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.

Ashantae Handcrafted promotes self-care while empowering the Black community

When much of the world came to a standstill during the early months of the pandemic many people looked for new ways to fill their days. Some took advantage of their newfound time to learn new skills or tackle various projects. 

McMaster University student Alethea Clarke and her mother, Sacha Clarke, decided to use their time to start a business. Their online natural health and beauty business, Ashantae Handcrafted, will officially launch in early October. Currently, their main products are soy candles and natural soap bars.

“[Ashantae Handcrafted] came about as an idea during COVID, sitting around being bored, seeing other people getting their business[es] started . . .  and us ourselves trying to figure out self-care . . . We just decided "let’s start a business",” said Alethea.

Described as artsy by her mother, Alethea is currently a second-year student in the life sciences program at McMaster. She is passionate about healthcare and finding ways to better people’s health. Collaborating with her mother, she created a business that merges her interests, using handcrafted goods to promote health, wellness and self-care.

“Just finding that time for yourself and to feel empowered to take that break . . . it could be sitting at home reading a book and having a candle lit. There's just a sense of peace that it gives you,” said Sacha.

“Just finding that time for yourself and to feel empowered to take that break . . . it could be sitting at home reading a book and having a candle lit. There's just a sense of peace that it gives you,” said Sacha.

Currently based in Oshawa, Ashantae Handcrafted offers delivery only within the Greater Toronto Area, but they will also do regular trips to Hamilton to drop off orders at a designated pick up location.

Alethea and Sacha are aware of the impact the products we use every day can have on our environment. All their products are made by them and use environmentally friendly ingredients, such as soy wax derived from soybeans, activated charcoal and essential oils. They want to do what they can to reduce their own carbon footprints and help others do the same.

Additionally, as a small Black business, it’s very important to them to use their platform to encourage and empower their community as well.

“I feel like it's important that we address that we are a small Black business . . . and it's important for our community — to just uplift [the] community as well . . . nothing is too out of reach for us,” said Alethea.

“Also, just to empower young people as well . . . to think outside the box and maybe create something and do something that you’re good with. Like if you're good with your hands, start building stuff and something like that [can] change your direction. Like instead of you now looking for a summer job or job over the holidays, you can create your own,” Sacha added.

While their journey as business owners is only just beginning, both women are happy with the work they’re doing. Undertaking this project together has made the journey even better.

“In terms of what's been the best part for us so far, I think it's just working with my mom. It's pretty cool . . .  having this amazing idea to bring to the community and just to carry that out,” said Alethea, both her and her mother smiling widely.

Going forward, they plan to introduce customizable gift baskets for the holidays. They are also considering adding more products eventually, such as bath bombs or body scrubs. They’ll continue to expand their selection as long as it’s possible for them to make the products themselves and ensure that they’re conscious of both human and environmental wellbeing.  

Allegations highlight the need for systemic and cultural change around sexual violence and discrimination. 

CW: sexual assault

The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour has now penalized five indiviudals, including at least four suspensions from campus and their positions, due to allegations under the Sexual Violence Policy and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy. Investigations first began in February, when news arose that an associate professor, Scott Watter, was suspended. In June, Watter was charged with two counts of sexual assault that occurred in 2017. 

On July 28, David Farrar, president of McMaster University, released a letter stating that the school will be conducting an investigation into the department’s underlying cultural and systemic issues.

“McMaster will not tolerate any behaviour that threatens the security and safety of any member of our campus community. I recognize the courage of the complainants who have come forward, and I want to assure them that their allegations will be fully and fairly investigated and that appropriate action will be taken,” wrote Farrar. 

While the university has stated they will be conducting an investigation, services around campus such as the McMaster Students Union’s Women and Gender Equity Network look to see what action will be taken to support survivors of sexual violence. WGEN is a service that offers a support group run by and catered to survivors. The content of the support groups are dictated by those within the group and it is entirely peer-run. By doing so, the service encourages an environment where survivors are given the chance to seek support in a way they desire.  

Speaking to the Silhouette about improvements regarding the implementation of survivor-centric practices, Yimeng Wang, coordinator of WGEN, said that although the school may be doing its best to support survivors, policies by nature are inflexible. This can put limitations on how much emphasis is truly placed on survivors and their individual needs.

Wang believes that putting in place survivor-centric practices means giving autonomy to the person who has been harmed. Allowing survivors to ask for accountability from the person who has caused harm in a way that they desire is an important part of providing them with adequate support.

Wang believes that putting in place survivor-centric practices means giving autonomy to the person who has been harmed. Allowing survivors to ask for accountability from the person who has caused harm in a way that they desire is an important part of providing them with adequate support. 

Wang also added that the limitations of policies does not excuse the harm that the school may create. 

“Neither [the sexual violence policy and the discrimination and harassment policy] are policies sufficient for creating survivor-centric spaces — that comes from constantly practicing support and listening to survivors' needs. If harm has been caused in the past, forgiveness or changes in perspective are not owed to the institution that has caused that harm regardless of changes that have occurred since then,” said Wang.

Along with the ongoing investigation, protests to defund the police have been occurring across the nation, including within the city of Hamilton. At McMaster, many students have been calling for the termination of Glenn De Caire, McMaster’s head of parking and security services, due to concerns of discrimination and racial profiling. 

In addition to discrimination issues, there are concerns from students around how security services responds to disclosures of sexual violence.

Wang added that the ways we address harm are often tied to punitive measures and security services. 

“While some survivors may feel safe and want to take the approach of disclosing to Security Services and police, a lot of survivors have very rightful concerns and harmful associations and experiences with those systems, especially when we look at the specific people in power at Security Services at McMaster right now. There are ways in which those ties make it more harmful for survivors to disclose,” said Wang.

Advocating for the removal of campus police, a group known as De Caire Off Campus recently shared via social media regarding the harm that special constables have on survivors’ disclosure experience. The group noted that students have experienced accusations of lying as well as dissuasion to press charges. In addition, the group shared several alleged reported incidents of campus police abusing their power, making the service ill-equipped to handle sexual violence.

CW sexual violence

(THREAD) In light of instances of sexual violence becoming public, @McMasterU has put forward McMaster Security Services as a “resource.” What do students have to say about special constables’ approach to safety for survivors? 1/ https://t.co/RrBwulexI9

— De Caire Off Campus (@copfreecampus) August 11, 2020

As students begin their fall semester, the investigation into the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour progresses while groups such as De Caire Off Campus continue to call for the termination of the special constable program. 

As the investigation unfolds, McMaster has suggested that those in need of support can reach out to resources such as:

• Student Wellness Centre 
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)
• Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton & Area (SACHA) 
• Health Safety & Wellbeing or Homewood Health (for employees)

The latest health and safety measures mean first-year orientation has had to shift to online delivery.

Welcome Week took on a very new look this year by going virtual. COVID-19 restrictions and McMaster University’s decision to have an online fall term pushed Welcome Week programming and supports to new platforms. From Archway to live and recorded events during Welcome Week, campus organizations have adapted in-person orientation supports to provide incoming first-year students with opportunities to meet other students, learn campus resources and gain university academic skills. 

Archway

The Archway program was developed by McMaster Residence Life staff to provide every incoming first-year with a community of 40 other students, an archway mentor and an archway coach. Archway provides each incoming first-year student with proactive guidance, personalized support and a community based on interests. The students meet one-on-one with their mentor and their community once a month and engage with Archway-wide programming throughout the summer and school year.

“[T]he focus is always on the first years . . .  [and] to help students in the long run to make sure they are supported throughout this online environment as much as possible,” said Kyle Faiczak, the residence orientation planner for Residence Life.

“[T]he focus is always on the first years . . .  [and] to help students in the long run to make sure they are supported throughout this online environment as much as possible,” said Kyle Faiczak, the residence orientation planner for Residence Life.

The coaches are full-time McMaster staff and the mentors are McMaster undergraduate students. These roles are designed to provide first-year students with one-on-one support, provide resources and referrals to appropriate offices and to foster relationships in the broader McMaster community.

Jonathan Zaslavsky, a fourth-year integrated science student and archway mentor, was initially hired as a residence orientation advisor. With the transition to online orientation programming, he helped create activities and events for Archway. Prior to Welcome Week, he and the other mentors met with their first-year students to encourage them to engage with the programming. Archway’s presence during Welcome Week was limited to avoid overwhelming students. Some mentors were present at the McMaster welcome event as familiar faces who helped connect first-years with faculty representatives. Zaslavsky said that his role during Welcome Week was to support the students through a one-on-one capacity. 

Faiczak has been working to develop content for what he’s calling the McMaster experience by taking typical first-year activities that would take place in-person and redesigning them for a virtual environment. Activities like taking photos at Edwards arch might be recreated as an Instagram filter. Apart from that, he’s worked to support the mentors and will continue to develop programming and adjust priorities as needed by the students. 

Welcome Week

The Student Success Centre and faculty representatives both designed and ran programming for the virtual Welcome Week. Events involved the strategic themes of responsible substance use, sexual violence prevention, response, support, mental health and well-being. Students filled out RSVP forms to receive the necessary links to each event, available through a central Welcome Week website with a schedule of over 200 events. Among the roster of activities were inter-faculty trivia, academic success workshops, international student orientation and a celebration of Black, Indigenous and other students of colour.

The Welcome Week schedule offered a mix of live, on-your-own and multiple session events. Live programming included SSC workshops and faculty socials, while MSU Campus Events hosted solo trivia. Some events were hosted at multiple times to accommodate larger groups and create a more intimate atmosphere, as well as to accommodate different time zones. Both the live and on-your-own events included closed captions. Events were scheduled throughout the day, starting as early as 8 a.m. and last events beginning at 8 p.m. Madeleine Raad, the Welcome Week faculty coordinator stated that both the earliest and latest time slots were the most popular. International students had to take into consideration the time difference when participating in synchronous events.

Students also have the option to watch recordings from many of the academic and student life events that took place during Welcome Week, providing another avenue for participation. Raad said that though participation has been a bit lower this year than the typical in-person welcome week, there were still a lot of engaged and enthusiastic first years. By Sept. 3, there were over 25,000 RSVP forms with 8,000 incoming first-years. Though not every student participated, there were still many students who wanted to be involved in virtual welcome week.

When reached for an interview about the MSU’s involvement with the changes to Welcome Week, MSU President Giancarlo Da-Ré and VP Administration Graeme Noble declined a phone interview.

New initiative creates space for the mixed race community to connect and share their stories

There is something incredibly valuable about being seen. More than just being in someone’s field of view, being seen involves a recognition of all facets of your identity as well as the acknowledgment that you are not alone. Being seen is something that most people struggle with at some point, but for many individuals of mixed race, this experience of being unseen is due in part to the lack of spaces where they feel they belong.  

This lack of space is something that Sarah Barnhart — a mindful movement teacher at Hamilton’s Goodbodyfeel studio — has been increasingly aware of. As a white-presenting, biracial woman, Barnhart often struggled to feel that she belonged. Growing up in Burlington, she faced many questions about her identity, making her feel like she had to constantly explain herself to others. 

Prior to the pandemic, Goodbodyfeel organized a workshop for the BIPOC community. It was here that Barnhart connected with other mixed folks and began to seriously consider that a local space for the mixed community might be of interest to others. Around this time, she also discovered other mixed community pages on Instagram, which she found to be very supportive. Encouraged by close friends, she created a space for Hamilton’s mixed community to come together and share their stories. The initiative was launched as an Instagram page this past July.

“I've been thinking about it for a long time . . . I thought ‘what is actually stopping me from creating this?’ and the answer was my own fear. And then I just had to step past it,” Barnhart said, smiling warmly as she recalled the moment when she committed to creating her initiative.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMN3JDDFXe/

While Mixed in Hamilton features beautiful artwork and encouraging words, its main focus is to share the stories and experiences of mixed communities. These stories are presented through a series of posts entitled “Mixed Stories.” For Barnhart, sharing these stories is incredibly important and was something she had hoped from the beginning that Mixed in Hamilton could facilitate so that people could feel seen and have their experiences heard.

“It is incredibly honouring to have people trust [me] and the space enough to send their stories and have them featured so that they have a space for their voice to be heard and for them to be seen as all of who they are in their mixedness, not all of who they are in their separate part . . . or for me, not being seen at all as anything,” Barnhart said.

It’s clear from the comments on her Instagram page that Barnhart wasn’t the only one who noticed the need for a space like this in Hamilton. The comments are overwhelmingly positive, filled with words of support and gratitude. Her followers seem happy to have a place where they can see themselves.

“[I want people to come away] knowing that the middle is enough. Knowing that you're enough, that you're not alone, that you have community and that you are welcome. And yes, just a space for people to be and to just feel held,” explained Barnhart.

“[I want people to come away] knowing that the middle is enough. Knowing that you're enough, that you're not alone, that you have community and that you are welcome. And yes, just a space for people to be and to just feel held,” explained Barnhart.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDi7Or-HzvX/

 

Barnhart also had some kind words for mixed students, inviting them to come check out her page. She wants students to know that they are not alone. 

“If you've been sort of floating through your life thinking you're the only person having this experience of mixedness, of not fitting in, of being on the edge of a group, of bridging or floating in two different spaces . . . knowing that you're not alone, that you do belong as you are, as who you are and that who you are as you are is enough — is perfect . . . the space is a reminder of that for folks who may be floating,” Barnhart added.

Taking inspiration from this idea of floating between two spaces, Barnhart is hosting a virtual workshop entitled “The Middle” on Sept. 15, 2020. The workshop is an opportunity for the mixed community to come together and share stories and experiences. The workshop will begin with some guided movement, similar to yoga, led by Barnhart, followed by the opportunity for participants to introduce themselves and share some of their story. The rest of the workshop will be guided by prompts to facilitate sharing.

This is only the beginning for Barnhart and Mixed in Hamilton. She has big plans for her initiative moving forward, including potentially expanding to other social media platforms and running more workshops, including some about parenting mixed children. No matter what direction her initiative takes in the future, Barnhart wants to ensure that the mixed community has the space they need to feel seen and supported.

OUA and U Sports cancel all games and competitions amidst COVID-19 pandemic

In March, U Sports cancelled their hockey and volleyball national championships following university closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 8, U Sports decided to further cancel all six fall 2020 national championships.

“Although the Canadian sport system is working together to create evidence-based return to training, practice and competition protocols, it is not currently feasible or safe due to the COVID-19 pandemic for U Sports to be able to offer fall championships given the academic realities of student-sport,” said Dr. Taryn Taylor, the chief medical officer of U Sports, according to the U Sports website.

U Sports came to this decision after considering virtual learning methods, public health guidelines and travel restrictions. The board understands that students are financially limited and made a decision as early as possible to allow students to adequately prepare for the fall term, including adapting to virtual learning and signing housing leases. U Sports has also made a variety of changes regarding eligibility and financial awards for athletes. Eligibility will not be considered for championship sports this fall term, in which students being deemed ineligible previously will be able to participate in the 2021 sports championships. Scholarships will still be permitted as long as students abide by regulations set out by their institution and U Sports.

U Sports’ national championship cancellations include the men’s and women’s cross country running, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s field hockey, women’s rugby and men’s football. This also includes the cancellation of the prestigious Vanier Cup.

Immediately following U Sports’ decision, Ontario University Athletics released its statement cancelling all fall sports until Dec. 31, 2020. 

“The health of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, and fans is our number one priority, and after significant consultation, we believe that OUA sport cannot be delivered prior to December 31,” wrote Mike DeGagné in a press release, chair of the OUA board of directors.

“The health of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, and fans is our number one priority, and after significant consultation, we believe that OUA sport cannot be delivered prior to December 31,” wrote Mike DeGagné, chair of the OUA board of directors. 

OUA’s decision is mirrored by Atlantic University Sport, who has cancelled all competition until January 2021. Canada West cancelled all team sports competitions for the fall 2020 term but will still allow individual sports championships, namely swimming and golf, to occur safely following direction from their own COVID-19 Task Force. This contrasts OUA’s decision to exclude individual sports, which they based on travel requirements, medical support and close living spaces during the national championship period. With that being said, Canada West cancelled their cross country championships, where the task force believed that the “reduction of team complement, altered start, creating defined passing areas or hosting regional championships (one BC, one prairie) – would too significantly impact the integrity of the championships.”

On the other hand, the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec decided on Aug. 31, to continue school sports at the college and university level as of Sept. 14. Such accommodations will be regulated by the Ministère de l’Éducation, the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur and by Quebec’s public health guidelines.

Shawn Burt, director of athletics and recreation at McMaster University, released a statement providing support for the McMaster Marauders Athletes.

“McMaster currently sponsors 38 varsity teams across more than 20 sports, all of which will be affected by this cancellation. While the future is uncertain, the OUA remains hopeful that it can provide quality experiences for its student-athletes starting in the new year and will be closely monitoring the ongoing health considerations and viability for these opportunities over the coming months,” wrote Burt.

“McMaster currently sponsors 38 varsity teams across more than 20 sports, all of which will be affected by this cancellation. While the future is uncertain, the OUA remains hopeful that it can provide quality experiences for its student-athletes starting in the new year and will be closely monitoring the ongoing health considerations and viability for these opportunities over the coming months,” wrote Burt.

With the winter 2021 term being in-person as suggested by classroom allocations, it may be a possibility that university athletics and sports return for January 2021, while adhering to public health regulations. As gyms are recently opening and shutting down due to COVID-19 exposure, OUA is currently working alongside institutions on a safe plan to implement training while possibly re-implementing the cancelled championships for spring 2021.

How McMaster’s response to sexual violence on campus is failing

By: Maddie Brockbank, Contributor

CW: sexual violence, racism

On June 18, CBC News released an article that stated that Scott Watter, a McMaster University associate professor for the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour was formally charged with sexual assault. Since then, three McMaster faculty and one graduate student from the same department have been suspended and banned from campus, pending an investigation into ongoing allegations of sexual misconduct and violations of the sexual violence policy. On Aug. 6, a letter penned by the dean of science was shared by a number of local reporters on Twitter. It indicated that these times are “without precedent at the university” and emphasized the importance of the current investigation into the “culture” of the PNB department.

NEW@McMasterU suspends a graduate student and bans them from campus as the sexual harassment and misbehaviour scandal in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour finds more incidents. The university has an outside law firm investigating. #HamOnt #cdnpse pic.twitter.com/s0uFxa5Ty2

— Joey Coleman (@JoeyColeman) August 6, 2020

I have found myself wondering how exactly McMaster University’s administration can continue to name these experiences as “unprecedented.” A quick dive into a recent history paints a significantly different picture.

In January 2019, the former coach of McMaster’s wrestling team was charged with sexual assault. The assault occurred during his coaching tenure, although details had not been released about whether the survivor was a current student at McMaster.

In March 2019, the Silhouette published an article delving into the culture of sexual violence within the Maroons, a student-led group that seeks to connect incoming undergraduate students with the McMaster Students Union and boost school spirit. The survivors that the Silhouette interviewed described being assaulted by fellow Maroons and how the MSU’s investigative processes failed to support them, as they were pushed out of potential solutions.

In 2019 alone, the vice-president of the Equity and Inclusion Office indicated that there were 90 reports of sexual violence on campus. Of those, 60 turned into official complaints and merely five moved forward into a formal investigation. Furthermore, the Sil has previously published on students’ experiences of being failed by the system of reporting, investigating and adjudicating experiences of sexual assault. The article describes their experience of a system that causes survivors to go through an emotionally (re)traumatizing process that enforces a type of gag order on survivors (under the guise of confidentiality) and fails to deploy a rape shield protection (that protects survivors from having their sexual history and past behaviour called into question in an effort to discredit their claims during an investigation). Moreover, this process puts survivors in a long period of limbo and at the end, does not always inform survivors of any sanctions placed on the perpetrator in the event that they are found to be in violation of the policy.

The numbers listed above could also be inaccurate and fail to represent the pervasiveness of sexual violence on campus. In the Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey, facilitated across Ontario postsecondary campuses in 2019, McMaster saw 63.7 per cent of respondents indicate that they had experienced sexual harassment on campus during their student tenure. Moreover, 75.7 per cent of McMaster respondents reported that they had witnessed sexual violence or an incident that had the potential to become sexual violence. Sexual violence continues to be one of the most underreported crimes in Canada, with merely five per cent of sexual assaults being reported to police and 83 per cent of survivors never disclosing their experience to a helping professional. It’s clear that the statistics we have available about this issue could only be the tip of the iceberg. 

In response to the suspensions of PNB faculty, McMaster’s president, David Farrar, similarly released his own statement on behalf of the university. The letter emphasized the investigation’s exploration of the “culture” of the PNB department and urged students impacted to reach out to the Sexual Violence and Response Office, the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area, the Student Wellness Centre and McMaster Security Services, among others. 

A few things stand out here. Firstly, the mention of SACHA seems to omit the reality that, in 2019, McMaster cut a $9000 contract with SACHA to train Welcome Week reps despite the fact that SACHA played an integral role in ensuring McMaster even had a sexual assault policy. Secondly, the exclusion of the Women and Gender Equity Network, who have carried peer support for survivors at McMaster for several years, fails to acknowledge their contributions to ensuring the campus is a safer place for survivors. Lastly, the mention of Security Services reads as quite inconsiderate in the wake of mounting student pressure for McMaster to terminate its contract with head of security, Glenn De Caire, for his stance on racial profiling practices, such as carding, and connections to Hamilton Police Services (where 70 per cent of sexual assault cases were improperly labelled as “unfounded” by HPS in 2019). 

It’s troubling when McMaster’s administration continues to emphasize that these times are “unprecedented” and that the solution is to merely examine the “culture” of a singular department. Sexual violence is, frankly, an issue impacting every facet of campus.

It’s troubling when McMaster’s administration continues to emphasize that these times are “unprecedented” and that the solution is to merely examine the “culture” of a singular department. Sexual violence is, frankly, an issue impacting every facet of campus.

The experiences discussed above — and my own — speak to this reality. In 2018, I booked a meeting with the then-director of athletics, Glen Grunwald, about how the Marauders could support sexual violence prevention efforts by attending my event on engaging men in anti-violence efforts. Grunwald never showed for the meeting. Another representative in the department promised me that athletics would support the event by getting student-athletes to attend. Former football coach, Greg Knox, promised the whole football team would attend. Countless emails to other coaches were left without replies and by the day of the event, zero representatives of McMaster Athletics showed up.

While McMaster Athletics is under its own investigation into student-athletes’ experiences of anti-Black racism, it feels pertinent to note that these instances are not isolated and are not “without precedent.” Issues of racism and sexual violence are interdependent; they rely on each other to function and are borne from the same system that enables marginalization of and violence against students to occur. In other words, racism enables violence to happen and it affects marginalized students disproportionately. When the system or personnel responsible for redressing instances of violence face allegations of racism themselves, it allows a cycle of violence to continue.

“We still have work to do” LOL. Y’all never started shit to begin with. Start by firing Mark Alfano. How about that? I’ve experienced a lot of systemic racism during my time at McMaster. Myself and other black student athletes brought it up to Mark & Glen and they brushed us off. https://t.co/W2F37z8sCL

— Fab (@Fabloescoo) June 28, 2020

McMaster’s continued emphasis on siloing these issues and depicting them as “breaking news” means that they fail to acknowledge that these experiences are the lived reality of generations of students. Launching yet another (reactive and redundant) investigation into the “culture” of individual parts of campus life, again, discredits the countless narratives provided by students about their experiences of violence and marginalization. Why aren’t their stories enough proof? Why is McMaster responding in this way now, when this isn’t the first time these things have come up? What is the end goal of these investigations and will anything change?

Sexual violence in the PNB department, among many other issues affecting McMaster’s campus, is symptomatic of a much larger issue at the university and in the broader Hamilton community.

Sexual violence in the PNB department, among many other issues affecting McMaster’s campus, is symptomatic of a much larger issue at the university and in the broader Hamilton community. When one in four women will experience sexual violence during their time at a postsecondary institution, it is not unprecedented or isolated. When Hamilton reports the highest hate crime rate per capita in Canada, it is not unprecedented or isolated. When a number of current and former Black, Indigenous and racialized students and student-athletes disclose years of racism and abuse at the university, it is not unprecedented or isolated. 

When McMaster continues to treat these times as “without precedent” and reflective of singular facets of campus, it continues to fail students and invalidate their long-standing experiences of these issues.

If we have the ability to hold more accessible events, what’s stopping us from doing that?

This year, McMaster University’s Welcome Week was held entirely online due to the physical distancing restrictions in place for COVID-19. As a result, many events took place through platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Discord, Zoom and Twitch.

Events were held in two different ways. There were synchronous events, or events that took place during an allotted time with live representatives, that ranged from as early as 8 a.m. to as late as 8 p.m. On the other hand, some events were asynchronous and a long period of time was provided for first-years interested in participating and had no live component to the event. For example, the McMaster Students Union website scavenger hunt, which could have been completed any time during Welcome Week, required students to search through the MSU website to complete tasks. However, asynchronous events seemed to be few and far between, when we should be aiming to hold more events that don’t impose specific timing restrictions in order to increase accessibility for Mac students.

There are many issues with synchronous events. The first issue arises with the fact that the Welcome Week schedule is in eastern daylight time, which automatically puts international students at a loss. During an in-person Welcome Week, many international students are already disadvantaged, as events largely cater to English-speaking students. In addition, domestic and in-province students often know a few students going into McMaster, whether it is a family member, high school classmate or friend, which can ease the transition into university. On the other hand, international students may rely on orientations such as Welcome Week to make friends. 

Since many events take place during EDT daytime hours, students who have large time zone differences may find it hard to attend events as many events will occur during the night for them. In addition, some platforms used for synchronous events are Twitch and Discord, which are blocked in China. This adds an extra barrier for students who want to attend events but are living outside of Canada. McMaster has provided the option for students in China to use a free express virtual private network to access McMaster’s online learning resources, but it’s unclear whether this will include extracurricular activities that are not related to academics. 

It is important to note that many of the synchronous events were held multiple times throughout Welcome Week. For example, the faculty of social sciences held an event titled “Let’s Chat About It” which was held at four different times on Sept. 7. In addition, some Welcome Week events were recorded, which gives students who could not attend access to information they may have missed. While these are good considerations and we should continue to provide multiple options for students, we need to continue to strengthen these accommodations by making them completely asynchronous. Although recorded events are great, they do not provide students with an option to interact and engage with the event other than watching or listening to a video.

Although recorded events are great, they do not provide students with an option to interact and engage with the event other than watching or listening to a video.

Another issue with synchronous events is that many of these events are held either very early in the morning or during normal work hours, which prevents many students from attending. While past Welcome Weeks events also occurred at these times, it is now likely that more students are working part-time or full-time to make up for the financial strain that COVID-19 has had on everyone. Early morning events, on the other hand, can be difficult for students to attend as COVID-19 has had an impact on many people’s ability to have a consistent sleep schedule.

What we do know is that we have the capacity to run asynchronous events. The MSU website scavenger hunt proves that we can successfully hold asynchronous events. Making asynchronous events that are interactive and informative makes the event more accessible for students who may not be able to attend events at specific times due to a difference in time zone, a day job or because they’re dealing with sleeping problems.

Making asynchronous events that are interactive and informative makes the event more accessible for students who may not be able to attend events at specific times due to a difference in time zone, a day job or because they’re dealing with sleeping problems.

Asynchronous timing of events is something that we should consider continuing for events taking place throughout the school year. As we continue to physically distance and cope with an ongoing pandemic, many students are facing additional challenges that may not have come up during a normal school year.

Some people may argue that asynchronous events are harder to plan — and while that may be true, we shouldn’t avoid planning more accessible events just because they’re more difficult to hold. If Welcome Week is supposed to help first-years build community with their peers, we shouldn’t be leaving certain groups out of Welcome Week just because it’s more convenient.

The closing of HAVN’s physical location is not the end for the artist-run collective and DIY space

Since the pandemic lockdown began in March, people have been wondering how small businesses and artists will cope. Across the country and around the world, all of them have worked to adapt to the new circumstances as best as they can, from moving shops, programs and exhibitions online to conducting virtual concerts. However, despite these efforts, a number of venues have still been forced to close their doors. The Hamilton Audio Visual Node is among them.

HAVN began in spring 2012, inspired by Temporary Projects, a gallery and artist workspace operating in the Sonic Unyon building. After Temporary Projects concluded and through a series of fortunate circumstances, HAVN opened up on Barton Street East, where it has maintained its warm and welcoming space for artists over the past eight years. 

“As a group of young artists with a space to call our own, we immediately joined in with the energy of the street — hosting live music shows, art exhibits and using the space as an art studio and jam space . . . In the beginning, this was a strong exhibitory feature of HAVN, a marriage of sound, video, projection and interactivity through art installation in the gallery. It was a lovable grind to produce an exhibit monthly on Art Crawl for almost eight years. A part of the joy of HAVN was the constant transformation of the space using materials, technology and the incredible ideas and talents of resident and visiting artists,” commented the members of HAVN.

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

The use of ‘node’ in HAVN’s acronym is fitting because an integral tenet of the artist-run collective is to foster connection. Whether it be connections between different aspects of the arts and artists’ experiences or encouraging a sense of connection in Hamilton at large, HAVN’s space and programming have always reflected the importance of community and collaboration.

“We believe strongly in the value of moving away from individualism in practice and the value of non-competitive working relationships. The knowledge that can be acquired through working together, learning from each other and skill-sharing is rewarding and motivating. Ultimately, we hope our experience with HAVN can help people starting out to feel empowered to carve out their own space and believe in their own abilities to create something special,” wrote the HAVN members.

Ultimately, we hope our experience with HAVN can help people starting out to feel empowered to carve out their own space and believe in their own abilities to create something special,” wrote the HAVN members.

Prior to the pandemic, HAVN had been developing a new plan for their space, with a greater focus on community-oriented programming. Unfortunately, the lockdown forced them to put the plan on hold and now due to the closure of their physical location that plan will no longer go forward.

The decision to close HAVN’s physical location was driven largely by financial factors. Some members had their income reduced or lost their jobs entirely, making paying rent increasingly difficult.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B04lJDoHKk0/

“It no longer made responsible financial sense for us to pay for a space that is not able to be used sufficiently,” added the members of HAVN.

Additionally, HAVN’s physical location has presented problems for physical distancing. While some individuals and small groups have continued to use HAVN as a workspace throughout the pandemic, the size of the space makes physical distancing difficult and greatly limits the ability to safely gather, exhibit artwork and host performances.

The closing of HAVN’s doors is not the end for this artist-run group. Members of the gallery remain positive and eagerly look forward to new opportunities to continue creating art and fostering community. 

The closing of HAVN’s doors is not the end for this artist-run group. Members of the gallery remain positive and eagerly look forward to new opportunities to continue creating art and fostering community. 

“It’s definitely not the end! HAVN is more than a space . . . we will be back in some way, shape or form, activating new spaces when there is a safe way to do so, finding new ways to maintain community, show art and collaborate . . . We hope there will be more opportunities and possibilities after COVID and we are excited to see what those will be.”

HAVN’s last day at their 26 Barton St. E location will be Sept. 30, 2020.