 35. The competition began in 2017 as a collaboration between the National Gallery and Scotiabank. All of the images in this collection were from six artists, two years’ worth of winners — three from 2020: Noah Friebel, Curtiss Randolph, and Katherine Takpannie, and three others from 2021: Dustin Brons, Chris Donovan, and Dainesha NugentPalache.

Curtiss Randolph – “My Father’s Son,” 20172019 Curtiss Randolph’s photos were stills from a docudrama centred around his father’s work as a dancer and owner of a theatre in the 1950s. The rich, thick, gelatine silver prints allow the spring 1955 setting to take form and feel natural. The standout piece “Falling – No Catch” is an anxietyinducing action shot of a performer about to fall from a ladder, tacitly demonstrating the very real dangers of make-believe.

Noah Friebel Working with sculptural

elements and installation concepts, Fribel attempts to transform the traditional canvas of photography from the mundane to the esoteric. Sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn’t. His 9m31s wall installation “Kiss or Cry” was just a compilation of close-up shots of figure skaters’ faces waiting for their scores, which felt particularly hackish. The wooden frames of his black and white prints of industrial fences and buildings had more artistic merit, as I think the frames did indeed add to the photos. On the other hand, the images should have spoken for themselves without the need for all the window dressing.

Katherine Takpannie The Ottawa-raised Inuit artist carefully juxtaposes the wild, natural world and the tame consumer ones. Every photo in her collection featured a human in a natural environment, sometimes with props and sometimes caught in candid conversation. My favourite piece was a woman standing in the snow wearing a bright fur parka — a blotch of humanity in a landscape of frozen sleep. Another notable piece features a woman holding a piece of mask-shaped driftwood over her face as she stares down the camera.

Chris Donovan, “the Cloud Factory” 2014-ongoing Donovan’s photoseries “The Cloud Factory” de-

picts desperation and environmental destruction in St. John’s, Newfoundland, a city with some made rich by oil extraction and others literally left in their dust. In “Objects in Mirror,” we see a man’s face reflected in his car’s rear view mirror and a smokestack through the windshield. The resigned anguish in his lined face is palpable. The collection is aptly named, as all the photographs feature clouds or their analogues: a vape cloud, a plume from a smokestack, steam from a factory. The black and white gel prints are a depressing portrait of a city in a post-

Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in Dune. Photo: Dune/Warner Bros.

industrial decline. But there is a sliver of hope: the optimistic “Lisa Holds Troy” features a mother and her son smiling.

Dustin Brons Brons peels back the banality of the objects that we use in our quotidian lives and strives to uncover their representations, not just their physical forms. This series of photos was my personal favourite. The scenes of gentle domesticity, at first glance, are warm and inviting, primarily set in a mid-century modern kitchen. Looking clos-

er, though, we see a dying houseplant, a precariously balanced wooden spoon, two nearly identical microwaves stacked on top of one another. Perhaps it’s worth enjoying the simple pleasures, but it’s also worth looking beyond them to find the simple pains.

Dainesha NugentPalacheI Nugent-Palachel’s work explores the world of excess and Afro-Caribbean glamour with her photographs and performative video. I enjoyed her use of religion and mythology as motifs, especially

in their relation to her representation of womanhood and its inherent mysticism. Her vivid inkjet prints had the intriguing feel of a traditional belief re-imagined in gaudy technicolour. Often, some parts of her still lifes would be just out of focus, adding a sense of fuzzy texture and perspective. “Black as Tar” is the exception to her other works displayed, as it featured a Black woman covered in black paint — an excellent and refreshing foil. The exhibit is on display until December 5th. Act fast.

Book Review: Dogrun by Arthur Nersesian

The awful realization that life is coming to a sudden and disappointing end Zofka Svec arts editor

ary Bellanova comes home from her demanding and demanding temp job to a boyfriend who is typically unwilling to speak to her, and is instead glued to the TV with a beer in hand. She makes him dinner, argues with him, then forgives him with a kiss — when she realizes he’s dead. Our hero is a 29-going-

on-30 denizen of the East Village plainly named Mary, an aspiring writer who never seems to write. Her boyfriend, Primo’s, death turns her life into a spiralling and increasingly strange series of events. Confronted by her loneliness and lingering feelings for her objectively terrible, but undeserving of death, boyfriend, she must form new relationships and rethink her current ones. This goes, comedically, quite terribly. All of this is compounded by the fact that he leaves behind a large dog for her to care for and his

ashes, both of which cause her stress and chain her to the Dogrun in the title. When going through Primo’s things, she finds notes to past girlfriends and begins a fool’s quest to talk to each of them. Revealing more and more details about his life does her, arguably, more harm than good, but her intentional seeking out of these women soon turns to them being inescapable. Every time she goes to a coffee shop with her typewriter, she seems to run into one of his exes or one of two peo-

ple that she knows. Eventually, these run-ins become more and more implausible — the suspension of disbelief threshold needed for this book is quite high — but they’re still amusing. One point of criticism I’d raise is the uneven plot distribution. A lot happened in the last 50 pages, but this was due to a lot of threads coming together, so I’ll give it a pass. I must say the twisty ending was a bit rushed and forced, despite wrapping the story up in a satisfying and meaty way.

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Mary does suffer a bit from being written with an unlikeable disposition. In fact, the entire book feels like a bad dream. She just kind of passively lets things happen to her. A bold career move that she makes in the third act is so out of character it feels like a bucket of cold water. Lucky for Mary, she has a rotating cast of amusing side characters that all seem to have more interesting lives than she does. Her dead boyfriend (a former artist with a mysterious past), her bratty best

friend (a ruthless and tactless social climber), her ‘uncle’ Joey (her childhood neighbour with an even more mysterious past) and a variety of male business associates she either sleeps with or gets into fights with — sometimes both. The theme of the novel, if you can ascribe a message to it, is that of urban ennui mixed with nihilism: “Primo’s death had truly smacked me with the awful realization that all life eventually comes down to is an unexpected fuck-you ending.” Well said.

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Movie Review: Dune A familiar story, retold once again Christopher Rohde videographer

n exceedingly competent, handsome production of Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 sci-fi novel, and one that will probably satisfy most newcomers, but that falls short of expectations for a difficultto-please, die-hard super-nerd.

I first read Dune, Frank Herbert’s 1965 epic, when I was 12 years old. It’s the perfect read for a young person with a growing imagination, as it’s not only a story full of intrigue and adventure but also has a bevy of maps, indices and a glossary to pore over. I developed a strong affection for the deeplyflawed 1984 film adaptation directed by David Lynch, and as I grew up, talk of a remake was nearly constantly swirling. There was the underwhelming 2000 made-for-TV minise-

ries and a documentary in 2013 about Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to bring Dune to the screen back in the 70s, but another fullscale, big-budget adaptation of the original novel never materialized — until now. Dune is the story of Paul Atreides, the young and inexperienced heir to the throne of House Atreides. He learns that a dark destiny has been laid out for him before he was even born by a shadowy organization that has been controlling the genetic bloodlines of royal families for eons. As Paul discovers more about who — and what — he is, his father, Duke Leto, is forced into a deadly trap by his enemies, the Harkonnens: take over the duty of ruling Arrakis, the most dangerous and inhospitable planet in the universe. But Arrakis holds many secrets, not least of which is the mystery of the spice melange. This substance accel-

erates consciousness — and may even trigger the next leap forwards in human evolution. The story is familiar, but something that bugged me about Québéçois filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s new film version was how certain details were conspicuously absent. Where were FeydRautha, Princess Irulan and the Emperor? Why didn’t Gurney recite poetry and play the baliset? Why did the Shadout Mapes sheath that crysknife without drawing blood with it first? Why didn’t they set up Yueh’s Imperial Conditioning? Did they even show what happened to Thufir? Did anyone ever actually say the word “Muad’Dib”? So many questions that may, or, more likely, may not be answered in a few years’ time when the next instalment — let’s hope — actually gets made. Perhaps Villeneuve wanted to wait until the second part to unveil some of these char-

acters and plot points. Or perhaps, he wisely jettisoned as much extraneous material from Herbert’s lengthy, unwieldy opus as possible to create a concise, streamlined story that an average moviegoer could understand (unlike the 1984 film, which was so loaded with obscure language and details that Universal Pictures famously handed out cards to cinema patrons with a guide to the movie’s arcane terminology printed on them). But these are details that only a dedicated nerd (ahem) would’ve even noticed, and ultimately, that’s not who this movie is for. Those hoping to see Villeneuve exploring some mind-bending, dreamlike imagery, as he has in films like Maelström and Enemy, may leave the theatre disappointed. His Dune has much more in common with the focused, detailoriented realism of his films Incendies, Sicario and Prisoners. Her-

bert’s novel was originally written against the backdrop of the emerging drug culture of the mid-60s, and Jodorowsky and Lynch are both directors whose work is heavily influenced by surrealism. While the lack of psychedelic strangeness may be a letdown for longtime fans, it will also only help make the material more accessible to a wider audience today. If it leads to more people seeking out the book, it’s for the best. The book is unique for telling its story through the thoughts and feelings of the characters. An average two-person conversation describes what each person is thinking at every moment and tracks their mental reactions to the other person’s subtleties of intonation and body language, which would be nearly impossible to translate to the screen. The Lynch film tried to replicate this dynamic by giving every character an inte-

rior monologue, delivered with voice-overs, but Villeneuve’s version makes the storytelling much more literal, sticking primarily to what can be physically seen and heard, and including a light smattering of subtitles here and there to explain the meaning of a particular hand gesture or look. The performances are uniformly good, although my head-canon for what the characters should act and sound like gets in the way. Timothée Chalamet is all brooding angst and piercing stares as Paul and doesn’t have the same vulnerable, soulful quality that Kyle MacLachlan brought to the role. Rebecca Ferguson plays a more grounded and humane iteration of the Lady Jessica, far less regal and untouchable than Francesca Annis was in Lynch’s version. And while Stellan Skarsgård is certainly menacing as Baron Harkonnen, it’s hard to outdo Kenneth McMillan’s memorably bugeyed, over-the-top turn as the villain in the 1984 film. There were still a lot of things I liked in Villeneuve’s Dune. It had some gorgeous textures. I loved all the close-ups of rain, and sand, and tiny beads of moisture gathering on the ears of a desert kangaroo mouse. I liked all the subtle references to Leto’s father, the Old Duke. I loved the scene with the gardener and the palm trees. I liked most of the costumes and prop designs. Those might be minuscule details, but when the underlying story is so innately familiar, it’s the details that stand out, and I sincerely look forward to watching it again so that I can soak them all in a little more.

Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in Dune. Photo: Dune/Warner Bros.

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This Week in Fulc Music: Snail Mail, Claudia Bouvette, and Tiger Trap The same artists two weeks in a row? I know it’s bad, but hear me out Zofka Svec arts editor

Record of the week: Valentine — Snail Mail, 2021, Matador Records

The same artist two weeks in a row? I know it’s bad, but hear me out. Valentine is a particularly potent album that has made a huge, rose-coloured splash in indie circles and it deserves a full review. Valentine is indierock phenom Snail Mails’s second album. I’m a big fan of the first song, the eponymous “Valentine” of the album. The droning synth intro gives way to a rocking first verse weeping away the listener. Next, “Benjamin Franklin” as we’ve already discussed sounds even better when contrasted with the more emotional “Valentine.” The key bass is a great segue between the two — the more gentle “Valentine” being overpowered by a robust bassline. “Light Blue” is a ballad if there ever was one, complete with mournful piano, acoustic guitar, strings. In an interview with Stereogum, Jordan mentions R&B as one of her genre influences. This influence is clearly recognizable on “Forever (Sailing),” complete with a slick electronic drum kit and girl-group backing vocals. It sounds like it could be an early TLC outtake. “Madonna” is a dark and jangly pop song about repenting one’s lover’s regrets, in which Jordan talk-sings “I don’t need absolution, it just hurts.” Ouch. Themes of heartbreak and substance abuse are a dusky dose of reality covering an album that seems deceptively slick and professional. In “Madonna,” weed, in “Benjamin Franklin,”

alcohol, in “Glory” (“When you take too much in bathrooms”)… various. I wouldn’t say any of these coping mechanisms Jordan describes are healthy — and since Jordan has historically had a penchant for the autofictive, she’s most likely speaking from personal experience. This can be a fine line to walk: it does make the album more emotionally raw, but it also blurs the boundary between reality and commodity (I mean, she’s selling the album) in a way I’m not particularly fond of. Also, 31 minutes for a majorlabel release seems remarkably tight — but we can blame our short attention spans for that. Despite it cutting off a bit short, the album was a great listen. It closed with another ballad-adjacent song, the outro being a single note played on violin.

Single of the week: “BBZ” — Claudia Bouvette, 2021, Bonsound

From Quebecois indie-pop Claudia Bouvette comes her most recent single, “BBZ”. From a 2021 produced pop song comes anachronistic aesthetics: the music video is a portrait of 70s excess, with carpeted bathrooms, bell bottoms, and warm fuzzy grainy film. Bouvette poses the question many different times, “am I f***king crazy to want your babies.” Her concern with herself being crazy is probably indicative of a baby as a symbol of her male obsession and not an actual desire for children. The trap beat is sophisticated, and so are the washtub distorted backing vocals. A harmony-laden bridge is a great interlude before a synth solo takes over the melody. A final spoken-word “do you think I’m insane?” wraps up this troubled, but catchy, single.

Read about what’s hot this week! Image: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

Discovery of the week: Tiger Trap — Tiger Trap, 1993, K Records

Like Valentine, here’s another album for the young and heartbroken. I found this while sifting through twee-pop releases on RateYourMusic (what I do at 2 a.m. is none of your business) and put it on while mindlessly scrolling on Twitter. By the second song, “You’re Sleeping,” I was awash with a sense of yearning. Tiger Trap, named after the apparatus Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes uses to catch his beloved Hobbes, is so earnest and youthful and catchy and you’ll get lost in all the interpersonal relationships that they create. In “You’re Sleeping,” the lyrics are “When was the last time I saw your face? Smiling away like it was in the old days / now I just look away, quietly so as to not to disturb you” are fragile and heartbreaking. Singer Rose Mel-

berg’s voice is quiet and haunting, with cloying, but sincere, sweetness. The other girls in the band harmonize sparingly, preferring to simply sing the melody along with Melberg. When they do branch off and complement each other, it’s quite pretty. “Eight Wheels” is one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it still has live-studio performance energy with some girlish shouts at the end of it. “Eight Wheels” and “Tore a Hole” are rougher and tougher than the others, with more guitar distortion on the amps and louder drums. The whole album carries a youthful exuberance with it, even on tracks like “Words and Smiles” that describe a shy girl pursuing a relationship with, probably, no potential: “you’re like a dream come true” denotes an obsessive attachment to an ideal. As a friend describes, the album is like “being hugged without having to touch anyone”.

One of my personal favourites on the album, “You & Me”, is a beautiful ode to a new love. “Shade me from the sun another day,” is a succinct and understated expression of love that Melberg somehow puts into words. Like giving someone your jacket, shading them from the sun makes them need you, and Melberg begs for “another day” of this care. Unfortunately, like many good things, Tiger Trap was short-lived, only putting out one album. Formed by two high school friends Rose Melberg and Angela Loy, along with two other girls Heather Dunn and Jen Braun, Tiger Trap was big on the twee-pop scene that accepted and even preferred female voices — not just as vocalists, but as songwriters. The girls would later go on to play in other bands, especially Melberg, who founded Go Sailor and played with Gaze and The Softies. If you like Tiger Trap, check out Go Sailor.

A Period Piece by Spicy Day opens at Arts Court Theatre A “Period Piece” for the 21st Century Shailee Shah staff writer

n a night of facts, science, storytelling, and song and dance, A Period Piece, performed by Spicy Day, an award-winning theatre company from Ottawa, left no stone unturned in their mission: to encourage conversation, destigmatize and increase comfort level surrounding periods and menstruation. Opening on Friday, Nov. 5, the troupe Spicy Day, made up of Monica BradfordLea and Lauren Welchner, performed live at the Arts Court Theatre. The show began in a much more intense manner than the rest of the experience, with the performers passionately smearing fake blood on their faces. Initially, you could tell audience members were not nearly as comfortable with the

spectacle as the members of the production. But this thought-provoking artistic decision — to begin the show in a shocking way — was key to establishing the theme for the night. Bradford-Lea and Welchner worked hard to establish a safe space for audience members while continuing to shed light on the severity of the societal issues related to menstruation. I could feel my comfort, and that of those around me, gradually increasing throughout the 60-minute show. In a celebration of menstruation, the actors in Spicy Day became a fake band, “The Fallopian Tunes,” and musically explained the ins and outs of menstruation. Members of the audience were encouraged to participate in games and storytelling, and at times it felt as though they were a part of the show itself. Bradford-Lea and Welchner did not

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stray away from significant topics such as period poverty, and case studies about laws surrounding periods and the way they affect women, but managed to keep the experience entertaining and witty as well. Spicy Day also had a station before

the show to donate to Period Packs, an organization that helps provide access to period products, to help combat the issue of period poverty. For more information on Spicy Day, you can visit their website

The scene designed by Spicy Day. Photo: Shailee Shah/Fulcrum

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SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR

JASMINE MCKNIGHT sports@thefulcrum.ca

Gee-Gees upset Varsity Blues in first round of OUA playoffs Gee-Gees will play Queen’s in the Semis Charley Dutil

editor-in-chief

he University of Ottawa’s football team avenged its seasonopening loss to the University of Toronto Saturday, eliminating the Varsity Blues 37-17 in their first-round playoff matchup in the six. The Gees were able to get themselves on the board first with kicker Campbell Fair ending a seven-play drive with a field goal from the Toronto 42 yard line. The Gees were able to reach field goal territory on the drive thanks to a nice 16 yard pass from quarterback Ben Maracle to Nathan Walker. Ottawa added to its lead in the second quarter. The Gees started on their own 34 yard line, before Maracle found Walker and Nicholas Gendron with first down passes to get Ottawa to the Toronto 52 yard line. Then running back J-P Cimankinda took over, rushing 51 yards over 9 carries. Maracle added a one-yard rush in the middle of the drive, but

Cimankinda was the one to find the endzone for the touchdown, giving Ottawa a 10-0 lead. The Varsity Blues offered Ottawa’s offense an answer before the half, taking advantage of an out-of-bounds punt by Fair to get good field position in Gee-Gee territory and kick a field goal. 10-3 Ottawa at the half. Ottawa opened the second half with a field goal on its first possession. Taking advantage of a fumble by Toronto punt returner Luka Stoikos, the Gees were unable to get a first down but were well within field goal territory to score the three points. The Varsity Blues finally scored their first touchdown near the end of the third quarter. Quarterback Clay Sequeira found receiver Ethan Mackinnon who was able to evade the Ottawa defense to score a 55-yard touchdown making it a two-point game. But Ottawa’s offense went right back to work on the next possession. Starting at midfield, Dawson Odei rushed for nine yards, Maracle then hit receiver Rodney Estimé for a

thirteen-yard pass, and then again for a 20 yard pass before handing the ball back to Odei who rushed thirteen yards into the Toronto endzone to make it 20-11. On the first play of the following Varsity Blues drive, Chris Ciguineau intercepted Sequeira’s pass and ran the

Ben Maracle passed for 141 yards on Saturday.Photo: Amira Benjamin/Fulcrum

ball right back into the Toronto endzone to make it 27-11 Gee-Gees. The Varsity Blues added a touchdown late, but failed their attempt at two points, this made it 27-17. That would be the final score, meaning Ottawa punched its ticket to the OUA semis.

The Gees will take on the Queen’s University Golden Gaels in the semis. Queen’s will be heavily favoured having turfed the Gee-Gees 30-7 and 30-12 this season That game, will be live on OUA.TV, next Saturday at 1 p.m.

Golden Gaels score two goals in second half to eliminate Gee-Gees U of O will not be heading to the National Championships this year Jérôme Ouellet sports intern

or the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women’s soccer semi-final matchup, we were treated to a clash of the titans between the two best teams of the East division. The Queen’s Gaels were visiting the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees at Matt Anthony Field on a sunny Saturday afternoon. It was the Gaels who came out with a 2-0 win and they ended the Gee-Gees perfect season. The Gaels finished second in the East division and posted a record of eight wins and two losses. The teams met once in the regular season. On Oct. 22 it was the Gee-Gees who came away with a 2-1 win in an exciting matchup. The Garnet and Gray beat the Ryerson Rams on Wednesday Nov.3 with a 2-0 win in the quarter-final game.

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At noon, the opening whistle blew and Queen’s began the game with the first possession. During the first half, both teams had scoring chances, but the goalkeepers made all the saves. The Gaels led 5-3 in shots on goal after the first half.

The Gees will now look forward to 2022. Photo: Stefane Kemilev/Fulcrum

In the 53rd minute of play, Queen’s defender, Jamie Foot, hit a powerful shot to score the first goal of the game. Five minutes later, Queen’s doubled their lead when Cecilia Way scored a header off a pass by Foot. “I thought we did a good job

of shutting down some of their players that gave us trouble in the game before and they’re so dangerous and so athletic. I thought we minimize some of that damage,” said Queen’s head coach, Dave McDowell. Despite many attacks in

the second half, the Garnet and Grey were unable to break through the wall of the Queen’s goalkeeper’s Kirstin Tynan. At the end of the second half, Gee-Gees striker Emma Lefebvre had a chance to reduce the score by one, but she missed a penalty shot. According to the U of O’s head coach Steve Johnson, his team competed until the end. “I like the chances that we created, we had a lot of territory. Going down to goals in a very short period was difficult. But our response was good,” Johnson said. It was also the last career game for OUA top scorer in the regular season, Lefebvre. “It was a great five seasons and I have many amazing memories to look back on, including 2018 nationals and 2019 in China. Unfortunately, [we] couldn’t get to Nationals this year, but I’m still very proud of my team.” Lefebvre said. All the other players on the U of O roster are eligible to return the next season

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Leaving an impact: Emma Lefebvre on her contributions to the Gee-Gees women’s soccer program

Lefebvre has been a dominant player in the OUA throughout her time at U of O Jasmie McKnight sports editor

ome players have careers that are so exciting and impressive that it feels like something out of a movie.

The University of Ottawa’s own Emma Lefebvre has had one of those careers during her time with the Gee-Gees women’s soccer team. Since leaving her hometown of Kingston, Ontario to join the Gee-Gees in 2016, Lefebvre’s list of accomplishments has grown exponentially every single season. While the individual awards and acknowledgments Lefebvre has earned are incredible, it should be noted that she has left her mark on the Gee-Gees and will leave an impact on the program even beyond her fifth and final season. The decision to return to the Gees for the 2021 season was actually not always in the plans for Lefebvre, but things lined up. The pandemic prevented the 2020 season from being played, leaving Lefebvre’s fifth year of eligibility untouched. Needing prerequisites for grad school and wishing to continue playing soccer at a higher level meant her return to the GeeGees. “I returned to play my fifth year at the U of O for a few reasons. The Gee-Gees have an amazing coaching staff and very talented players,” Lefebvre said. “It made sense for me to return so that I could play at the highest level possible in order to keep my skills up as well as take classes at the same time.” “I was so eager and happy to be back to use my fifth year of eligibility the best way I can.”

It has been quite a successful fifth year, too. The Gee-Gees finished the regular season undefeated, only missing out on a single win due to a 1-1 tie against Carleton on Thanksgiving day. Still, the 9-0-1 record earned the U of O 28 points on the season, first place in the entire Ontario University Athletics (OUA). Individually, Lefebvre leads the league in both points and goals scored. Her 12 regular season goals in 2021 contributed to her becoming the sixth player in program history to score 30 regular season goals. “I feel incredibly grateful and honoured to be recognized for this milestone,” said Lefebvre. When asked about Lefebvre’s impact on the program, head coach Steve Johnson’s initial response was simple. “Huge,” said Johnson. “[In] five years she’s the player that helps us build our attack and she’s the player who helps us [prepare] our defense. She is so important to us on both sides of the ball.” Nammi Nguyen, a rookie to the squad, attests to the effort Lefebvre puts into both the sport and the team. “On the field, she is simply constantly running and working her butt off,” Nguyen explained. “You’ll also see her doing individual work and shooting on top of regular team training often.” “She leads by example. On the field, she always gives one hundred percent and the way she plays is inspiring to watch. Even as a sixth-year, she’s still very much a team player and doesn’t stray from doing the little things and helping out rookies.” Katerine Delev shared the field with Lefebvre for four years, and has witnessed her success on the field and in school. “I think we all look up to

Emma as a student-athlete and as a person,” Delev said. “I’m grateful that I had the chance to play with her for four years. She is not just a striker that scores goals, she is a great defensive player that leads by example and makes others want to work hard too.” Impressive performances throughout her career have earned her a great deal of recognition. She was named an OUA Second Team All-Star in both 2018 and 2019 as well as a Second Team All-Star in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Indoor series. Her awards go beyond the field, as she has earned a spot as a U Sports Academic AllCanadian every year since 2017. Lefebvre also earned OUA and U Sports Female Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 4 this season. “It feels great to know what I have contributed to this program over the past five years. Though, in all honesty, what stands out is the success we have achieved as a team,”

Lefebvre in action against York. Photo: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

Lefebvre said. “Not to mention all of the friendships and memories I have gained.” During her time at the U of O, the team has medalled in OUA championships, won a U Sports National Championship on home turf, and travelled to China to win the 2019 FISU University World Cup for Canada. “The program has given me friendships and memories that will remain highlights of my experience at the U of O,” said Lefebvre. “Road trips, incredible wins, upsetting losses, a couple of championship titlesand hopefully one more- and everything in between.” Lefebvre does not intend for this to be her last season of soccer. She is looking to play at the professional level in Europe, a path that some of her former teammates have taken. “I have an agent and will be updating my highlight video once this season is finished,” Lefebvre said. “I would love to play in France or Spain.” “I have always loved soc-

cer from a young age, and am striving to play soccer at the professional level.” Until then, there’s still work to be done. Lefebvre has a few more games in the Garnet and Grey and is sure to end her career off with a bang. “I came into the season wanting simply to do my best. It was a long break with the pandemic and I was excited to get back on the field,” said Lefebvre. “I’m really happy I have been able to convert opportunities to goals for my team this season. We will be working hard every practice and game to ensure this success keeps coming!” The Gee-Gees defeated the Rams 2-0 in the OUA quarterfinals to send them to the semi-finals. The game will be hosted on Matt Anthony Field, and will be a rematch of the U of O’s toughest game all season. The matchup against the Queen’s Gaels will determine who moves ahead to the OUA Championship.

Athlete Profile: Ondo, a staple of the Gee-Gees rugby program & Quarrignton, a fresh addition to the lacrosse team Erin Peter

contributor

Noah Quarrington — Men’s Lacrosse Noah Quarrington is a firstyear criminology student and one of the newest midfielders to join the University of Ottawa’s men’s lacrosse team. According to Quarrington, he’s been playing lacrosse for “as long as [he] can remember”. Quarrington hails from Rama First Nation, Ontario, and played for several lacrosse teams before becoming a GeeGee, including the Orillia Minor Lacrosse Association Kings,

After an outstanding career as a Gee-Gee, Ondo has decided to return for a sixth season with the Garnet and Grey the Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School lacrosse team, and the Orillia Jr. B Kings lacrosse team. When asked about his decision to attend the University of Ottawa, Quarrington credited his decision to the school’s academic and athletic appeal, saying “Ottawa’s criminology program and lacrosse program are what sold me on coming to uOttawa. I also liked the idea of living in Ottawa: there is always something to do.” Quarrington is enjoying living in the city, especially when it comes to “playing hockey and

lacrosse, and chilling with the boys.” Regarding his future aspirations, Quarrington hopes “to get my degree in criminology and I hope to play lacrosse for as long as I can, regardless of the league or competition level. I want to become a better player while playing for uOttawa.” Quarrington has already proved himself an asset to the Gee-Gees, as he’s played in all six games that Ottawa has competed in, so far. He’s scored five goals (including one power play goal) and four as-

sists, making him the thirdhighest scoring player this season.

Alexandra Ondo – Women’s Rugby Alexandra Ondo is a veteran Gee-Gee, returning for her sixth year as a winger on the women’s rugby team. Ondo is a U of O graduate with a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a minor in global studies. While Ondo was born in Gaspésie, Quebec, she moved to Sénégal as a child and did

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not return to Canada until her teenage years, when her family settled in Gatineau, Quebec. When asked about how she began playing rugby, Ondo credited her involvement to her move back to Canada. “I had just moved back from Sénégal to Gatineau and wasn’t really liking the school I was going to. Two of my best friends that I met in Sénégal were attending boarding school in Nova Scotia and playing there,” Ondo said.

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Profile: Ondo, a staple of the Gee-Gees rugby program CONTINUED Athlete & Quarrignton, a fresh addition to the lacrosse team

“There’s something that drew me to the sport, so when they made a joke about me coming to transfer to their school I took it seriously and made it happen! I suggested the idea to my parents and they said if I took care of the application process I could move there. I did everything and transferred after March Break in my tenth grade year, right when the rugby season was starting. I loved it and stuck with it ever since!” Prior to joining the GeeGees, Ondo played for Rugby Nova Scotia in the summers, trained with their academy through the school year, and even returned to represent the team during her summers in university. After moving to Ottawa, Ondo played for the Ottawa Irish Rugby Club and in the summer after her second year of university, she was “selected to play Rugby Canada’s U20 team for the CANAM tournament in Ottawa.” Ondo called her decision to attend the University of Ottawa her best option “because it had both the program I wanted to study in and a good rugby program. Other univer-

sities had one or the other. I also ended up choosing Ottawa because of the diversity here. I’ve grown up in international schools so that was an important aspect for me.” Like many athletes, the pandemic took a major toll on Ondo’s plans, both athletic and otherwise. She said the pandemic “gave me time to think about how I wanted to leave this team. I really reflected on whether I felt I had given everything I could.” The cancellation of many university sports due to the pandemic left Ondo and many other athletes feeling that they hadn’t been able to train and play at the level they desired. This was one of the main reasons that Ondo decided to return for a sixth season. “I graduated last June from my program and still had a year of eligibility left. It took me months to officially make the decision. In the end, I decided to come back for two reasons, on the rugby aspect, I had felt that I hadn’t quite reached my potential and did not want to end my career feeling that way. On the off-field level, our team had done some amazing work,

Alexandra Ondo in action against the Montreal Carabins on Oct. 29. Photo: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

which I’m sure to some can seem performative, but I’ve seen people truly come out of their shells as a direct result of creating a safer and more inclusive environment,” Ondo said. The women’s rugby team has been essential in promoting inclusivity and supporting diversity amongst both

student-athletes and the U of O campus. This can be seen through their social media and through the trust the team has for each other. “After being in isolation and only seeing family members and best friends, through a time where so much was changing around the world, being in a space where I wouldn’t feel

safe worried me,” said Ondo. “Once I saw the development of our team, that was no longer a concern of mine. We are in many ways the most connected team I have ever played on and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.” Welcome back, Ondo, and good luck at U Sports Nationals!

U of O unable to take down Laval in disappointing RSEQ championship game

Gee-Gees looked to snap their losing streak against laval in order to win seventh consecutive RSEQ title Jasmine McKnight sports editor

t this point, the Gee-Gees matching up against the Rouge et Or just feels like a regular part of rugby post-season.

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Ottawa women’s rugby team battled it out against Laval for the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) championship. The Gees had fallen to Laval twice during the 2021 season, with close scores of 8-7 and 1710 respectively. These games marked the Gee-Gees only losses throughout the regular season. Laval on the other hand, went 6-0, proving why they are the reigning U Sports champions. While it may be Laval who most recently won a national title, it is the U of O who was gunning for their seventh consecutive RSEQ title. Matt Anthony Field hosted the RSEQ semi-final game against Montreal, where the Gees walked away with a 37-7 win. On the

other side of the bracket, the Rouge et Or had their way with the Carleton Ravens, defeating them 29-9. For the 2021 edition of the RSEQ finals, the Gee-Gees travelled to Quebec City on Friday Nov. 5 for the evening game. Between the fact that this was the first RSEQ championship since 2019, the heated rivalry, and the handfuls of RSEQ AllStars on both sides of the field, there was no doubt this would be a wild game. As usual, Laval came out hard. As strong as the Gee-Gees defence is, the Rouge et Or were able to power through, a pass to the player on the sideline allowed for enough space for a Laval player to slip through and find the endzone for the first try of the game. The convert was good, giving Laval a 7-0 lead to start the game. The Gees didn’t let the home team expand their lead, opting for three points with a Claire Gallagher kick. Laval continued to be efficient with their passes on offence and moved the ball up the field quickly. Once in range, the team put

The women’s rugby team will look for redemption at the nationals next week. Photo: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

up a field goal of their own to return to a seven point lead over the Gee-Gees. With 10-3 on the scoreboard, there was still plenty of time to work with. The Gees started to put more pressure on Laval, getting the ball into the hands of players like Alexandra Ondo and Madison Grant during a strong possession. The Gees spent a lot of time in the red zone, patiently waiting for the opportunity to score. Unfortunately, time ran out before the Gee-Gees could get it across the goaline. The second half did not offer

many opportunities for the Garnet and Gray. Laval took complete control of the field, capitalizing on every single opportunity given to them. The Gee-Gees were down 27-3 and nearing the end of playtime. The U of O was not ready to quit, and an offensive push allowed Ondo to contribute the first try for the Gee-Gees. Gallagher’s kick was good, making it 27-10 in favour of Laval. A glimmer of hope came in the form of another incredible run through the Laval defence by Ondo, breaking the last defender and diving into the endzone.

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Unfortunately, there just was not enough time for the U of O to come back. The Gees took too long to fight, and fell 27-17. A perfect record against the Gee-Gees in the 2021 season, and a dominant performance in the finals, means Laval broke the U of O’s RSEQ championship win streak. The season is not over for the Gees though, as they have still qualified for the U Sports National Championship in Kingston. The tournament will take place Nov. 10-14 at Queen’s University.

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SCIENCE

SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR EMMA WILLIAMS science@thefulcrum.ca

Bat guano: what it can tell scientists about changing diets

U of O PHD Student examines bat diets over time Emma Williams science editor

n Oct. 20, U of O PhD student Lauren Gallant sat down with the Fulcrum to discuss her research involving fresh bat guano samples from Belize and Jamaica. The study is titled “A 4,300year History of Dietary Changes in a Bat Roost Determined From a Tropical Guano Deposit.” Gallant designed her research to be an exploratory study aiming to push the boundaries of limnology, which is the multidisciplinary study of inland waters. The goal was to determine whether bats have been affected by natural or anthropogenic (manmade) changes over time. Her research began in Belize, where Gallant and a group of experts went to collect the bat guano samples, which are accumulated excrements from bats. Gallant collected samples throughout the evenings on multiple occasions to avoid sampling from the same bat each time. This was important for the study to ensure sampling was being done ethically and as respectfully as possible. Gallant explained that during their analysis they were looking for sterols and stanols, “which basically give us an idea of the diet of those bats. So that involves a lot of work to determine the chemical composition of the sterols and stanols in the guano. We used a lot of differ-

ent methodologies, chemicals, equipment, to get to the point of being able to run a sample and know that the concentrations of the sterols and stanols are accurate.” Additionally, the researcher received a guano sample approximately 129 cm in length from Jamaica taken from a 2 metre length deposit. From there, researchers, “did the same analysis for sterols and stanols on 1 cm intervals, as well as stable isotopes. We also analyzed those guano samples for lead 210 and carbon 14.” The lead and carbon allowed Gallant to date at which point the guano sample was deposited. The goal was to correlate the concentrations of different compounds within the guano to a time period and determine if that was related to any major events. The results from the guano samples showed “that…there were two periods of increased fruit eating relative to insect eating.” According to the researcher, this could indicate the composition of the bat colony changed during those two periods, meaning there were more fruit eating bats than there were insect eating bats or that there was a shift in diet. Gallant explained, “a zoo sterile is an animal derived sterol, an example of this would be cholesterol or prosental versus phytosterols; those are plant derived sterols, they contain high concentrations of things

Lauren Gallant sat down with the Fulcrum to discuss her research involving fresh bat guano samples from Belize and Jamaica. Image: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

like sitosterol or stigmasterol.” She continued, “so when we looked at a bat guano sample from Belize, we could see that fruit eating bats have this general composition of sterols and insect eating bats have this general composition. When we compare that to the core, if we see a fluctuation, you know, towards one side of the spectrum or another we saw previously more fruit based eating versus insect eating.” Most interestingly, Gallant observed that the two instances where they saw more fruit based eating occurred during periods of warmer and drier conditions.

Although their study was unable to distinguish whether warmer, drier conditions affected the availability of insects and thus the bats shifted to a more fruit based diet, or there was a shift in the composition of the bat colony. It appears according to the study the shift in diet may not have been directly caused by humans however, it’s important to note that humans can impact the climate and potentially bat eating patterns in the future. When asked how the general public can best support bats, Gallant responded, be cautious with them. If you’re not com-

fortable having them removed from your home, then call an expert. Little things like putting up bat boxes can really help by giving bats another opportunity to find a home, and allowing them to reside in your trees or your natural setting around you can really help.” Currently, Gallant is working on her post doc through the University of Ottawa which is largely affiliated with Health Canada. Her work involves studying genotoxic chemicals and their impact on humans to learn more about Gallant and her research, visit her website.

The future of family medicine: matching doctors with patients via an app Clinic of the Future Competition announces 2021 winners Emma Williams science editor

The winning team won $3,500. Photo: Faculty of family medicine/Provided

On Oct. 18, the faculty of family medicine hosted their first clinic of the future competition, where three teams presented their ideas to improve the current healthcare system. An earlier article by the Fulcrum explored competition details and the event’s structure. “The goal of the contest is to have innovative ideas for enhancing the delivery of healthcare, you know, we’re looking

for individuals or teams, you know, to really present the ideas, and it really comes down to a model of healthcare that will redefine our current experience with healthcare systems,” said Chad Chartrand, the department of family medicine’s communications manager. The winning team consisted of four members: Amanda Larocque, Elisa Hoare, Jessica Murray, and Maddie Venables. Larocque is the director of health and social services at the Gesgape-

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giag health and community services in Quebec. Hoare is currently working at Montreal’s Jewish hospital. Murray is a registered cardiology technologist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Venables is a senior research associate and academic research advisor at the department of family medicine. In an interview with Fulcrum, Maddie Venables discussed her team’s winning app idea.

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future of family medicine: matching doctors CONTINUED The with patients via an app “We really wanted to address a grassroots problem and from our experience, interacting with physicians and residents in primary care, it came to our attention that the unattached patient is really a big issue in our community.” According to Venables, an unattached patient is someone who does not have a primary care provider, meaning they seek out care through emergency centres and walk-in clinics. This method is not very efficient, and can place unnecessary

pressure on the healthcare system. To address this issue the team developed “the continuity health attachment technology (CHAT) app, which is kind of like a matchmaking process. The goal is to link primary care providers, or their teams who have spots available in their practice, to community members who do not have access to a regular primary care provider.” The app onboarding process would consist of an initial questionnaire re-

garding the patient’s health needs and preferences (language, specialty services, etc). This information would then generate a score card, which would be presented to the patients through the app. Ideally, patients would then be presented with time slots and be matched with family physicians based on their needs. Currently, a centralized waiting list and matching systems do already exist, “so what we’re trying to do is try to use all of the best elements of all of these pro-

grams and put it in the app. If we can apply it or implement it nationwide, then folks moving from province to province wouldn’t have those issues like, how do I transfer my healthcare information.” One of the challenges the team is currently facing is finding willing family physicians to take on extra patients. One way to combat this as described by Venables was “a buyin, so we’re going to have to leverage existing interior health teams, existing part-

nerships, etc.” In terms of the next steps, Venables and the team are working with firms and other partners to get the app started. In the winter term, the team would like to recruit some software development students through co-op to begin writing the actual code for the app.

Williams: Counterfactual thinking: what it means and what can we learn from it Science says stop comparing yourself to others Emma Williams science editor

Counterfactual thinking refers to thoughts about alternatives to past events, meaning thoughts about what might have been. Combining this with the fact that we as humans are extremely susceptible

to social comparison, can easily lead us to feel negative emotions when we are in objectively good situations. Consider a study that compared the emotions of different Olympic medalists published in 1995. They found that gold medalists undoubt-

edly felt happy and satisfied with their win. Now, what about silver medalists? Researchers found that based on the emotional expressions of the silver medalists on the podium they aren’t just feeling slightly unhappier than gold medalists. They’re actively feeling awful by showing signs

of extreme sadness, anger, and contempt, etc. This is because they’re focused on how they just lost the gold medal instead of objectively feeling good, about being second best at a certain sport. Instead, they’re thinking about their silver in reference to the gold that they could’ve

Don’t listen to Ricky Bobby — just because you ain’t first doesn’t mean you’re last. Image: 2020 Tokyo Olympics/Stock

won. Most interestingly, bronze medalists were found to be even happier than silver medalists. This can be linked to the fact that the bronze medalists’ reference point isn’t the gold medal but rather not receiving a medal at all. As a result, they’re showing signs of true ecstasy and in some cases expressions even happier than the gold medalists. In a similar study published in 2006, titled “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat: spontaneous expressions of medal winners of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games,” researchers examined 84 athletes and their facial expressions immediately after their matches. They found 13 of the 14 gold medal winners smiled immediately after they finished their match, while 18 of

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the 26 medalists smiled. However, none of the silver medalists smiled immediately after their match ended. Additionally, the facial expressions among the silver medal winners ranged from sadness (43 per cent) to contempt (14 per cent) to nothing (29 per cent).

What can we learn from this? For these medalists it didn’t matter what was going on objectively, what mattered to them was who they were comparing themselves to. This can be applied to our own lives, where there are always going to be people who are better or smarter than us. Which can make us feel relatively bad in comparison. However, instead of comparing yourself to gold, celebrate your silvers: because you did it.

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FEATURES

FEATURES EDITOR AMIRA BENJAMIN

features@thefulcrum.ca

Your attitudes do not exist in a vacuum: Deconstructing rape myths Most assaults are perpetrated not by some lurking stranger, but by someone the victim already knows Ciku Gitonga

contributor

Content warning: sexual assault and rape Her name is Jacinta*. She is a first-year student, not so different from the ones you know: adjusting to her new major, working parttime, hanging out with friends on the weekends. Last month she met a boy off one of the dating apps — you know them. They went out. It went very well. They went back to his place and he was a perfect gentleman, following all her cues. She went home. “The most annoying part is that he made me feel safe after that first date. He made me feel comfortable.” That Saturday night, she went out dancing with some friends. He asked if he could pick her up afterwards, and she agreed. “I was sure I would not have sex with him that night: I was in the process of being treated for chlamydia and I didn’t want to pass it on.” They went back to his place. “He brought out more booze for us to drink and when I said No, I’m already gone, he looked so disappointed. I told him that I wanted to lie down and talk. He took me to his room, and I laid down. Then he asked me if I wanted a change of clothes. What I was wearing was heavy, so I thought it was from a place of concern. I’ve had guys ask this — it’s a normal question, especially after coming from the club. I took the shirt he offered and laid back down. I was gone. He cuddled me, which I had no problem with. Then he started to grope me. I told him to stop. I was intoxicated, tired, telling him, ‘can you stop?’ He started to beg me. I told him no, but he went ahead. He didn’t stop.” Afterward, she called a taxi and went home. She felt violated and demeaned. She did not call the police. In fact, she told no one for a few days. She eventually told her friends, the story coming out piece by piece in the following weeks. After reading this, perhaps you’re thinking, ‘why did she go to his place if she didn’t want to have sex? Or why did she take off her clothes and put just a shirt on? Or even how did she get chlamydia? Does she have casual sex often? Or perhaps these assessments are uncharitable, and all you are thinking is: it’s awful that this happened. Why didn’t she go to the police? Before we address these questions, let me ask one of my own: what is a rape myth? According to feminist researcher Martha Burt, rape myths are “prejudicial, stereotyped, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims, and rapists.” At the centre of most rape myths is the hypothetical image of the perfect rape victim: she is

a woman, non-intoxicated, who is suddenly attacked by a stranger in a deserted area. Despite her fierce resistance, she is violently raped and left with obvious physical and emotional trauma. She immediately reports this crime to the police, providing clear evidence. This image is divorced from reality. The statistical truth of the matter is that most sexual assaults are closer to Jacinta’s case. Firstly, most assaults are perpetrated not by some lurking stranger, but by someone the victim already knows. Studies by American researchers have shown that “acquaintance rapes…make up 80-90 per cent of reported sexual assaults against college women.” This is reflected on the macro scale: according to a a 2021 report by the World Health Organization, intimate partner violence by someone already familiar with the victim “is by far the most prevalent form of violence against women globally.” These statistics focus on male perpetrators and female victims simply because this is the most common scenario by far — both men and nonbinary individuals can, of course, be victims of assault. The image held by rape mythology of a monster crouching in the darkness contradicts the reality that assault perpetrators walk amongst us in the daylight. They brush our shoulders on campus, sit across from us during lectures. They can be our friends. Years of American research shows that the number of young men who selfreport to having committed acts of sexual aggression remains alarmingly high over the decades, spanning from 25 to 57 per cent of research samples. However, make no mistake — not just anyone can be a perpetrator. Two studies, in 2011 and 2015, sampled hundreds of young, nonincarcerated men who admitted

to assault in confidential surveys; the word “rape” was not explicitly used, but its meaning was implied. The first study found that, as compared to the non-perpetrators in their samples, perpetrators scored higher on measures of negative attitudes towards women, feelings of entitlement and selfishness, nonclinical levels of psychopathy, and alcohol use. Both studies found that most perpetrators strategized their assaults, “mak[ing] choices about whom they target and under what circumstances.” Studies in 2002 and 2009 found that most of the assaults were premeditated by repeat offenders. Just like in Jacinta’s case, these perpetrators knew the woman beforehand and had previously engaged in some consensual activities. Just like in Jacinta’s case, they contrived to isolate her when she was vulnerable, and saw consent for one activity as automatic consent for another. Unlike the “monster in the alleyway,” assault perpetrators rarely use overt physical violence. A review of research spanning decades found that verbal coercion and taking advantage of the victim’s intoxication were the most common tactics used by perpetrators. As the image of the mythological perpetrator crumples under examination, let us turn to the mythological victim, a woman who was ambushed, who ran, battered and bruised, to the police station. This was not Jacinta. After her assault, her feeling of violation was mixed with a deep sense of confusion. “After I gave up trying to stop him, I started to like it,” she says. “I came.” A victim like Jacinta upsets the sensibilities of those still holding on to rape mythology. Rather than the ever-resisting victim, whose respectability is snatched from her even as she did everything to

avoid trouble, Jacinta is a woman who puts herself out there. She participates in the nightlife, has casual sex and is unashamed of it. She enjoys sex and actively seeks out the fruition of her desires. But a woman like this can still be violated. In fact, according to recent research, the typical victims of sexual assault are women just like Jacinta, with positive attitudes towards casual sex and a propensity to consume alcohol with their peers. It makes sense: the statistical probability of coming into contact with the men who plan to perpetrate assault is increased in certain environments. But this does not mean that these women brought their assaults upon themselves. And whether or not they enjoy it is irrelevant — a purely biological response to sexual stimuli does not equate consent. “Some people believe that a woman’s conduct should be governed by certain rules and regulations,” said Dr. Christabelle Sethna, a professor of feminism and gender studies at the University of Ottawa, in an interview. “If a woman follows these rules, nothing bad will happen to her.” Women like Jacinta deviate from these rules. “If a woman likes sex and has casual sex, this means that she is promiscuous. And if she is promiscuous, it means that she is bad. If she is bad, it means she is a liar. If this woman says she was raped, she is lying about it because she is ashamed, embarrassed to say that she sought out the sexual encounter and perhaps even liked it. She is not to be believed or pitied,” said Sethna. Are your beliefs identical to the above statement? Perhaps. But what is most likely is that you hold only a fraction of the harshest rape myth rhetoric. Perhaps you do pity

A victim like Jacinta upsets the sensibilities of those still holding on to rape mythology. Photo: Pexels/StockImage:

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Jacinta, but would warn her to stop going to the apartments of strange men. Perhaps you’re okay with the apartments, if only she would tell someone where she was going. Perhaps you don’t think any of this was her fault, but you think, what kind of person would like it? The essence of rape myths is to invalidate assault cases that do not fit their image, and the essence of this invalidation is to shift the blame from the perpetrator to the victim. Why was she there? Why did she do that? Cautioning women to safeguard themselves is hardly villainous, nor is a healthy skepticism to the way assault accusations can be weaponized, as was done historically to Black men in America. But before voicing an opinion, critically think about its source — is it from a place of concern or a place of judgement? Before voicing an opinion, think of who might be listening in. Perpetrators are not monsters; they are human beings who do terrible things. And just like other humans, despite doing terrible things, they do not want to think of themselves as terrible people. Both studies on self-reported perpetrators mentioned above noted that although the young men admitted to having sex with a woman “when you knew she was unwilling”, they did not categorize themselves as rapists. Rapists were the monster — the other. What happened in their case was just sex that they strategically obtained — she had led them on, she had gotten them aroused, she had enjoyed it once it got started. “I think these myths underlie the close encounters that young men and women are negotiating,” said Sethna. And more than that, they underlie the greater fabric of society. It is common knowledge that sexual assault is the least reported violent crime globally. The WHO acknowledges that its statistics of intimate partner violence are probably a fraction of actual cases, “Given the high levels of stigma and under-reporting of sexual abuse, the true figure is likely to be significantly higher”. After an assault, a victim is in a state of emotional vulnerability. Like Jacinta, she wants people to hear her story. But she is also afraid. Afraid of judgement, afraid of dismissal. And in a world where rape myths persist, where the people she might confide in or trust to bring her justice — friends, parents, police officers — might deny her story, question her, judge her, she is more likely to stay silent. And if she does report the assault, the unspoken biases of the judges and juries within the criminal justice system may ensure that her perpetrator walks free. The court of public opinion may vilify her for ruining her perpetrator’s life. ‘Why didn’t she go to the police?,’ you may have asked. Jacin ta says nothing, shakes her head.

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OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR SANJIDA RASHID

opinions@thefulcrum.ca

Fun Sh*t: My Red and Green Flags

Everyone has a but(t) SanjidaRashid opinions editor The University of Ottawa campus is fuller than it’s ever been since March of 2020 and it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: new friends’ season. You know what that means… It’s time to have the same exact conversation a few dozen times, which will always follow a particular format: the exchange of names, programs, and social media handles. This year, you will most likely discuss whether you have in-person classes or not. Sprinkle in a few compliments, a half-hearted but wellmeaning promise to hang out soon, and the mention of some mutual friend you have as a result of a niche set of circumstances, and you could very well have a friend for life — or a stranger you’ll pass in Loblaws eventually, probably. Don’t get me wrong, I love these conversations. I love meeting new people, learning everything about them, and never seeing them again. It’s a hobby of mine, really. As an expert in small talk and meeting strangers, it is a trick of the trade to know who I like. Of course, who I like may not be who you like, but I urge you to be wary of a few red and green flags that I swear by. I know, I know — I just wrote about how my standards are not high and how I’m easy to please. This is true at an entry-level, but life is too busy for friends that you don’t love. Quality over quantity, I always say. Thus, I present to you a comprehensive and nonexhaustive guide to how to either make me love or slightly question you (hate is a strong word) in no particular order. These may present on a first date, on the dance floor of a club, or in your next lecture should you make a friend out of a seatmate.

Red Flags Being rude to customer service staff

This should go without saying, but this is very telling of character. If they treat wait staff poorly, don’t tip their server, or are rude to customer service staff in any capacity, I’m out the door. Personally, a waiter could pour a fresh, hot cup of coffee right onto a brand-new white dress of mine, and I’d still tip. Perhaps I lie on another extreme of the scale with my incessant people-pleasing. However, if you’re sending food back for being lukewarm while I’m letting them serve me an entirely wrong order — it just might not work out. However, there is something good to be said about a relationship in which one person can advocate for the other. The forthcoming friend that steps in graciously and politely remedies the wrong order situation is often appreciated by people of my nature. Milk drinkers of the cow variety Society now offers an abundance of milk alternatives. Oat, cashew, almond, soy, coconut — you name the nut, someone’s got the milk. If despite this, you’re still reaching for a glass of milk right from the cow’s teat, I have a myriad of follow-up questions. Most importantly: why? Once, I saw one of my best friends fill her water bottle up with milk in the cafeteria and I have never stopped talking about it since and I don’t plan to. Pronounces “naan” wrong If you say “naan” like “ran” rather than “run”, I’m going to run, too. My name is Sanjida — I can’t be taking chances in this department. I’ve heard every mispronunciation in the book, with the most popular being “san” instead of “sun”, despite my phonetic spelling of it in my Instagram bio. Any variation of pronouncing words from other languages overtly wrong is a huge red flag, especially if you continue to say them wrong after being corrected.

Hates popular things I have little to no patience for anyone who is too cool for the less fine things in life. This includes niche music tastes that disregard musical groups like One Direction and Justin Bieber. Are they objectively bad or did they just have primarily female fanbases? Eureka — it’s misogyny. Likewise, if they hate Friends or the Office, they probably just have a superiority complex and love Pulp Fiction, Wolf of Wall Street, and other movies that assert their intellectual dominance. I’m not saying either sitcom is necessarily critically acclaimed or unprecedentedly funny — I’m saying, why does it have to be? Let things be silly and meaningless. The people need it. Exclusively orders the Philadelphia roll when we get sushi This is perhaps incredibly niche, but I think it speaks for itself. Unless it is your first time eating sushi, for what reason would you get the least adventurous item on the menu? You can just simply tell me you’re boring verbatim if you’d prefer. Live a little! Antagonizes all their previous friends or partners If someone is telling you about a slew of previous friends or partners they had in the past, each crazier than the last, you have to stop and consider that perhaps they were the problem. Or, they have really bad taste — do you want to be included in that palette? Hates cats Despite being a dog person, I included hating cats as a red flag. Unlike most dogs’ willingness to befriend everyone, a cat’s affection is earned. So, if they have enough bad interactions with cats to hate them, it leads me to question if they have bad energy that cats are more privy to. It’s like politicians and babies — it’s a bad omen if a baby cries at the sight of a politician. Has a superiority complex about their major

Red flags and green flags, like everything else in life, are subjective. Image: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum

Anyone who is dismissive about other peoples’ programs is pretty instantly written off for me. This is University — people are paying hefty tuition, to study their passions and they likely have a dream. To look down your nose at someone because they are not in the same faculty as you is ostensibly pretentious, and I don’t fare well with any degree of condescending.

Green Flags Has siblings The specific order of siblings offers certain nuances to this one, but, overall, having siblings is a green flag. A boy with older sisters is one of the best combinations if done right, albeit I am biased as an older sister who just about raised her younger brother who is just about perfect. Naturally, this does mean that I consider being an only child a red flag. The socialization of only children is a separate op-ed in itself and I can’t explain the nuances of it enough. Twirls when I spin them on the dance floor No matter who it is, if there’s music on, we’re dancing, and I try to twirl you — I would like to see some enthusiasm. Though this goes for any gender, it is a bit more specific to men because, once again, I see it as a sign of misogyny if they refuse. What’s wrong with twirling? How fragile is your masculinity that one measly little spin

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threatens its integrity? It is refusing to wear the colour pink as a physical manifestation, and I abhor it. If they do spin, spin me in turn, and dance like no one’s watching? I’m sold. No dress code As someone who always likes to dress up, I need people who are okay with that. That doesn’t mean to match my energy, necessarily, but to accept it. While some may prefer sweats and athleisure, I tend to opt for skirts above all else. All are great options and can coexist if we simply allow them to. If someone asks that you dress down for their comfort, or dress up for their aesthetic, I find it rather toxic. Gets your references There’s something beautiful about a friend that just gets it. When you’re finishing each other’s references in the early days, you know from the get-go that you have a similar sense of humour. Being funny is one of the most important of my friendship prerequisites, so this one is a very good sign. It’s just like that scene in Frozen: “We finish each other’s —” “Sandwiches!” There’s something unifying about it in the most comforting way. Some other green flags that go without any explanation include having an existing group of friends, remembering your dietary restrictions, queuing your song recommendations when on aux, indulging

your habits, and being a good listener. Something I’m trying (and succeeding) to popularize is the phrase, “everyone has a but(t).” Just as everyone has a butt, they also have a “but.” We’re only human, we’re flawed — it’s in our nature. In the name of being fair, I will admit that many of my own quirks are likely perceived as red flags. Starting on a controversial note, I strongly dislike ice cream. I know it’s unheard of, I get a lot of heat for it. It’s simply that I lack a certain sweet tooth and also hate everything that texture. Yogurt, oatmeal, bananas — anything squishy like that. When my wisdom teeth had to be taken out and I was forced to eat solely foods of this texture, I was in my personal hell. Despite being awake for the operation, eating the “cream of” soups was the worst part. Some of my other red flags include that I sometimes don’t text back for weeks at a time and that I can’t sit through a movie because of my very short attention span and general restlessness. The list goes on and on. Red flags and green flags, like everything else in life, are subjective. We all have our quirks. Some things are regarded as endearing to some, and incredibly irritating to others. Something about one man’s trash, right? So, take these red and green flags with a grain of salt.

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So that’s how my life is going: Living with depression, anxiety… and roommates

No “Minimum Height” to getting the help you need Sanjida Rashid opinions editor

In a recent article, I shared the series of unfortunate events that riddled my kind of bummer summer of 2021. In my tell-all-tale surrounding my journey with receiving depression and anxiety diagnoses, I chalked up my struggles with mental health to being a summer fling and the product of my longterm best friend: Murphy. Murphy’s law, that is: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong — and it sure did. As happy as I am that my kind-of-bummersummer is over, I am currently being forced to confront the fact that the coming of autumn is not the leaving of my newfound frenemies. Temperatures are dropping, winter is right around the corner, and Chapters is already playing Michael Bublé’s hottest Christmas hits. Nevertheless, unlike my tan lines, my struggles with depression and anxiety have yet to fade. Of course, I’m not surprised — this has been a near-constant in my life for many years. Aside from Murphy, this is one of my only long-term relationships. It’s not as if the Summer Solstice occurred and, like a werewolf transitioning in the moonlight, I descended into a mental health spiral. Though, that would be an interesting misunderstanding of seasonal depression — my thoughts are with everyone who suffers from this as the days get shorter and colder. In short, this summer was only special in that I finally put a label on my loyal companions — not unlike finally transitioning from a talking stage to full-fledged dating. Kind of cute when I put it that way, no? A confusing component of my mental health journey is how dynamic it tends to be. Always the extrovert, I am bubbly and outgoing in a crowd. Unfortunately, I often struggle to maintain that nature behind closed doors. Famously a fan of Hannah Montana through and through, I suppose it makes sense that I tend to lead a double life — the best of both worlds, you know? Perhaps it’s

my dramatic arts past, but I’m really rather good at making it seem as though I have everything together (I hope). And don’t you dare make fun of theatre kids — my secondary school experience was like that of High School Musical. Cool kids do musicals, and I am one of them. I used to carefully conceal my struggles from those close to me behind closed doors. However, my clever game of makebelieve has been disrupted by a new curveball: three of my best friends now reside behind those exact doors in close quarters with me. Here’s the thing: I am somehow able to detail my depressive episodes and panic attacks in semi-comedic writing for anyone and everyone to see without any semblance of hesitation. However, put me face to face with my best friend of ten years and tell me to be honest about why I all of a sudden am feeling the incredible and unavoidable urge to do my laundry on a Friday night rather than going out and, suddenly, I’m shy. Even with my family back home, I kept mental health issues pretty under wraps. However, my life and the lives of my roommates are too interconnected for me to be as elusive as I once was. More so, I think it’s time to leave the days of hiding my mental health struggles behind me. I realize now that it does more harm than good for me and everyone involved. If change starts in your own backyard, dismantling mental health taboo starts with me putting an end to this pseudo martyr character I tend to play, who suffers in silence and has a range of three emotions: happy, even happier, and, if pressed, maybe a little bit spunky. I’m not so naïve as to think my roommates don’t know I struggle with mental illness. My most loyal readers, they were some of the first to see my piece detailing my mental health experience, which was honestly more akin to a sneak peek into my diary. In fact, when I returned to Ottawa after my summer of discoveries in Thunder Bay, I told them about my mental health issues by way of a colour coor-

dinated slide show that included transitions. It’s fair to say that they’re pretty up to date. As good friends, they can typically tell when I’m not at my peppiest and they do their best to help — so much for that theatre background. The other day, I finished up one of my sad spells and one of my roommates excitedly exclaimed, “happy Sanjida is back!” It was sweet, yes. However, it is also horrifying to know that I am actively being perceived in the comfort of my (nay, our) home. Overall, the problem is not my roommates. The problem is that I’m being forced to finally be honest about my depression and anxiety, though it is much overdue. I suppose I had hoped that I could leave my diagnoses in Thunder Bay, tossing them out with the rest of the clutter that didn’t make it on the move. Instead, I’m left figuring out how to squeeze them into an already overbooked schedule with two jobs, a workout split, social life, and a demanding semester. I’ll pencil in my mental breakdown for right in between a discussion group and leg day, if time permits. I thought giving my mental health struggles a name would help me combat my imposter syndrome. Prior to receiving a diagnosis, I feared I would make light of actual mental health issues if I talked about mine, which never seemed to be bad enough. Of course, I know the standard “bad enough” doesn’t exist on some exterior level — but don’t we all feel like the exception to the rule? Truth be told, the imposter syndrome didn’t end as soon as I received my diagnoses. I’m not convinced it ever does. When I didn’t have a name for what I was feeling, I didn’t know how to talk about it — so I didn’t. Well, now I have a name, but I still don’t have the words to explain how I feel. It’s hard to admit how debilitating depression and anxiety can be. It can be embarrassing. Already a bad texter, my depression is an intensifying agent to my poor communication tendencies. I often ghost all my friends for a couple weeks and then try to come back and act as nothing happened or go on a little

Shops like the Rideau Rexall already have candy canes on their shelves. Photo: Georgi Ghitau/Fulcrum

apology tour where I’ll say: “I’m sorry, this is not personal, but it will most definitely happen again.” I can’t quite disappear from my friends here, which is forcing some justified maturing from me. The worst part is when I can feel a depressive episode encompassing me, and yet, there’s nothing I can do about it. A panic attack is the same way. Both are allconsuming and isolating. All I want to do in those moments is be by myself, but I can’t put life on hold when these things happen. People have expectations — they expect texts back, hangouts, and for you to be you. Thus, in walks imposter syndrome. Mental health is different from physical health in that you have to actually tell other people when you’re unwell. I, unfortunately, do not yet have it in me to be an advocate for my own health. For example, if my leg is broken and it’s in a cast, no one is going to ask me to come dancing. And if they do, and I say no, they’ll be like: “Yeah, makes sense.” When I’m in a depressive episode, if someone asks me to come dancing, I may want to say no but feel obligated to say yes because, usually, I would go dancing. I might think that if I get out there, I’ll feel better. But I’m not really in the right headspace to be going out at all and I only really said yes because I didn’t want to let anyone down or let them know that anything is wrong. So, maybe I go and dread it the whole time. Or maybe I do find it in me to say no. Sometimes, people will try to convince you to come anyways. “Please come!” They say. “It’ll be fun. You don’t need to stay long! Once you get there, you’ll love it. You usually love dancing.” I don’t want to say I’m in a bad spot with my

mental health because god forbid anyone perceives me as anything other than super cool and fun. Anyways, how would I even prove it? Alas, we meet again, imposter syndrome. Unlike the broken leg, there’s no cast or Band-Aid to show people that you’re unwell. I’ll tell myself that I’m making it up and it’s all in my head — like, duh. Of course, it’s in my head. Rationally, where else would it be? It’s mental illness — what’s not clicking? Nevertheless, I’ll gaslight myself into thinking everything is fine and I’m just terribly dramatic. There’s that theatre background, finally. Such has been the overarching theme of my fall. While summer was the series of appointments that solidified that something was wrong with my mental health, fall has been the season of learning how to live with it. I still am struggling to communicate how I’m feeling and set boundaries, but I’m working on it. Perhaps that will be winter’s task; the seasons of depression rather than seasonal depression. Of course, I don’t expect to have everything figured out any time soon. Such is why they call it a mental health journey, right? It does seem like I’m in it for the long haul. As I figure out how to articulate my mental health struggles in person rather than on paper, I’m lucky to have some of the best roommates along for the ride — who, by the way, detest me calling them as much and would much prefer best friends. Fair. As some of the first people who have had front row seats to my deteriorating mental health, they’ve been a lovely, participative, and accommodating audience. In fact, they’ve probably set the bar too high for anyone else I’ll live with. One of my favourite examples of this is when I was clearly down in the dumps and,

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knowing that it would absolutely cheer me up, we all put on cowgirl hats and I believe there was some dancing involved. Like clockwork, it worked. I discovered, a couple of years ago, that my personal cure for an anxiety attack is going for a run — it has stuck with me ever since. The other night, I was feeling incredibly anxious in the debilitating, unable to do anything else but hyperfixate kind of way. Unfortunately, it was around midnight and that is not a great time to be taking a leisurely jog as a young woman, unless you’re looking to optimize fear as a motivator to run fast. My roommates, too kind to me, put on their best running apparel and accompanied me without me asking, despite the cold temperature and late hour. By the time we returned home, my anxiety decreased, and my appreciation for them increased. So, it seems communicating has its perks. The people in my life want to help and probably would have helped years ago, if I simply asked. Instead of trying to perform the world’s longest and most inefficient disappearing act with my mental illnesses, I should have been facing it head-on all along. It’s easier said than done, of course. If you believe you or someone you know may be struggling with mental health, I encourage you to get the help you need today. I understand that imposter syndrome, a feeling of being alone, or a lack of a support system around you may stop you from seeking the help you need. However, I urge you to remember that mental health is not something we can ignore — not in ourselves, nor in our peers. It is time to end the days of bottling things up, suffering in silence, or waiting for things to get bad enough — there is no “minimum height” to getting the help you need.

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T O M AT

MANAGING EDITOR

ALY MURPHY content@thfulcrum.ca

Tomato: Trick or treater in residence Jack O’Lanhturn felt a bit ghosted during Halloweekend Amira Benjamin features editor

A first-year in residence is disappointed by the lack of trickor-treating initiative on campus when celebrating his first Halloween at university. Jack O’Lanhturn, a first-year environmental engineering student was eager to walk around campus with his friend all in costumes. However, much to his dismay,

the campus was empty for the majority of the weekend, as everyone celebrated the holiday elsewhere. “I should’ve known something was weird when I asked my friends to go trick-ortreating and they all just kind of stared at me,” said O’Lanhturn, who was dressed like a university advisory committee (or ghost, in simpler terms). O’Lanhturn explained he went

around to most residences, including Stanton, Thompson, and Henderson, and realized no one was around and there was little candy. “When I was walking up Henderson [street], I ran into my friends who were heading to a party,” he said. “But we went to four different places and not one of them had a candy bowl.” Di Daniels, a fourthyear marketing stu-

dent and community advisor for Henderson, ran into O’Lanhturn and helped to clarify his confusion. “I honestly thought he was visiting friends, but then I noticed his bucket,” said Daniels. “Even afterward, he still looked a little deflated so I gave him condoms to make sure he doesn’t procreate into another committee. I didn’t have candy, but they were bubblegum flavoured.”

Sadly Jack O’Lanhturn’s lantern wasn’t stuffed. Photo: Unsplash/Stock

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Dear Di Dear Di, This week I matched with a pretty girl on a popular dating app who entertained me with some very disturbing tales of her family’s ‘habits.’ She told me about how she, her adult brother and sister loved to hang out at her house naked — nothing weird there, right? Well I got invited to a dinner with them and I refused — I was unmatched. Is this a normal thing on dating apps?

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR HAILEY OTTEN multimedia@thefulcrum.ca

Dear Di Recently, after a night out in the market, my roommates told me they have started having sex. We live in a three-person house, and I have a feeling this is gonna end badly. What should I do? -Concerned Roomie

– Questioning Life

Dear CR, Dear QL, This story is very hard to believe, but I will take you at your word since you provided screenshots of the texts. Honestly, her unmatching with you might have been the best thing for you. The only thing you could have done by going there was diversifying the gene pool — but maybe — it was a joke (hopefully). I don’t think I would say that that’s a normal dating app experience, but it’s definitely far from the worst. I mean, really, you should just be counting your blessings that all she did was tell you about her family’s lack of wardrobe. Someone else might have sent photos instead, and then you would never be able to hear the words “family portrait” the same way ever again.

Many moons ago when I was a staff writer at the Fulcrum a similar situation happened — a roommate of mine started seeing the roommate of another staff member. At first, it was strange, but then, eventually, I got used to it. The main thing you have to remember is that your roommates are (hopefully) mature adults. If they are, then even if it doesn’t work out in the long term, they should be able to keep on living together. If this isn’t the case, don’t worry, there should be no issue: the best thing you can do is lay back and let them do their thing. Where it might become an issue is if one of them develops feelings for the other and those aren’t reciprocated — if that’s the case, hold on to your hat, cowboy — things may get ugly. If this is the case, expect to become the university equivalent of an unlicensed marriage counsellor. Frankly, the best advice you can give your roommates, if that’s the case, is to find other people. They are in university there are literally thousands of other people they can hook up with — all they have to do is download a dating app. Finally, if they aren’t mature, my honest opinion move out: they don’t deserve you, queen/king.

Love,

Di Daniels

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ARCHIVES EDITORIAL BOARD Charley “The Fulcrum” Dutil Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Hailey “Ubyssey” Otten Multimedia Director multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Aly “The Varsity” Murphy Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Bridget “Iron Otis” Coady Co-News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Zoë “Eyeopener” Mason Co-News Editor news.editor@thefulcrum.ca Zofka “Rory Gilmore” Svec Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Amira “Sil” Benjamin Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Jasmine “Sheaf” McKnight Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Emma “Catalyst” Williams Science and Tech Editor science@thefulcrum.ca Sanjida “Tribune” Rashid Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Jelena “Charlatan” Maric Social Media Manager social@thefulcrum.ca Desiree “Gauntlet” Nikfardjam Staff Writer staff.writer@thefulcrum.ca Shailee “Gateway” Shah Staff Writer reporter@thefulcrum.ca Christopher “Leveller” Rhode Videographer videographer@thefulcrum.ca

Damian “CHUO” Piper Podcast Producer podcast@thefulcrum.ca Jérôme “La Rotonde” Ouellet Editorial Intern

CONTRIBUTORS The Fulcrum would like to thank: Ciku Gitonga Haya Sonawala Erin Peter Georgi Ghitau Emilie Azevedo for their contributions to this issue.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ludvica Boota Kalki Nagaratnam Kate Murray Brendan Keane Benjamin King Sam Coulavin Siena Domoradzki

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHARLEY DUTIL

editor@thefulcrum.ca

Live from the Archives: SFUO hacked

Website experiences several security breaches

AUG 27 2011 Jane Lytvynenko

On July 11, the University of Ottawa’s whistleblower blog (UOLeaks.ca) reported a security breach on the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) website. Initially only affecting the constitution page of the site, hackers soon took over the welcome page as well. “We managed to [catch] it as soon as it happened,” said Paige Galette, the SFUO’s vp communications, about the situation. The first security breach linked the SFUO’s constitution to Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”. It caused a stir among the U of O community.

Some were confused over the source of the problem — was the SFUO playing a prank or did its website get hacked? “I was just translating [a] motion for the Board of Administration and I needed to take a look at the constitution for my translation, so I went on the website,” said SFUO translator Kim St-Cyr in an interview with the Fulcrum. “So, I clicked it, but I ended up on that Rickroll site … It was really unprofessional. I thought, you know, maybe they were working on [the website] and they put it up as a joke. I really [had] no idea why that was there.” The second security breach changed the background of the website’s welcome page to a popular Internet meme. The phrase “All your base are belong to LulzSec” accompanied Nyan Cat on the front

page. The hacker group known as LulzSec, famous for bringing down the PlayStation Network, broke up earlier this year. “It’s obviously a very complicated case. It’s not like somebody took away

my chocolate and I want it back,” said Galette regarding the situation. Although the SFUO does not know who is responsible for the security breach, its website is repaired and back online after being taken down for mainte-

nance. Galette said the SFUO will be updating the site to ensure this doesn’t happen again. “We are renewing the old website,” said Galette. The site will feature new widgets, updated descriptions, and an events calendar.

Live from the Archives: New ‘pivotal point’ for Fulcrum SEP 15 Fulcrum gets new office at 631 King Edward Avenue 1988 John Caravella

Traditionally, September 1 is the year’s busiest day for movers; however, this year, one big move occurred a week early. Returning students (particularly those in Thompson residence) may have noticed the absence of both the Fulcrum and la Rotonde from their longtime nests in the unicentre’s media skywalk. The move comes as a result of CFUO’s radio’s proposed expansion in anticipation of its FM license. As is the case with any move, the Fulcrum found that its relocation to 631 King Edward was fraught with problems and headaches. Incredibly, the first problem came when somebody forgot to tell the Fulcrum that a move to new offices was a reality. “I first heard rumours of the move in March, but since we have been hearing these kinds of rumours since 1984, I didn’t place much faith in them,” said Fulcrum editor-in-chief, Siân Reid. This time, however, the

rumours proved to be prophetic, as on March 28, 1988, in a meeting of the University’s Administrative Committee, the decision was taken to move the two student newspapers out of the Unicentre. Interestingly, no member of either paper was present at the meeting and it was at this point that a definite breakdown in communications began. April and May are traditionally transition periods at the university, and both the Students’ Federation (SFUO) and newspaper change leadership. When Christian Hyde took office as the new SFUO president in May, he spent the first three weeks learning the ropes of his position. One of the things he learned was that the papers were moving and it was up to him to coordinate it. At the Fulcrum, Siân Reid was assuming the post of editor-in-chief, and beginning to suspect that there might be something more to the rumours than it had seemed at first. Reid had come across a memo that stated the Fulcrum would move. However, when she checked with Mme Lamarre, the media coordinator at the SFUO, Lamarre

said she knew nothing of the move. By late May, Hyde was organized and ready to begin business. High on his agenda was to begin coordinating a move that both papers still did not know was a fait accompli. On June 2, in a meeting with the two editors, Hyde not only told them of the move for the first time but also where they were going. “Well my first reaction was: when, how and who’s going to pay?” said Reid. “A newspaper move is a logistical nightmare, involving more than a simple shifting of the furniture. Electrical and plumbing renovations are needed just to meet the basic needs.” For Hyde, the June 2 meeting represented his first chance to meet the papers. “I met with them as soon as I knew of the move and at all times tried to pass on information just as quickly as I learned it.” Hyde did fight to make one change to the original decision. The March 28 meeting stated that the papers would move only when CFUO received its licence. As this might mean a move in the middle of the school year, causing even more problems Hyde went

back to the administration and asked that the move take place in the summer, prior to any final decision by the Canadian Radiotelevision Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). While he received a verbal okay in mid to late June, the written confirmation did not come until July 14. With this, Hyde went back to the papers, and Reid settled on August 25 as a suitable moving date. The ‘when’ of the move had been settled. As for the ‘how,’ Hyde arranged for the university services to complete the physical transfer of furniture and equipment. The next thorny problem came in the ‘who’s going to pay?’ The cost was to be split between the university administration and the papers. The administration would pay for the actual move, while the papers would pay for the renovations (approximately $3,000). When asked about the apparent unfairness of making the papers pay for a move they would rather not make, Hyde agreed that it was a difficult decision, and one he knew would be unpopular. But, citing various factors (among

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them the separation of the Graduate Student’s Association from the SFUO) he found himself faced with a $44,000 shortfall over the previous year. Making the papers chip in was one way to ease the financial crunch. Hyde was quick to point out that “the papers are owned by the SFUO and should they be unable to meet their financial commitments, we would be ultimately responsible for them.” As for the new location, how does 631 King Edward measure up to the old office in the Unicentre? For the Fulcrum’s editor, not very well. “It’s smaller than the old office, our PMT machine is in the front hall since it’s too big to go anywhere else, we don’t know when we’re getting phones and the location is less accessible.” So, is the saga of the shifting papers over? According to Hyde, the move is temporary. The papers will remain in their new house on King Edwards for two years, but after that, the University has a master plan which calls for the phasing out of those famous ‘grey houses’ and the building of a new University Centre.

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