Most students in paid MSU positions have volunteered for the MSU in the past
C/O Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash
Every year around February and March, the McMaster Students Union begins hiring for paid student positions. Whether it’s being a part-time director for an MSU service, a research assistant for MSU Advocacy or working for the Silhouette, there are many ways to get involved and actually be paid for your work.
In addition, the MSU highlights that prior employment or volunteer experience within the MSU is not required to apply for these positions. While that may be true, the odds of actually landing a position in the MSU without prior volunteer experience are very unlikely.
But if they’re saying you can apply without prior experience in the MSU, why would they not also hire students who don’t have prior experience? I’m not saying it’s impossible to be hired for a paid role, I’m just saying it’s not likely you will be hired for a paid role.
Why is that? Because in the four years I’ve been at McMaster University, most people I know who have been hired for paid roles had previous volunteer experience within the MSU.
Because in the four years I’ve been at McMaster University, most people I know who have been hired for paid roles had previous volunteer experience within the MSU.
Let’s highlight the part-time director positions first, shall we? Director positions are student positions that manage an MSU service. For example, services such as the Women and Gender Equity Network, Spark, the Student Health Education Centre, Diversity Services and Maccess all have a director.
Currently, all of these directors used to be volunteer executives for their respective services. Volunteer executives have to commit a large amount of time to the service — around 5-10 hours a week — typically for a whole year. If we open it up even further, most part-time directors have at least been a general volunteer for their service or the MSU as a whole.
Evidently, most directors have volunteered for the MSU in the past. This can make sense in many ways, as they are managing a whole service and obviously need to be qualified to do this — so volunteering is an asset, right? But what about paid positions that don’t involve directing a whole service?
Even for non-managerial roles, students who are hired for paid roles often have volunteer experience beforehand. I can speak on behalf of the Sil — as the Opinions Editor for the past two years, I volunteered for the Sil the year before I got hired.
At the Sil, previous experience is considered an asset. You don’t need to have previous experience to be hired, of course, but you’re much more likely to have a step-up in being hired if you can say you’ve written an article or two for the Sil in the past.
I can’t speak on behalf of the other paid roles in the MSU, but I can tell you that almost all my friends that have been hired for a paid role in the MSU have volunteered for the MSU at some point in their undergraduate career.
So what’s the problem? The problem is: what about the people who can’t afford to volunteer? Students may find themselves in a financially unstable situation where the only option they have is to find a job — volunteering simply doesn’t make sense because it won’t help them pay for their groceries or rent.
As a result, because they are not volunteering for the MSU, they are less likely to land a paid role in the MSU. This makes a lot of paid roles in the MSU financially inaccessible for students if they are unable to volunteer. They may be spectacular at the role they’re applying for, but they may not be hired because they don’t have previous experience with the MSU.
So what’s the problem? The problem is: what about the people who can’t afford to volunteer?
The fact that “you can apply regardless of MSU experience” is misleading — you can apply, but if you do have volunteer experience, you are more likely to be hired. It’s okay if volunteering helps you get a step up in being hired, but the MSU should start making that more clear.
Addressing student concerns to reinstate grade change option from Winter 2020
C/O Engin Akyurt
As we head into the last half of the 2021 winter semester, McMaster University students are beginning to call for an option to make this semester’s grades on a pass/fail basis. One such student is Rozhan Estaki, a second-year sociology student minoring in mental health and addictions.
Estaki started a petition on March 1 to have McMaster bring back the pass/fail option for winter 2021. This option was given in winter 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic led to an abrupt and complete shift from in-person to online learning.
Estaki started a petition on March 1 to have McMaster bring back the pass/fail option for winter 2021. This option was given in winter 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic led to an abrupt and complete shift from in-person to online learning.
“We got the opportunity last year to take the pass or fail option,” explained Estaki. “Although the situation is not as new [as winter 2020], it doesn't mean that online learning has gotten any easier.”
“Although the situation is not as new [as winter 2020], it doesn't mean that online learning has gotten any easier.”
Rozhan Estaki
She started the petition after talking to many of her friends and peers, who were all still struggling with online classes, especially this semester.
“It seems [like] we're covering [more in] what feels like a less amount of time,” emphasized Estaki.
As of March 7, the petition has 171 signatures, a number that has continued to grow each day.
Estaki expressed surprise over the amount of signatures. “I didn't think it would have such a positive turnover,” said Estaki.
In terms of the petition’s impact, Estaki hoped that it is something that will allow for professors and students to come to a common ground of understanding.
“It would be [important] to have Mac recognize that we as students are trying so hard. We appreciate the efforts that McMaster [and their] staff are putting in, but it just might feel like too much for some of us, [especially in terms of] mental health . . . we want people to see that, to recognize that, and to be comfortable with what we're producing,” said Estaki.
To evaluate the online learning environment, McMaster launched a virtual learning task force in fall 2020. The task force consisted of over 30 faculty, staff and students that collected feedback from the McMaster community about the virtual learning experience. This included the MacPherson Institute’s Fall 2020 Experience Survey in October that got over 3,000 responses from students and instructors.
The final report, released in November 2020, provided 21 recommendations for the university for winter 2021, especially highlighting the need for stronger mental health and support for well-being.
Estaki hoped that the petition will be an opportunity to raise awareness on student concerns and at the very least, start a conversation among McMaster faculty and administration about the pass/fail option.
“Mac is working hard towards inclusivity and especially in recognizing students with mental health concerns. I just think there's always room for improvement, and this is one of those things that should at least be considered,” said Estaki.
“Mac is working hard towards inclusivity and especially in recognizing students with mental health concerns. I just think there's always room for improvement, and this is one of those things that should at least be considered.”
Rozhan Estaki
Multidisciplinary artist speaks about the importance of conversation and our histories
C/O Bhavika Sharma
This article marks the beginning of the Artist Talks series. The pandemic has resulted in the closure of many galleries and limited the opportunities for artists to showcase their work. However, Hamilton artists have been far from idle this past year, continuing to create and exploring new experiences.
Bhavika Sharma is an emerging multidisciplinary artist and is currently the artist in residence at Hamilton Artists Inc.
They recently completed their undergraduate degree in architecture and visual arts at the University of Toronto. Sharma points to their time as an undergraduate student as a pivotal point for their art practice, as they gained more experience through studio courses and were also able to experiment with different mediums.
“When I was younger, like in high school I did [advanced placement] art and I did a lot of oil painting and stuff. But I feel like as I went to university, I think also it really was a lot of the professors I met who encouraged me to work in these mediums. Learning how to use video editing software and stuff that interested me and incorporating sewing and fabric, it really opened up a lot of opportunities. It was like, “Oh, yeah, this is what art can be. It can be like a whole range of things. And it can be just a drawing or a painting,”” said Sharma.
"Learning how to use video editing software and stuff that interested me and incorporating sewing and fabric, it really opened up a lot of opportunities."
Bhavika Sharma
Regardless of what medium they are working with, whether it be textiles or video installations, there are two key elements at the core of all their work: conversation and space. Sharma hopes their art encourages and holds space for conversation, with particular concerns surrounding the spaces we live in.
“[It’s about] getting people to think about [these spaces] differently or thinking about how we consume these spaces. And maybe we can change our ways of thinking about these places . . . I think just for people to think more about the way we learn about places or interact with the spaces that surround us,” explained Sharma.
Sharma begins all of their projects by doing thorough and thoughtful research about the history of space they’re exploring in their art. These histories are a crucial component to both key elements of their work. These histories — particularly the non-dominant histories Sharma works to shed light on — are important aspects of the spaces they’re exploring and important topics of conversations.
“I also want people to understand personal narratives deserve a space within these conversations. Shared experiences, non-dominant histories, they are something that we need to actively look for and actively try to find. We shouldn't just take what is there as the [only] history,” added Sharma.
"I also want people to understand personal narratives deserve a space within these conversations. Shared experiences, non-dominant histories, they are something that we need to actively look for and actively try to find. We shouldn't just take what is there as the [only] history."
Bhavika Sharma
In January 2020, Sharma had an installation piece at Christie Pits Park in Toronto, which included soft sofa-like sculptures. Sharma wanted to explore the narratives that converged in the park and after compiling their research about the more traditional historical narratives. Sharma invited community members to join them in conversation about the space.
“I hosted an event and I had people come over and we sat on these soft sculptures. I brought people tea and people just talked and shared. I read my research to start the space, but then I opened it up and we talked. People just talked about like “Oh, I used to play ping pong here with my boyfriend.” Just people saying small things and memories that they have associated with the space and building on to the history of a space,” explained Sharma.
The pandemic has forced Sharma to rethink their art. Their current work at the Inc. has given them the opportunity to explore new ways to bring their work into the virtual environment.
Currently, Sharma is working on a project surrounding the Grand River, which is close to Hamilton and their hometown of Brantford, focusing on its connection to Indigenous communities and histories.
The pandemic has forced Sharma to rethink their art. Their current work at the Inc. has given them the opportunity to explore new ways to bring their work into the virtual environment.
Looking to the future, Sharma noted that they are still an emerging artist and plan to continue exploring and experimenting with different mediums.
Sharma also offered some encouraging words for students interested in pursuing an art practice of their own.
“I would say just start making, I feel like it's the hardest thing to do. I think that for me, at least, I plan a lot and then it takes me a lot to make it but making can be thinking. You can think about your work while you make it. So just really just starting it and making it and also taking things that you're interested in outside of maybe art and bring that into it. Like if you have a nice interest, incorporate it into your artwork. Why not? People will want to learn about it or want to hear about it. If you like going on Wikipedia wormholes or like research wormholes like me, incorporate it into your art,” said Sharma.
A team at McMaster University is working on a second-generation vaccine, which are designed to protect against viral variants
C/O Brian Lichty
By: Natalie Chen, Contributor
As of March 6, 2021, approximately six out of every 100 Canadians have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 26 out of every 100 Americans.
While Canada has approved vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, researchers have also been hard at work at McMaster University’s Robert E. Fitzhenry Vector Laboratory to develop two second-generation COVID-19 vaccines.
Brian Lichty, a principal investigator of the vaccine development project and an associate professor at McMaster’s Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, explained the novelty behind these vaccines.
The first-generation of COVID-19 vaccines contain a spike protein, which will teach our immune system to recognize and protect us from COVID-19. The second-generation vaccines will also use the spike protein but are trivalent, indicating that it is composed of three structures found on the COVID-19 virus SARS-CoV-2.
The two additional components that the second-generation vaccines contain are called the nucleoprotein and the polymerase. As they are less likely to mutate, the second-generation vaccines with these two components of the coronavirus may provide increased immunity against variants of SARS-CoV-2.
“We’re hoping that the broader immunity that our vaccine[s] can generate will help control even the variants. We’ve actually designed [the vaccines] to potentially give some protection against related coronaviruses,” said Lichty.
“We’re hoping that the broader immunity that our vaccine[s] can generate will help control even the variants. We’ve actually designed [the vaccines] to potentially give some protection against related coronaviruses.”
Brian lichty
Another novel aspect of the second-generation vaccines is the provision of the booster dose via inhalation. Similar to using a puffer, the vaccines can be aerosolized and inhaled by the recipient.
The idea and the technology used to create these COVID-19 vaccines stemmed from previous vaccine trials for tuberculosis conducted by Dr. Zhou Xing and Dr. Fiona Smaill, who are principal investigators on the vaccine development project alongside Lichty and Matthew Miller.
There are two main benefits to this approach. Since memory in our immune system tends to remain in the area where the pathogen is last found, targeting the upper airways and the lungs — the primary points of contact for SARS-CoV-2 — would provide greater and longer-lasting protection.
“The other benefit to [this] route is, we actually can get away with a much lower dose than injecting [the vaccine] into the arm. If you think about it, that would allow for more people to be vaccinated with the same starting amount of material, which is important nowadays because we’re struggling to vaccinate all the people that need it,” explained Lichty.
Sam Afkhami, a co-lead researcher working under the principal investigators and a recent Ph.D. graduate from McMaster’s medical sciences program, expressed his hopes regarding the impact of the novel project.
“We’re hoping to show essentially the community and the world that thinking outside the box of traditional vaccine strategies can provide us with avenues of developing vaccines with broader immunity,” said Afkhami.
“We’re hoping to show essentially the community and the world that thinking outside the box of traditional vaccine strategies can provide us with avenues of developing vaccines with broader immunity.”
Sam Afkhami
The Robert E. Fitzhenry Vector Laboratory, the vaccine manufacturer, was created in 2004 and was the first of its kind in Canada. The research conducted within the laboratory is part of Canada’s Global Nexus for Pandemic and Biological Threats, a McMaster initiative of interdisciplinary teams of global experts to prepare for future outbreaks.
As one of Canada’s only institutions equipped to isolate SARS-CoV-2, Canada’s Global Nexus has partnered with the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization to spearhead vaccine development, the creation of new diagnostic tools and to produce clinical trials.
Afkhami and Ph.D. student Michael D’Agostino, another co-lead researcher of vaccine development and a member of the Miller Laboratory at McMaster, have also emphasized the importance of internal collaboration at McMaster that has led to the creation of the vaccines.
“The collaborative environment that we have here is next to none, and I really want to highlight how important the collaboration has been to the rapidity of the work we’ve done so far and getting these vaccines from theory to pre-clinical testing to eventual clinical application,” expressed Afkhami.
“The collaborative environment that we have here is next to none, and I really want to highlight how important the collaboration has been to the rapidity of the work we’ve done so far and getting these vaccines from theory to pre-clinical testing to eventual clinical application.”
Sam Afkhami
“There are so many people that are involved behind the scenes, and none of this would be possible without them for sure,” added D’Agostino.
For undergraduate students interested in scientific research, D’Agostino and Afkhami also shared advice on how to gain hands-on experience.
“Don’t be afraid to contact the professors that teach your courses. If they give a lesson that’s something you can see yourself interested in or you want to learn more about, I’d suggest reaching out to them,” D’Agostino explained. “Send an email seeing if you could even just hang around the lab [and] help out where you can.”
To those passionate about virology, Afkhami also recommended the McMaster Immunology Research Centre.
“Overall, it’s a great centre if you’re very interested in research and things like virology, vaccine development or just basic immunology,” Afkhami said. “MIRC is one of the most fantastic places, I think, [where] you can get that type of experience in Ontario.”
Following a CHEM 1AA3 midterm, students have expressed privacy and security-related concerns use of Respondus Lockdown Browser
C/O Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities have had to adapt to online learning for the 2020-2021 school year. As a result, professors have faced unique challenges with respect to teaching and assessing students virtually.
One such challenge is ensuring academic integrity, which can be difficult in an online context because professors cannot monitor the test-taking process as easily. In response to this difficulty, many universities have relied on proctoring software to prevent cheating. At McMaster University, the most commonly used proctoring software is Respondus Lockdown Browser.
Though potentially valuable from an academic integrity standpoint, many people have raised privacy and security-related concerns about requiring students to download proctoring software. McMaster students appear to share these concerns, as many have voiced them on Reddit over the past few months.
Concerns about proctoring software have recently received a lot of attention from students, following the CHEM 1AA3 midterm on Feb. 6, 2021. The Silhouette discussed the CHEM 1AA3 midterm and the potential problems surrounding proctoring software with a student, who has been granted anonymity to ensure that they do not receive academic backlash for coming forward.
Concerns about proctoring software have recently received a lot of attention from students, following the CHEM 1AA3 midterm on Feb. 6, 2021.
This student reported that their laptop shut down directly after the CHEM 1AA3 midterm. They also said that they have been in contact with numerous other students who faced technical difficulties during and following the midterm, including computer lags, computer shutdowns, emails about compromised passwords and multiple contact attempts from unknown numbers.
The student added that, of the students who experienced technical difficulties of some kind, 16 have reached out to the chemistry department.
The student said that as the chemistry department was unable to solve the problem at all, their only response was telling students to report it to Avenue Support or to the Respondus company.
“It should have been [the chemistry department] taking responsibility,” the student added.
“It should have been [the chemistry department] taking responsibility,” the student added.
Jay Robb, manager of communications for the faculty of science, stated that the chemistry department took student concerns seriously.
“[The chemistry department] encouraged the students to reach out on technical issues and get answers around that,” Robb said.
According to Robb, the chemistry department plans to continue using Respondus Lockdown Browser and to give students an additional 30 minutes on exams, to account for any technical difficulties that might arise. Robb explained the chemistry department’s reasons for using proctoring software.
“We need to maintain the academic integrity and protect the value of every student’s credit,” Robb said.
CHEM 1AA3 students are not the only ones to have raised concerns about McMaster’s use of proctoring software over the past month. On Feb. 22, 2021, the Student Representative Assembly put out a statement in support of students’ concerns about McMaster’s use of Respondus Lockdown Browser.
In their statement, the Student Representative Assembly called on McMaster to respond to student concerns about privacy and security and to provide all students with alternative methods of assessment if they do not consent to the use of Respondus Lockdown Browser.
Christy Au-Yeung, a co-leader of the SRA’s science caucus, explained that it was a challenge to find information regarding the protection of student privacy on Respondus.
“The onus is on the university to do a better job of informing students [about Respondus] and giving them the option to protect their privacy,” said Simranjeet Singh, co-leader of the SRA’s science caucus.
According to Au-Yeung, the experiences that students had with the CHEM 1AA3 midterm were an integral factor in the SRA’s decision to release a statement.
“There were issues in that test, some caused by Respondus and some not, which caused the unfortunate scenario and motivated us to act,” Singh said.
“There were issues in that test, some caused by Respondus and some not, which caused the unfortunate scenario and motivated us to act.”
Simranjeet Singh
Singh noted that some unrelated technological issues faced by individual students may have been grouped together with concerns more directly related to Respondus.
However, he added, the additional pressure of Respondus on students’ internet may have been a factor, even for students who experienced difficulties unrelated to Respondus.
Au-Yeung and Singh both emphasized that the SRA wants student perspectives to be heard.
“Obviously [McMaster] can’t change what’s in the past, but moving forward [we hope that] students continue to be consulted,” Au-Yeung said.
By: Esther Liu, Contributor
C/O @alliee.c
This interview was conducted in fall 2020 by Sufyan Rather.
The Silhouette: Give me a brief introduction of yourself!
Allie C.: My name's Allie, my pronouns are she/her, I'm currently in my second-year of health sciences (I'm in the core stream, I'm not specializing) and right now I'm calling in from Ottawa.
So tell me about your channel, why did you start it?
I started my YouTube channel around the end of Grade 12. I've always liked creating videos and producing content, but I was too scared to make a public channel until Grade 12 when you're kind of at the top of the hierarchy — you don't really care what the younger years say about you.
So I just went ahead and started a channel. It was more to document fun memories with friends and it's something nice to look back upon. I guess that just kept ongoing. In first year, I gained a little bit of traction and it's just something I really enjoy doing.
What do you want to get across to your audience? Why is it important that you are the one to say it?
Especially having a smaller following for a YouTube content creator, you have a much more personal connection with your followers. They can ask you questions, you can engage with them and their comments. I think it's also giving me a platform to share my voice and opinions or to bring up matters that are important or need more awareness in society, and just educate some more people about these topics that they might not be aware of.
Stuff is still new for me, so I'm still navigating my way around that, like what's the best way to do it. I don't want to do anything that would offend anyone, but I also want to make sure that I'm staying true to myself and being able to voice my opinions to support the causes that I care for.
It started off just for fun, just me being creative and capturing memories. It's sort of always been like that, especially with making videos, you can definitely get burnt out really easily if you're always trying to follow what other people want if you're doing things just to get views or just to get subscribers. So a large part of it for me is to stay true to the content that I want to make.
I really enjoy the creative aspect of it, so getting cinematic shots, or working on different types of editing and just stepping up my skills that way. Along the way, I like to create some informational videos for my audience as well, like advice to people applying to universities, or how university life is like because I know I definitely would've really appreciated that content when I was a younger viewer. So I try to have a good mix of both with the content I create.
How has your channel changed from last year to this year?
Last year, there was a lot more content with other people, whether that was with vlogs or just sit-down talking videos with other people. I think that this year, I can't really incorporate that "fun" aspect to it so I have to think of other ways or other ideas where I can engage with my audience because I know a lot of viewers really want to see how college is like, how college campus life is like and how you make friends on campus.
That's something that's really different this year because nobody's actually on campus so you have to find ways to adjust. Even if I can't capture memories with friends right now, I'm still living at home with my family. I know that that's something that's not always going to an option for me.
The announcement of an acclaimed MSU president-elect should raise questions as to why no one is running for MSU positions
Graphic By Nigel Mathias/Contributor
By: Belinda Tam, Contributor
On Jan. 26, 2021, it was announced that Denver Della-Vedova was acclaimed for the position of McMaster Students Union president for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Taking into account both world events and student’s everyday lives, this news may not be on the top of everyone’s mind at the moment. Knowing that this semester is a continuation of a time where the majority of classes are being conducted online — besides a small subset of students being on campus — there’s no doubt that students have been pouring more time into their studies.
Since an acclamation hasn’t occurred within at least 40 years, it's important to discuss the barriers in running an election. There are multiple rules in place for running candidates, which can pose as a potential financial barrier if you get fined.
Since an acclamation hasn’t occurred within at least 40 years, it's important to discuss the barriers in running an election. There are multiple rules in place for running candidates, which can pose as a potential financial barrier if you get fined.
Depending on the position the person is running for, guidelines and rules can vary. Violation of election rules may cause you to be fined unless you go through an appeal process. Furthermore, there is the issue of having financial accessibility if a candidate racks up lots of fines, which in turn may stop them from wanting to run.
With that said, there is actually a lot of work to be done when running for one of these positions. In previous presidential elections, candidates often take time off from class, especially for the campaigning period in order to inform the general student population about their mission and what they are hoping to do when elected.
When taking time off from class and possibly even work, not only does the student have to put in extra time and effort to catch up but this time off may also impact evaluations at work as well as testing in courses. Based on the amount of time required to dedicate yourself to running, this may also eliminate more candidates from applying.
In addition, the candidate also often makes a campaign team and has to coordinate the more minor details such as making sure someone was always present at their campaign table.
With that being said, having a team does alleviate the workload but much work is to be done at the beginning of this process when it comes to planning your campaign, as well as managing the team.
This is a lot to handle in conjunction with coursework and personal life. With this level of commitment and time invested, candidates seem to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the position.
Another important note is that you may have a better chance of winning the election if you are more involved and connected with people in the MSU.
Another important note is that you may have a better chance of winning the election if you are more involved and connected with people in the MSU.
Previous presidents such as Ikram Farah, Josh Marando and Giancarlo Da-Ré were all heavily involved in the MSU, which may have had a role in them winning since they had connections to others in the MSU.
As a result, they are more likely to know people who are in positions of power, so it’s easier for them to reach out and build their platform. While opinions may vary, having connections could mean that you have a better chance at winning.
However, we might be missing out on those in the student population who want to run — and might actually be good at the job for that matter — but won’t win because they don’t have those connections.
If this indeed is the case, this means that there is a bias in the system. Those who choose to run by themselves are at a greater disadvantage compared to those who have connections with the predecessors in the role they are campaigning for.
With Della-Vedova’s acclamation of such an important role within the MSU, it is important to reflect on why this issue may have arisen in the first place. If elections aren’t accessible for anyone to run, we may see more acclamations in the future.
Internet friendships made during the pandemic are just as important as in-person ones
C/O Ben Collins/Unsplash
By: Anrya Foubert, Contributor
Friendships can be complicated and messy, but they can also be the greatest things to exist. The friends you have can bring you more joy than you ever thought possible.
Yet, during the pandemic and a large transition such as going to university for the first time, it can feel next to impossible to make friends and connections. But thanks to the internet, we are still able to spend time with people that we would be isolated from otherwise.
Many of us probably grew up with the message that “you shouldn't talk to strangers online because it could be dangerous” from our parents or guardians.
But these days, internet friends are becoming more and more important as it connects others while we all have to remain home and provides us with ways to connect with people all around the world.
But these days, internet friends are becoming more and more important as it connects others while we all have to remain home and provides us with ways to connect with people all around the world.
Of course, they can be just as important as real in-person friendships, but many people may believe this is not the case because internet friends can't really interact physically.
The people you chat with online aren't exactly people you can easily go to get food with, have a game night, bonfire or even just a general party. Since they likely live far away and you can't really physically interact with them, internet friendships can feel less real. They can feel as if the person almost doesn't really exist even if you know that they really do.
It may be the subliminal messaging many of us grew up with, the stories of catfishing and lying to others about who you are via the internet, that made us believe that internet friendships aren’t as “valid” or “real.”
However, many people are turning to internet friendships as a way to make new friends during the pandemic. As a first-year student, I haven't been able to meet any of my classmates in person yet but I've been able to create connections with them online. It has still been weird that we haven't gotten to see the people we spend large amounts of time with each week in person.
Even the people I’m moving in with later this year are people I haven't met in person before. But I still am friends with those people and others because of the connection via the magical place we call the internet.
Even the people I’m moving in with later this year are people I haven't met in person before. But I still am friends with those people and others because of the connection via the magical place we call the internet.
Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Snapchat (to name a few) are amazing ways to meet new people. By using social media platforms, you can meet people that have similar interests to your own.
Some of my strongest friendships have been with people I met over the internet. I have a group of friends based in Australia while I reside in Canada and in all honesty, they are the type of people I have been trying to surround myself with for years.
I had long outgrown my peer group in high school and had ended up surrounding myself with not the best influences or most supportive people about halfway through Grade 11.
For some odd reason, these people I met online and only really started talking to on a regular basis at the beginning of quarantine have somehow been the most supportive people I have met and have helped me in more ways than they could ever possibly know. They are just as valued to me as those who are geographically closer to me and I’ve planned on visiting/going on exchange to Australia for some time.
Now I know that if I should go across the globe to study for a while, I will have people that I know there. While I won’t be able to meet them face-to-face for some time, I look forward to the day I can and I know that my friendship with them is valid, even if we can't do things that in-person friends can.
Now I know that if I should go across the globe to study for a while, I will have people that I know there. While I won’t be able to meet them face-to-face for some time, I look forward to the day I can and I know that my friendship with them is valid, even if we can't do things that in-person friends can.
It’s important to remember that outside of a pandemic, meeting people on the internet is still a completely valid and great way to foster new friendships. We may rely on it more now than ever due to global-scale lockdowns, but they still existed before and will continue to exist after the pandemic.
Mac women’s water polo team continue annual Motionball fundraiser during COVID-19
Graphic by Sybil Simpson, Production Editor
In 2020, the McMaster women’s water polo team helped raise over $33,000 in their annual motionball fundraiser to send athletes with intellectual disabilities to the Special Olympics. Now with the pandemic, they have continued their fundraising efforts in a more creative fashion.
Motionball supports young people who have intellectual disabilities, including (but not limited to) autism, Asperger syndrome and Down syndrome. These athletes are working hard to raise funds and help these families succeed in sending their athletes to the Special Olympics.
“Normally motionball is a one-day event where people fundraise. Then we have the event, receive all the donations and we’re done. Now it’s a month-long and full of events,” said Samantha Campione, a student ambassador at the DeGroote School of Business who is involved with motionball.
“Normally Motionball is a one-day event where people fundraise. Then we have the event, receive all the donations and we’re done. Now it’s a month-long and full of events,” said Samantha Campione.
The bigger challenge for the event stems from the social distancing guidelines put in place during the pandemic. This means that donors and the athletes cannot meet face-to-face.
“People can’t meet their special olympic athlete, which makes it a lot harder to bond with them and get to know the intricacies and wonderful qualities of the athlete . . . It’s definitely harder for fundraising and for event planning, but what I worry about the most with COVID is people not getting the full experience with the athlete,” said Campione.
It may be harder to raise funds this year between the limited fundraising opportunities, the financial crunch many have gone through resulting from the pandemic and the limited interaction between the donors and the athletes, yet there are other ways for people to help.
“I have just been asking everybody if they can just share and spread the word. Even if you can’t donate, the more you get the word out about it is honestly the best. As much as fundraising really supports the event and the people who are a part of it, the awareness is one of the biggest parts of it as well. We just want people to know about it and the more people that do know about it, the more that we will reach other people and we’ll be able to get more people involved,” said Paige Hamilton, a second-year athlete on the women’s water polo team.
“I have just been asking everybody if they can just share and spread the word. Even if you can’t donate, the more you get the word out about it is honestly the best. As much as fundraising really supports the event and the people who are a part of it, the awareness is one of the biggest parts of it as well. We just want people to know about it and the more people that do know about it, the more that we will reach other people and we’ll be able to get more people involved,” said Paige Hamilton.
Whether or not the team reaches their fundraising goal of $27,000 this year, the team wants to make sure the message is heard and that those in their community are aware of what they are working towards.
The motionball events will take place through the month of March with weekly events throughout. Students who sign-up will still have the opportunity to meet with the athletes being supported in the planned events and games during the month. For additional information on Motionball McMaster, check the official website here.
Student concerns after presidential acclamation lead to SRA review of elections bylaws
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The Student Representative Assembly has been discussing possible changes to Bylaw 7/A, which outlines the electoral procedures of McMaster Student Union electoral at-large elections. The change could add a vote of confidence to the procedure instead of acclamation.
The MSU's president-elect for 2021/2022 was recently acclaimed. Bylaw 7/A outlines the procedures for acclamation: “If the number of valid nomination forms submitted is fewer than or equal to the number of available positions, the [Chief Returning Officer] shall declare all nominees duly elected by acclamation.”
Nominees in this circumstance are automatically acclaimed to the position, as there is no vote of confidence available to the student body. The bylaw applies to candidates for SRA, MSU presidential and MSU First-Year Council elections.
In response to the presidential acclamation, the first in at least 40 years, the MSU Board of Directors tasked the SRA Internal Governance Committee to do a review of Bylaw 7/A. The IG committee has completed research on the bylaw and will propose updates at the March 7, 2021 SRA meeting.
In response to the presidential acclamation, the first in at least 40 years, the MSU Board of Directors tasked the SRA Internal Governance Committee to do a review of Bylaw 7/A. The IG committee has completed research on the bylaw and will propose updates at the March 7, 2021 SRA meeting.
Over the past month, general students and SRA members have expressed interest and thoughts on what the changes should look like, including the implementation of a vote of confidence for would-be acclaimed seats.
To specify what this vote of confidence would look like, SRA representatives conducted polls on social media within their faculties to collect data. Most SRA representatives asked students to identify whether a vote of confidence should be implemented, who the vote of confidence would apply to, who the vote of confidence electorate should be and which elections the vote of confidence should apply to and in which circumstances.
Considerations included whether the student body at-large or the SRA, whether it be the incoming or outgoing group, should take the vote of confidence. Further, some SRA members proposed a vote of confidence from the outgoing SRA for each incoming SRA member, including those elected by the student body.
The SRA caucus data results were presented at the Feb. 21 meeting. While each caucus had slightly different results, the majority reported a favour in adding a vote of confidence for MSU presidential elections.
There was a mixed consensus from all faculties on having a vote of confidence on SRA and First-Year Council elections, as well as whether the student body or SRA should be taking part in the vote of confidence.
In the meeting, SRA Social Sciences caucus members explained how some students’ concerns from the data indicated that they should be given more power in the vote of confidence, especially as a step towards building more trust with MSU. This data was collected by a Google Form that was circulated in Avenue groups and social media posts.
25 students responded to the survey. For the results, 84.6% of students wanted there to be a vote of confidence. Out of those who voted, 100% wanted students to have that vote. 50% of students said all elections (would-be-acclaimed and those with a surplus of candidates) should have a vote of confidence, 25% said they did not know, and 25% said they only wanted would-be-acclaimed ones.
Moreover, 83.3% of students said all elections that fall under that Bylaw (SRA, MSU President, and FYC) should have a vote of confidence, and 16.7% said only the MSU President should have a vote of confidence.
There was also a large concern from SRA Social Sciences members about potential conflict of interests with those running in elections.
These concerns were echoed by the McMaster Political Science Students Association, who worried that the change would require any incoming SRA member, including those elected by the student body, to undergo a vote of confidence by the outgoing SRA members.
“There was a universal push back [within our association] against [this] sort of move. We believe that the student voices should remain to the students and that it shouldn't be taken out from them in any capacity,” said Gurwinder Sidhu, MPSSA president.
The MPSSA has started a petition, which all MSU members can sign, against the suggestion of outgoing SRA members conducting a vote of confidence on the incoming SRA members, both elected and acclaimed.
The form states the association’s concern that these vote of confidence changes will compromise student democracy by giving the current SRA members the power to determine the members of the assembly, regardless of student votes.
“The key thing here is that people need to pay attention to what the student government is doing, because at the end of day, this affects them more broadly,” emphasized Sidhu.
During the Feb. 21 meeting, MSU President Da-Ré clarified to all SRA members that the discussion was not about SRA vetoing someone that was chosen by the student body, emphasizing that this would be very undemocratic. He explained that the voting body cannot change. For positions elected by students, such as SRA members, the voting body would remain students.
During the Feb. 21 meeting, MSU President Da-Ré clarified to all SRA members that the discussion was not about SRA vetoing someone that was chosen by the student body, emphasizing that this would be very undemocratic. He explained that the voting body cannot change. For positions elected by students, such as SRA members, the voting body would remain students.
The SRA has forwarded the student data to the SRA IG committee for further analysis and interpretation, in addition to their committee research. The IG committee has put forward their proposed changes to Bylaw 7/A along with a memo to summarize and explain the amendments.
Notably, the amendments propose a student body vote of confidence. The changes will be debated and likely voted on at the March 7 SRA meeting.
“We [SRA Internal Governance Committee] are suggesting a Vote of Confidence for FYC, SRA and Presidential Elections when the number of candidates is less than or equal to the number of positions available. The vote of confidence will be conducted by the student body where there would have previously been an acclamation,” wrote Associate Vice-President (Internal Governance) Michelle Brown in the memo.
According to the SRA discussion in the Feb. 21 meeting, there cannot be any bylaw changes made to the upcoming SRA elections. However, these could be implemented in the next election cycle.
Prior to the March 7 meeting and likely vote, MPSSA plans to continue their advocacy with their petition and by reaching out to other McMaster clubs and organizations for support. They are also currently in touch with SRA members to encourage them to vote against any changes that would compromise students’ democracy.
“I have good faith that this will be solved in an adequate manner… only time can tell that,” said Sidhu.
The Silhouette will continue to follow this story. For an in-depth explanation of the 2021 Presidential Acclamation and Bylaw 7/A amendment procedures, read: “The election that wasn’t: MSU president acclaimed.”
