How remote education benefits students who experience disabilities

By: Yvonne Syed, Contributor

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, educators and postsecondary institutions have been hard at work transferring their teaching to online delivery methods. To accommodate everyone’s health and safety, remote learning has become a norm and is something we will be engaging in for at least a year. 

Earlier this year, McMaster University students completed the remainder of their winter 2020 term online and offered spring and summer courses remotely. Then this past week, through a letter from the provost, it has been confirmed that the university will remain online until the end of the winter 2021 term. 

To accommodate for remote methods of teaching and learning, the university prepared for the fall term by making pre-recorded lectures, posting slides on Avenue to Learn and offering remote office hours. While online learning may not be a preferred method of learning for some students, remote delivery has undoubtedly made life easier in the sense that learning is more accessible for some students with some of the flexibility it brings. This is evident in the ability for students to learn at their own pace in some courses that are now being offered asynchronously, or for courses that now pre-record, podcast or post lecture recordings, as it does not constrain students to set times for learning. The adjustments made related to COVID-19 are showing us that more effortful accessibility accommodations for students with disabilities could have always been arranged.

Prior to the adjustments made as a result of the pandemic, students who experience disabilities were at a significant disadvantage in terms of access to an educational experience that best facilitated their learning and met their individual needs. For instance, students with attention and concentration problems may have trouble focusing during in-person lectures and some students with physical and invisible disabilities may be unable to maintain regular in-person attendance as a result of their conditions. Additionally, deaf and hard of hearing students benefit from the closed captioning made available on the pre-recorded lectures the university is now offering for some courses. 

While Student Accessibility Services is available for students to seek accommodations to support their learning, the services provided by SAS are limited and may fail to completely meet the needs of students. For example, SAS note takers are provided on a volunteer basis, meaning that if there are no student volunteers that come forward to provide notes for a given course, the students requiring accommodations will not receive the support they need to be successful in the course. Thus, students have had to rely on minimal and potentially unreliable accommodations such as having a note-taker for their courses, when they could have more support ensuring that the delivery method of their education is made more feasible for their learning needs. While it is disappointing that these students’ needs were not given priority and that it took a crisis like a pandemic for everyone to realize that these measures could have been implemented earlier, it would be extremely beneficial to have these accommodations implemented in future. 

While it is disappointing that these students’ needs were not given priority and that it took a crisis like a pandemic for everyone to realize that these measures could have been implemented earlier, it would be extremely beneficial to have these accommodations implemented in future. 

Moving forward, it is imperative that McMaster University re-evaluates the extent to which it offers accommodations so that they can support all types of learners, including neurodivergent students and students with disabilities. The current accommodations with online learning may not be necessary for all students once the pandemic improves, but remote or blended learning should still be offered as an option for students who learn better this way. Making access to class materials online and not just in-person allows students who are unable to attend every class, due to mental health symptoms or disabilities, to catch up. The same goes for students who need mobility aids during a harsh winter semester with many snowy days, which may hinder their ability to make it to class.

While creating these accommodations are undeniably a timely and effortful process, it yields results that support an inclusive learning environment and ensures that all students can excel in their educational endeavours. Empowering all students in education, beyond those who are neurotypical and able-bodied, is a matter of great importance. Accordingly, postsecondary institutions must transcend beyond using the universal design for instruction in order to meet these needs.

McMaster’s idea of equity protects the university rather than the students

CW: sexual violence, anti-Black racism

It’s time that we talk about equity and inclusion at McMaster University.

Throughout the summer, McMaster has been implicated in several issues. Since February 2020, multiple sexual violence allegations have arisen against faculty and one graduate student in the psychology, neuroscience and behaviour program. In addition, there have been many calls from students for Mac to remove Glenn De Caire as the director of parking and security services due to the controversy surrounding his actions during his time as the police chief of the Hamilton Police Services. In 2010, De Caire established the Addressing Crime Trends In Our Neighbourhood team which performed “street checks” on individuals. The McMaster Students Union has also passed a motion to call for the firing of Glenn De Caire and the removal of the special constable program.

Amidst all of these issues, the Equity and Inclusion office has been integral in addressing anti-Black racism, providing sexual violence reporting options and offering support to students. However, when you use a critical lens, the EIO has been unable to be fully equitable, unbiased and supportive of the student body if it is an office run by McMaster — the same university that has inflicted harm on its students.

However, when you use a critical lens, the EIO has been unable to be fully equitable, unbiased and supportive of the student body if it is an office run by McMaster — the same university that has inflicted harm on its students.

I have had personal experiences dealing with the EIO. On Mar. 7, 2019, the Director of Human Rights and Dispute Resolution, Pilar Michaud, contacted me to inform me that McMaster initiated a third-party investigation due to my public allegations against my perpetrator. This was something I did not agree to and had indicated that I did not want to proceed with a formal investigation to the sexual violence response coordinator a couple of months prior. Because the investigation also involved my residence representative position, my application was put on pause, and the EIO assured me that I would be able to interview after the investigation had concluded. Despite this, I was implicated in a 10-month long investigation (which meant that I was unable to even be considered for a residence rep position before Welcome Week had passed) where I had to discuss the detailed events of my sexual assault to a third-party investigator, who was also a white man.

During the investigation, I felt incredibly alone. I was told not to discuss any details related to my assault or the investigation to anyone who may be a potential witness to facts or details of what occurred. This severely restricted my support system, as I had discussed what happened to me with many of my friends and because of that, they could have been considered a witness for this investigation.

In a time that the EIO was supposed to support me, I felt scrutinized for speaking about my traumatizing experience and worried that somehow they would conclude that I inflicted harm on my perpetrator instead of the other way around. Although McMaster had concluded that my perpetrator had violated the sexual violence policy, the university refused to provide any details regarding what consequences he would face, other than that he cannot contact me — despite the fact that I did not ask for this sanction to be put in place. Why does the EIO think that being survivor-centric is creating sanctions that the survivor did not ask for? 

Throughout my entire interview process, the most support I received were from my peers, not the EIO. All the EIO did was involve me in a traumatic investigation process and occasionally emailed me with a list of resources that I could access. 

Throughout my entire interview process, the most support I received were from my peers, not the EIO. All the EIO did was involve me in a traumatic investigation process and occasionally emailed me with a list of resources that I could access. 

It is also notable that the person who signed off the letter regarding the decision made for the investigation was Sean Van Koughnett, the dean of students and associate vice-president of students and learning. Van Koughnett is a white man whom I’ve never met — so why did he have a say in whether my allegations were true or not?

The fact that the EIO involved Van Koughnett, someone who has not held a formal role in sexual violence prevention, made it clear that they were not here to make a decision that was supposed to support my wellbeing. Had they truly wanted to help me, they would have had someone knowledgeable of sexual violence sign off on the decision instead.

Don’t get me wrong — the Equity and Inclusion Office has held meaningful events such as the “Let’s Talk About Race” workshop series and Black student virtual check-ins. However, a lot of their advocacy work falls short if they continuously fail to tangibly support students who want to report the harm that they have experienced at McMaster. Although I’d like to say that my experience with the office was an outlier, I know of many other students who have been failed by the EIO. 

At the end of the day, EIO acts more like a corporate entity — it’s not here to protect students, it’s here to protect McMaster’s reputation. 

After racist tweets by a former Marauder were brought to light, former Mac athletes began to share their stories and the university’s lack of response.

CW: anti-Black racism, police brutality

Since the widespread protests in the United States and globally following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, many professional athletes have taken it upon themselves to further educate others and raise awareness about the acts of racial injustice plaguing their communities, especially those consisting of police brutality; however, this is not new to many athletes this year.

“We found something we’re fighting for as the NBA, as a collective unit…and I use these shoes as a symbol to keep fighting all around the world.”

- Jamal Murray after Denver's Game 6 win. pic.twitter.com/rkwPn9QuHX

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 31, 2020

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick began the movement of kneeling during the national anthem, where he was met with support and anguish. Over the years, Kaepernick became a leading civil rights activist despite being blackballed by team owners for his outspoken views. 

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder,” Kaepernick said in a post-game interview during a 2016-2017 preseason game.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Kaepernick said in a post-game interview during a 2016-2017 preseason game.

Kaepernick’s statement comes two years after many NBA players made a statement in their games where they wore t-shirts saying, “I Can’t Breathe” following the death of Eric Garner, who repeatedly said those words while being put in a chokehold by police officers. A reminder that those three words were also uttered by Floyd four years later. Likewise to Kaepernick, these athletes still continue to face heavy scrutiny where comments about their salary are made, suggesting that such athletes did not experience systemic racism due to their wealth and financial stability.

Fast forward to 2019, Masai Ujiri was blocked and shoved by the Alameda County sheriff from celebrating with his team due to allegedly not having the correct credentials. A new video released in August 2020 showed otherwise where Ujiri was shoved while having his credentials. The public viewed this incident as a classic case of racial profiling, despite status or wealth being present.

As we look more recently, following the game seven loss by the Toronto Raptors in the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the public heavily critiqued Pascal Siakam’s play; however, it was brought to our attention that some fans have gone too far and made racial attacks against him.

The aforementioned stories have shined the light on the racism that athletes face consistently but continues to be ignored. As we look more directly at our own community, former lacrosse team player Steven Archachan was only removed from the team (but not from the university) following the revelation of tweets that featured racist slurs. With that being said, Archachan removed himself from the university and stated he would not be attending in the future. Archachan has since apologized for his tweets, while stating to one of our reporters that he was dealing with issues affecting his mental health and well-being at that time.

Kwasi Adu-Poku, a fifth-year kinesiology student at McMaster University and current member of the men’s basketball team, shared his thoughts on the handling of the situation. 

“When they released the article through CBC Hamilton on the situation, when they described [Archachan] choosing to leave the school, it kind of made him seem like the bigger person in the situation and when you think about the scope of what happened, a lot of people were impacted by this message,” Adu-Poku said. “It wasn’t the best thing to let that person paint themselves in that kind of light . . . a lot of us felt there could have been a stronger response at the time but our school is definitely on the trajectory to make a lot of the needed changes and now we’re being held publicly accountable.”

“When they released the article through CBC Hamilton on the situation, when they described [Archachan] choosing to leave the school, it kind of made him seem like the bigger person in the situation and when you think about the scope of what happened, a lot of people were impacted by this message,” Adu-Poku said. “It wasn’t the best thing to let that person paint themselves in that kind of light . . . a lot of us felt there could have been a stronger response at the time but our school is definitely on the trajectory to make a lot of the needed changes and now we’re being held publicly accountable.”

As the case of Archachan began to unfold, former Marauder athletes came forward with their stories. Fabion Foote, a former football player at McMaster, has detailed the systemic racism he faced while on the team. 

“My DL coach at Mac said I had to sell weed to afford my tuition lol. Keep in mind I never smoked in my life. My friend was in a group chat were a white athlete used the N word. My teammate reported it to the coaches and they some how managed to blame us for it,” Foote stated among a series of tweets discussing the systemic racism he endured while at McMaster.

“My DL coach at Mac said I had to sell weed to afford my tuition lol. Keep in mind I never smoked in my life. My friend was in a group chat were a white athlete used the N word. My teammate reported it to the coaches and they some how managed to blame us for it,” Foote stated among a series of tweets discussing the systemic racism he endured while at McMaster.

The racial profiling Foote experienced was echoed by John Williams, a former McMaster athlete who penned a letter via a Google Form, detailing the failures of the university attempting to support the Black and Indigenous community while asking people to support his statement. 

“One former athlete detailed how a certain post practice locker room day of the week was entitled "White Boy Wednesdays" where only "White Music" was allowed to be played. Another athlete spoke about how when the team travelled to Toronto the other white teammates asked them if they were "going to be shot by any of the brothers?" Another Black former female athlete spoke about her feelings of isolation while being on the team and how she felt treated differently by coaches,” wrote Williams.

“One former athlete detailed how a certain post practice locker room day of the week was entitled "White Boy Wednesdays" where only "White Music" was allowed to be played. Another athlete spoke about how when the team travelled to Toronto the other white teammates asked them if they were "going to be shot by any of the brothers?" Another Black former female athlete spoke about her feelings of isolation while being on the team and how she felt treated differently by coaches,” wrote Williams.

Williams also claimed that former Director of Athletics, Glen Grunwald, current Director, Mark Alfano and Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett did not take action on the issues Black football athletes endured while on the team. 

Following the various critiques, the university announced in July they are conducting a review into the countless experiences of Black athletes and investigating the racism within the department of athletics, which will be headed by Van Koughnett. He aims to hire more Black leaders in the McMaster Athletics department.

Adu-Poku explained to us his appreciation for Van Koughnett’s willingness to work with him and open-ears regarding a discussion about celebrating Black history. Adu-Poku also spoke to non-athletes in the McMaster Black student community and echoed their hopes that this review could act as a blueprint to combat systemic racism in an academic setting.

From Foote’s story to Archachan’s racial slurs, it shows that over the years, racism has never really left the McMaster Athletics department. It was just a matter of time until serious demands for accountability occurred.

Reopening of facilities and residences require students to take extra precautions

By: Elisa Do, News Reporter 

Since the closure of campus in March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, McMaster University has now reported two confirmed positive cases. On August 31, McMaster reported that the first positive case involved a graduate student. On September 13, McMaster reported a second case involving an employee. 

In a CBC News article following the first case, McMaster spokesperson Wade Hemsworth said that sharing specifics or identifying information about people or buildings will only happen if it is considered necessary for public health reasons. 

The university also stated that they have now cleaned and reopened all areas where the individuals were on campus. 

Although McMaster is encouraging folks to stay home when possible, those who need to be on campus may do so if they adhere to certain steps, including completion of a mandatory online module available on Mosaic. Those who are not part of the university’s Return to Work plan must request priority access to work on campus. Everyone, including faculty members, staff and students, must also complete the Province of Ontario’s self-assessment within an hour of arriving on campus.

McMaster has also shared step-by-step lab placements and working guides for students, faculty and staff and supervisors.

As of Sept. 14, limited study spaces on the ground floor of Mills Library are now available for students to book. Rooms will be available Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

McMaster has also opened residences to students this fall with a limited number of bed spaces. Students must meet the criteria of exceptional circumstances to qualify. The criteria include first-year nursing students, a time zone difference greater than one hour, limited or no internet coverage or students with difficult living situations.

Those who are approved to live in residence must be prepared to live in residence for the full eight months. A meal plan is available for those living in residence, but it is no longer mandatory.

Students in residence must follow certain community guidelines, such as a no-guest policy and wearing a mask in all public spaces. 

In addition to guidelines and restrictions the school has set in place, Kevin Beatty, Director of Housing and Conference Services, said that the ratio of community advisors to residents have been increased. By doing so, the school hopes to not only ensure students can social distance appropriately, but also receive greater support.

“We have a ratio of one to five students this year so the relationship between the CAs and the residents is much more of a focal point in the sense that there are a lot more questions and support available,” said Beatty.

“We have a ratio of one to five students this year so the relationship between the CAs and the residents is much more of a focal point in the sense that there are a lot more questions and support available,” said Beatty. 

Noting that residences are traditionally a way for new students to connect with one another, Beatty said that the school is running programs via social media platforms such as Microsoft Teams and the Archway Program in hopes of encouraging students to connect.

“[The Archway program] is another way that we are trying to promote people getting to know individuals and building relationships but all virtually,” Beatty said.

Beatty added that all first-year students are automatically enrolled in the program and the program links them with a cohort of other first-year students as well as a mentor and a coach. 

Currently, the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning is the only residence open to traditional eight-month residents and a total of 47 students have been approved to stay there. 

Reloved Boutique strives to provide a conscious solution for fashion lovers of all sizes

Nestled in the heart of James Street North sits new consignment store Reloved Boutique. The store carries a selection of products by Canadian businesses as well as racks of one-of-a-kind clothing pieces. Curating a collection of beautiful secondhand items is the goal of this boutique headed by mother-daughter duo Raquel and Lateisha Brown.

Raquel and Lateisha have dreamt of opening Reloved Boutique for about three years. Although born and raised in Hamilton, Lateisha currently lives in Calgary where there are a plethora of consignment shops. After visiting Lateisha in Calgary, Raquel realized that Hamilton doesn’t offer the same range of selection for secondhand shopping. Together, they saw an opportunity to introduce a new consignment boutique to the Steel City.

Last December when Lateisha was in Hamilton for the holidays, the pair stumbled upon their current location and signed the lease almost immediately. In January, they began setting up the space and launched their Instagram page. Planning for a launch date of March 21, they began collecting items for their spring consignment collection.

However, when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, the pair had to re-evaluate their opening. Instead of opening their brick and mortar location, they launched an online shop instead. While navigating these new challenges, they were supported by a great landlord and by the local business community.

“The [business] community has been really supportive. We are in a bunch of networking groups that are just trying to support each other and give each other advice for the best. Like how to get through this or what this new life looks like,” said Lateisha.

Two months after their initial opening date, they unlocked their physical location in May with additional COVID-19 protocols. As Lateisha is still in Calgary, she handles the behind-the-scenes logistics, finance and social media while Raquel operates the storefront.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB52fydlZt5/

It was important to the mother-daughter duo to create a boutique experience for secondhand shopping. While they do not look for particular brands, they ensure that the items that make it to their racks are carefully curated based on current style trends, brand popularity and condition.

“I think that we've nailed it in terms of the aesthetic and how we want our stuff to be presented . . . I remember when I was a kid, I was mortified when we would go shopping at a thrift shop. But we created  . . . a secondhand shopping experience . . . [that] doesn’t feel like you’re shopping secondhand, nor do the clothes look like they’re secondhand,” said Lateisha.

“I think that we've nailed it in terms of the aesthetic and how we want our stuff to be presented . . . I remember when I was a kid, I was mortified when we would go shopping at a thrift shop. But we created  . . . a secondhand shopping experience . . . [that] doesn’t feel like you’re shopping secondhand, nor do the clothes look like they’re secondhand,” said Lateisha.

Where Reloved Boutique stands out most is through its mission for size-inclusivity. The fashion industry has continuously underserved plus-sized women and this has unfortunately been a trend in secondhand stores. Reloved Boutique strives to fill the gap in secondhand fashion and allow everyone to explore sustainable options. They actively promote larger size donations and consignments on their social media to ensure they have stock of all sizes.

Any unsold items at the end of a season that aren’t returned to consignors are donated to a local charity. Right now, the boutique has partnered with Interval House, a shelter for women survivors of intimate partner violence and their children. They hope to donate to different charities on a rotational basis.

The response from the Hamilton community has been positive. Since they began accepting items in January, people have been consistently dropping items off. Many of the items they’ve received have been great quality, which has made the pair even more excited about the store.

“The excitement from the community is what sets a fire in me, that they’ve never seen a boutique that looks like ours or they’ve never experienced consignment the way that we do it. I'm really happy and proud that we've accomplished that,” said Lateisha.

“The excitement from the community is what sets a fire in me, that they’ve never seen a boutique that looks like ours or they’ve never experienced consignment the way that we do it. I'm really happy and proud that we've accomplished that,” said Lateisha.

With the amount of clothes they’ve already received, Lateisha sees the store growing larger in the future. As a women-owned business, they also hope that they can host networking events and workshops for women entrepreneurs after COVID-19. Whatever the future holds, having overcome the challenges of COVID-19, Raquel and Lateisha have shown their resilience as business owners and the value of their store to Hamiltonian fashion lovers.

Artist Phoebe Taylor provides an accessible art community with virtual design studio Okay Shoe

There is a corner of the internet where mindfulness is accessible to all. In this virtual space, art lovers from all walks of life gather to create, and participants are not allowed to say they’re not artists. This creative community is called Okay Shoe and it’s the brainchild of artist and Goodbodyfeel instructor, Phoebe Taylor.

Taylor has always dreamt of having a design studio and gallery space. However, they realized that these spaces aren’t always conducive to creativity and often have physical and systemic barriers to entry. Taylor wanted to create an artistic space that was accessible to all.

“[M]y inspiration for Okay Shoe was really like . . .  all this stuff is garbage and let's recreate art environments that can actually be for everybody. And what do we need to throw out? And what do we need to rework? And is there any stuff here that wants to stay? . . .  I love art. I love making stuff and I think it should be for everybody,” Taylor said.

“[M]y inspiration for Okay Shoe was really like . . .  all this stuff is garbage and let's recreate art environments that can actually be for everybody. And what do we need to throw out? And what do we need to rework? And is there any stuff here that wants to stay? . . .  I love art. I love making stuff and I think it should be for everybody,” Taylor said.

Thus, Taylor created design studio Okay Shoe, which launched on Instagram in January 2020. The name of the space is inspired by Taylor’s own experiences. “Shoe” comes from what is left of the signage of an old shoe store on the corner of Barton Street East and Ottawa Street North, which has only said the one word since Taylor was a child. For Taylor, the word “shoe” represents the accessibility of the studio and the concept of pedestrian art.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7t19othCCT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

However, “shoe” did not feel complete to Taylor so they added the word “okay.”  The word comes from a difficult time in Taylor’s life when they struggled to wake up every morning. They wished to wake up feeling something in between dread and elation and thus wanted to wake up feeling okay. Taylor enjoyed how the word could be spelled in multiple ways. Even though they have spelled it with four letters so far, they think that may change in the future.

Okay Shoe has multiple components. There is a shop where many items are available at three different price points, aligning with Taylor’s goal of making accessible art. Taylor sells hand-printed t-shirts and notebooks in the shop as well as collections of other objects – such as pillows and stickers – made by other artists. 

The shop’s staple product is Taylor’s Okay Oracle, a deck of cards with simple prompts such as “over over over” and “parts of many” which are intended to inspire mindfulness. The deck serves as Taylor’s way of reducing the inaccessibility of mindfulness.

“[A] year after finishing my undergrad, I took a yoga teacher training [course] and I found the same thing in the wellness community that I found in the art community. As much as I love both of them, [there are] huge barriers to entry . . .  I don't feel like the Okay Oracle is necessarily barrier-free . . . But it is my shot and intention at trying to create a tool for mindfulness that just reflects your own intuition,” said Taylor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEKK-upHVGn/

Taylor also hosts Shoe Talks, an artist interview series on Instagram Live, and Okay Hangs, an online artmaking group. During Okay Hangs, Taylor provides a prompt and participants make and share art of any media. It’s in these hangouts that Taylor implements the rule that no one can say they’re not an artist. For Taylor, the Okay Hangs have filled the void left by the temporary closure of studios due to COVID-19.

Going forward Taylor will host these groups through the Okay Shoe Portal, which launched on Sept. 1, 2020 via the subscription service Patreon. Like the physical location, the Okay Shoe Portal operates on a sliding scale, allowing folks with different budgets to access the same content while still providing a sustainable art practice for Taylor.

The Patreon will also allow Taylor to host digital artists-in-residence. Over a six-week period, these visiting artists will be interviewed by Taylor, host Okay Hangs and create items for the shop and portal’s patrons. The first of these artists is Rosa Wan, a Toronto-based sketch artist and the founder of art community Cool Objects, which runs interactive drawing events.

Wan’s experience facilitating events makes her a perfect fit for Okay Shoe. However, Taylor also wants to host artists who are looking for experience with facilitation. Taylor is currently looking for future artists-in-residence and is open to any art form. It is also important for Taylor to host artists from diverse backgrounds.

“I want the artists-in-residence to be reflective of the true diversity of art that is happening in the world . . . I'm very conscious of the people that I'm talking to. Where are the Black artists in the room? Where are the POC? Where are the queer artists in the room? Who’s being represented here? Who has the mic? Or if I have the mic, who can I pass this mic to?” Taylor said.

“I want the artists-in-residence to be reflective of the true diversity of art that is happening in the world . . . I'm very conscious of the people that I'm talking to. Where are the Black artists in the room? Where are the POC? Where are the queer artists in the room? Who’s being represented here? Who has the mic? Or if I have the mic, who can I pass this mic to?” Taylor said.

Despite the implementation of a subscription-based platform, Taylor says that there will always be free ways to interact with Okay Shoe, such as the weekly newsletter that they write.

Taylor envisions Okay Shoe one day being worldwide with several artists-in-residence. They also hope to have a physical space in the future. Like Okay Shoe’s online space, Taylor envisions the brick and mortar location being not only physically and financially accessible, but also welcoming to all audiences. Unlike the uninviting white walls of many art galleries, Taylor imagines their space looking like Pee Wee’s playhouse – a bright and colourful space where anyone can feel like an artist.

Inability to opt-out of certain fees spark student discussions and dissatisfaction

Following an unprecedented summer for many, students at McMaster University continue their studies via online learning and face adjustments made both within their classrooms as well as the university as a whole. The transition to online learning has resulted in several changes to supplementary fees students are required to pay.

One of the biggest changes students face this year includes the Hamilton Street Railway bus pass. In June 2020, McMaster Student Union President Giancarlo Da-Ré wrote to the HSR asking for amendments to the student bus fee.

In July, Hamilton councillors voted to temporarily suspend the transit agreements with McMaster University, as well as Mohawk College and Redeemer University.

As a result, the 2020-2021 undergraduate student bus pass has been suspended for the period of September through December 2020. Rather than the original fee of $223.92, undergraduate students will pay $120.98 in January 2021 for use of the bus pass in the winter term through to Aug. 31, 2020.

Graduate students’ bus passes are still available and are valid from Aug. 22, 2020 until Aug. 21, 2021.

In a video shared by the MSU, Jess Anderson, Vice-President (Finance), said that aside from the temporary termination of bus passes, the MSU is also advocating for a discounted monthly transit rate for students; however, there have been no further updates for a discounted rate. 

All undergraduate students are now required to pay adult fare when boarding the HSR.

It is not yet clear as to how the MSU will handle HSR bus passes for the winter semester now that the school has announced classes will continue to be online.

In addition to the undergraduate bus pass, the Athletics and Recreation fee has been a major concern within students’ supplementary fees for the 2020-2021 year. Although McMaster Athletics and Recreation have announced that facilities will be closed until at least Dec. 31, 2020, students are still required to pay an Athletics and Recreation fee with a reduction of 25 per cent.

Although McMaster Athletics and Recreation have announced that facilities will be closed until at least December 31, 2020, students are still required to pay an Athletics and Recreation fee with a reduction of 25 per cent.

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of virtual fitness classes offered by the Pulse Fitness Centre.

The decision to keep a fee for Athletics and Recreation has sparked multiple student discussions on social media, most of which consist of dissatisfaction from students about having to pay a fee at all.

https://www.facebook.com/spottedat.mac/posts/2032560686879925

Speaking to the Silhouette regarding what the remaining 75 per cent of Athletics and Recreation fee will cover, Director of Athletics and Recreation Shawn Burt said that fees not only go to supporting facilities in a typical school year but also go to support the infrastructure and staffing of the department. As well, fees support the department’s ability to deliver programming, whether it be virtually or in-person.

As for why students cannot opt-out of the fee, even if they choose to not participate in the virtual programs, Burt said, “I certainly understand that not everyone uses the Pulse or will use our online programming, but we do have to make an investment into staffing and infrastructure to ensure that we are able to deliver these things, even if not everyone can use them. It’s really not a usage-based fee, and it wouldn’t be reasonable to do it that way simply because accommodating 30,000 students into a fitness space logistically is difficult even at the best of times.”

Following the school’s announcement that the winter semester will also be online, Burt expressed that it is not yet clear as to whether Athletics and Recreation will remain closed as well. However, Burt said that adjustments to fees would certainly be looked at.

“Not unlike the fall, our expectation is that fees will be impacted as a result of [the school’s] announcement, so whatever needs to be done from our perspective to accommodate students and student-athletes, those steps will be taken at the direction that we receive for sure,” Burt said.

Students are also required to pay the non-MSU and non-McMaster fees, colloquially known as the Bylaw 5 fees. These include the fees for OPIRG, McMaster Solar Car Project, Engineers without Borders, McMaster Marching Band and Incite Publication. Other fee changes include the MSU organization fee which includes the operation of student services, club structures, governance apparatus and MSU advocacy work. Originally $133.26 for the fall of 2019, the fee has been reduced by 10 per cent, resulting in a fee of $122.45.

A breakdown of all supplementary fees for undergraduate and graduate students can be found on the Registrar’s Office Supplementary Fees page.

Full-time undergraduate students have the option to opt-out of the MSU Health and Dental plan. However, the opt-out option is only available for those with extended external coverage. Both plans together come to a total of $232. Students have until Sept. 30, 2020 to opt-out of both plans and be reimbursed the fees.

When reached for an interview about the MSU’s involvement with the changes to student fees, VP (Finance) Jess Anderson declined a phone interview.

Correction: Sept. 24, 2020

Because of an error while collecting information, a previous version of this article misstated some of the fee changes for this year. The numbers have been updated accordingly throughout the article and the graphic.

Local artists collaborate on a mural in support of Black Lives Matter

Art is able to articulate ideas and emotions in a way that words cannot, capturing the essence of the subjects in question. This is especially true in the case of issues such as racism and discrimination because art can give voice to experiences and feelings that are otherwise difficult to communicate. A group of Hamilton artists is using their art to do exactly this.

The protests that followed the killing of George Floyd in police custody got muralist Kayla Whitney thinking about how she as a white person and an artist could be a good ally to the Black community. Deciding to play to her strengths, she began to look into finding a space for a mural in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. By mid-July, she had found a wall in downtown Hamilton. While she had the space ready to go, she wanted the project to be led by Black artists. 

“I opted not to be an artist on this wall because I am white and this mural isn’t about me. My role in this project is to be helpful whenever I am needed, to answer questions on painting techniques and to deal with all the annoying background paperwork, funding and organizing,” explained Whitney.

Whitney put out a call on her Instagram page for Black artists in Hamilton interested in joining the project and this is how she came to meet graphic designer and illustrator Tandeka Tremblay and artist and designer Aichoucha Haidara. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC8wXyPHFBf/

Tremblay’s parents immigrated from the Caribbean and while she was born in Montreal, she spent most of her adolescence in Florida. In high school, she founded an art club, which gave her a community, a sense of belonging and later drove her to pursue art school. She now works for a design agency in Hamilton, creating promotional print pieces and murals.

Haidara is originally from Mali but moved around a lot within Africa growing up. Though she has been drawing all her life, it wasn’t until moving to Canada that she got into painting. Now based in Hamilton, she used her time during the pandemic to develop her art and design skills. 

While the mural itself is still in the early stages, it has officially gone from just an idea to an actuality. Currently, Whitney is finalizing the administrative work regarding the landlord’s approval of the design and funding. Meanwhile, Tremblay and Haidara have spent two weeks brainstorming and finalizing the design for the mural’s design.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CErV_i8hqIE/

Murals are a unique form of art as they are typically more accessible than traditional gallery pieces, as they are often in public spaces. Additionally, murals tend to be up for a very long time; people walk by them regularly for years following their installation. For these reasons, it was important to Tremblay and Haidara to include as much as possible in the mural, so that every time people visit it, they will see something new.

The artists have been very deliberate in choosing which images to depict in the mural to ensure many aspects of the Black experience are represented as well as key pieces from Black Canadian history.

The artists have been very deliberate in choosing which images to depict in the mural to ensure many aspects of the Black experience are represented as well as key pieces from Black Canadian history.

“I found that we went back and forth with ideas to include and how best to depict them in a unified way because we wanted both of our styles to really come together and to merge on this piece. We wanted it to depict a Black woman since Aicha and I both are Black women so obviously it's an experience that we both lived in. We wanted to illustrate our main hero, the Black woman, to be a representation of African, Black American and Caribbean cultures, all embodied into the same person to show unity of all of our different cultures together, which we don't often get to see . . . We also wanted to highlight different areas of innovation in history throughout the artwork and wanted to play with scale [to] show the dramatic size [of] our contributions, in music for instance . . . We just wanted to jam-pack it with as much information and knowledge and history that we could, but also in a beautiful package,” said Tandeka.

Both artists hope that the mural can serve as a celebration of the Black community and their history but also a reminder of the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CErUVWzBzdD/

“The Black Lives Matter movement has always faced backlash and pushback, unfortunately. I've always been a supporter of the movement and its core message. I often defend it online and in person. But I feel like no human being should have to defend their life's worth, or their right to live or their life mattering. So it can be frustrating having to keep explaining and defending a movement that at its core is just our right to live and to survive normal interactions. So, this mural can be interpreted as a response to why Black lives matter, I think, because it proudly displays a small portion, like a fraction, of our contributions, to society worldwide,” explained Tandeka.

"So, this mural can be interpreted as a response to why Black lives matter, I think, because it proudly displays a small portion, like a fraction, of our contributions, to society worldwide.”

“I hope that [the audience] will walk away feeling happy and if they're Black, I really hope that they'll walk away feeling proud and really inspired to appreciate their own culture and just fall in love with it because not everybody is truly able to accept or enjoy their Blackness so I hope that if that person does come across it, they can be like, “Wow, Black artists did that,” or “it's really afro-centric work, I feel represented”,” continued Haidara.

The mural is very much a labour of love. All those involved in the project are passionate, full of enthusiasm and dedication. They are eager to move into the next stage of their work and to continue to use their art and their skills to raise awareness and to support Hamilton’s Black community.

The field of medicine lacks diversity because applying to medical school is inaccessible

CW: ableism, racism, classism

Coming into university, I thought I was going to be a doctor. I got accepted into health sciences and thought that health was something I wanted to pursue. While I am still passionate about health care, I’ve come to many realizations during my undergraduate degree — with one of them being that I am unable to apply to medical school due to my disabilities.

It’s hard to face the reality that some things might be unattainable for you when there is this mindset pushed that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. I agree that it’s good to work hard and set goals for yourself, but becoming a doctor is a bit more complicated than simply “working hard.”

It’s hard to face the reality that some things might be unattainable for you when there is this mindset pushed that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. I agree that it’s good to work hard and set goals for yourself, but becoming a doctor is a bit more complicated than simply “working hard.”

The first barrier I came across was the lack of accessibility surrounding the application process. For most Canadian medical schools, you have to write the Medical College Admission Test in order to apply. The MCAT is a multiple choice examination that covers a wide variety of subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology, and assesses your critical thinking and problem solving skills. 

Typically, the MCAT is a seven hour and 30 minute-long test where you are not allowed to access water or food except for during the scheduled breaks. To allow for things such as extra time, a separate testing area or even water or food during the testing period, you have to apply for accommodations.

Accommodations for the MCAT are known to be notoriously difficult to access according to many applicants. You need to submit a profile, your condition, history, a personal statement that talks about your experiences and a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified professional. The problem with this is that many people with disabilities may not always have a “proper” diagnosis since many conditions are hard to diagnose and may even take years — it took five years and several doctors to diagnose my rare knee condition. In addition, folks may face barriers in accessing healthcare services due to long wait times, racism, classism or other forms of discrimination. 

The Association of American Medical Colleges, which administers the MCAT, is known to be strict on accommodations. Even if you have extensive documentation for your disability, you may be denied accommodations. Many have shared such experiences on platforms such as Reddit, detailing the hardships of accessing accommodations. If you’re given accommodations, it could not be what you requested for. As a result, many people decide to “power through” instead of applying for an accommodation. In addition, up until 2015, MCAT accommodations used to be flagged for being administered in a non-standard setting, which could have an impact on your medical school applications.

Even amidst a pandemic, the MCAT is still running in-person — they have shortened the test from seven hours and 30 minutes with two 10 minute breaks and one 30 minute break to five hours and 45 minutes with three 10 minute breaks. It’s ironic that MCAT testing is in-person and could potentially put test takers at risk, while other standardized tests like the Law School Admission Test is online to accommodate for the pandemic. 

It’s ironic that MCAT testing is in-person and could potentially put test takers at risk, while other standardized tests like the Law School Admission Test is online to accommodate for the pandemic. 

Ableism isn’t the only barrier people face in applying to medical school. A recent study found that McMaster University Medical School applicants often come from upper-class families, with the median income of $98,816 being almost $30,000 higher than the average Canadian. From those who were accepted into McMaster, the median income was $105,959. This creates a huge disparity in healthcare: low-income patients will often lose out on the opportunity to have a physician that can empathize with their experiences or fully understand conditions that disproportionately affect low-income people. 

Applying to medical school is difficult, but low-income students have it even harder because the cost of applying to medical school is high. Maintaining a high grade point average requires hard work and lots of studying, but when you’re juggling two or three jobs on top of that, it can be exceedingly difficult. Not to mention that while low-income students often have to work jobs, students that are more well-off can spend their time doing volunteer work or extracurricular activities that can boost their resume. Upper-class students can also pay for MCAT prep courses to help boost their scores, which can cost up to $2000. If you’ve received a medical school interview, you may also need to book a bus, train or plane ticket for the in-person interview depending on where the school is located.

Another disparity that has been very visible this year is the lack of Black and Indigenous medical students in Canada. Very few Black students have been admitted to McMaster Medical School for the past five years and other Canadian medical schools historically haven’t done much better with admitting Black and Indigenous students either.

Very few Black students have been admitted to McMaster Medical School for the past five years and other Canadian medical schools historically haven’t done much better with admitting Black and Indigenous students either.

In the class of 2020, I was the only Black medical student in my class! And my class was super amazing but I think it could of been better. Sign our open letter to the McMaster MD program to make huge improvements towards diversity and inclusion! https://t.co/GCJChL9kk6

— Oluwatobi Olaiya (@tobiolaiya_) June 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/Alavian_S/status/1274457232680378373

Although there have been some changes, such as Queen’s University changing their accelerated medical school route so that it is reserved for Black and Indigenous students only, many people have criticized these changes, as Black and Indigenous students will be entering an environment that may not be supportive. 

Although I appreciate the approach Queen's has begun to take, I do wish more was addressed on how these Black and Indigenous students will be properly supported at a school that is known to have blatant issues with racism especially for undergrads: https://t.co/Xy5SR4DSHb https://t.co/tVcg1bOfm4

— Iku Nwosu, MD (@IkuNwosu) July 24, 2020

I’ve always found it ironic that medical school is inaccessible in many facets — the fact that people with disabilities, low-income individuals and Black and Indigenous folks are disadvantaged when applying highlights the lack of doctors who belong to these identities. The best doctors that I’ve had are ones that can empathize with my experiences. But if the majority of doctors are abled, upper-class and not Black or Indigenous, you alienate a large group of people. 

The ongoing and potential impacts of returning students on the city of Hamilton

September, a bustling month typically reserved for McMaster students to flock to Hamilton as they brace themselves for the school year, has already looked completely different from previous years. Despite most courses being completely online, many students are moving back close to campus for many reasons, including mandatory labs and wanting to live independently. However, they are moving back in smaller numbers than in previous years and the residential areas surrounding McMaster are much quieter than what is typically expected at the start of a school year.

With that said, the returning upperclassmen are still leaving a footprint on Hamilton. While some community members are welcoming students and the business they bring with them, others are fearful of a potential spike in COVID-19 cases in Hamilton as students gather around the McMaster area. 

Undergraduate students are surely predictable creatures. Where there are students present, there is money being spent on their favourite products and food items. The economic impact of McMaster students moving back to Hamilton for the fall semester cannot be ignored or understated. Many businesses have already experienced increased traffic and revenue, ultimately boosting the city of Hamilton’s economy. One such example is CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice on Main Street West, the iconic bubble tea shop that draws in students as soon as they catch a faint smell of tapioca. 

“We thought that pretty much all the university's courses are online right now and so we thought we would not get that many customers,” explained Jason, a supervisor at CoCo’s. “But actually, some of the students still have labs and they still have to go to school. So, people are coming back and business has started getting better.”

This is especially important given that many businesses were deemed as non-essential during the earlier months of the pandemic and many suffered losses in revenue or even staff. Hence, the returning McMaster student body is welcomed by many across Hamilton as a way to recover from said losses. 

“I think pretty much all the local restaurants beside McMaster get more business because the students are coming back,” said Jason. 

However, it is obviously not only local businesses that are excited about the return of many McMaster students, but also the students themselves. For many, the start of the school year is an escape from the long months of self-isolation and social distancing, which began in March when students were forced to move back to their homes. Months of boredom and frustration have culminated in an exciting new start for students who are settling into their new student homes, seeing old friends and starting a new chapter in their lives. Although this has looked different from previous years, many students are still happy about this change in scenery. 

“It's definitely been different being back in Hamilton with everything that's been going on,” said Isabelle Cavanagh, a second-year biology and psychology, neuroscience and behaviour student. “But it's nice to be back because it's just nice to see everybody again. I'm mostly looking forward to seeing some of my friends again and being a little independent and having something to do with my time in regards to school.”

Despite the joys of starting a new school year, many students are still fearful of the implications of returning to Hamilton alongside so many of their peers as the pandemic still rages on. Where there are gatherings, there is a looming risk of contracting COVID-19. 

“I would mostly be worried about not every student taking it as seriously as [they] should be, with other students deciding to party and hang out in large groups and not respect social distancing and how big your social circle should be . . . it only takes a couple students to ruin it for everybody,” said Cavanagh.

For many, this fear is made all the more real by the testimonies of students online witnessing large parties across the McMaster area that challenge public health recommendations and guidelines. 

“To the students not abiding by COVID-19 regulations, I would just remind them that even though it's very frustrating to have to abide by some of the regulations, if we don't abide now, it's only going to set us back even further into stage two or even stage one,” Cavanagh went on to say. “And then it's going to be even more frustrating because we'll have to work our way back up to where we are now.”

The return of students and potential lack of respect for COVID-19 regulations has been acknowledged by many professionals as a very real threat. From the perspective of public health authorities and health care professionals, it appears younger generations are starting to cease abiding by COVID-19 regulations and ultimately bearing some of the responsibility for increases in active cases. 

“The majority of cases at least within Ontario, but I think it's pretty much true across the western hemisphere currently . . . are among those less than 40 years old,” explained Dr. Dominik Mertz, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at McMaster. “In Hamilton, the largest proportion [of COVID-19 cases] we see is among the 20-to-29-year-olds, so that's definitely the population that has the highest load of COVID these days.” 

“In Hamilton, the largest proportion [of COVID-19 cases] we see is among the 20-to-29-year-olds, so that's definitely the population that has the highest load of COVID these days.” 

Although it may appear inevitable that there will be exposure to COVID-19 among returning students with gatherings, parties and growing social bubbles, there are important recommendations that authorities have for students to ensure they remain safe. It is important that students remain informed, vigilant and listen to recommendations from professionals. 

“I think it would be an illusion to say “don’t form any new bubbles”,” said Mertz. “Now that people are moving somewhere new, I think the recommendation that may be . . . palatable for people . . . will be: try to establish your new circle . . . as quickly as possible and then have a more stable crew of people you interact with on a regular basis.” 

“Now that people are moving somewhere new, I think the recommendation that may be . . . palatable for people . . . will be: try to establish your new circle . . . as quickly as possible and then have a more stable crew of people you interact with on a regular basis.”

Although it is important that everyone obeys public health guidelines, it is inevitable that certain rules will not be obeyed by all; humans are social creatures after all. For students who are gathering with others or even attending parties, there is advice for them as well to ensure they do so as safely as possible. 

“I think the most pragmatic recommendation other than “stay within that stable group of friends or household members as much as you can” is to avoid indoors for large gatherings,” emphasized Mertz. “Do it outdoors whenever you can; that reduces the risk significantly.”

“I think the most pragmatic recommendation other than “stay within that stable group of friends or household members as much as you can” is to avoid indoors for large gatherings.”

Despite the fears that many students share with respect to COVID-19 exposures as they move back to Hamilton, it is important students embrace this new chapter in their life as fully as they can. The best way to do this is to live day by day, to the best of their ability, in accordance with public health regulations and ensure they keep themselves and their peers safe. 

When reached for an interview about the impact McMaster students will have on Hamilton, Mayor Fred Eisenberger was unavailable for an interview.