Yoohyun Park/Production Coordinator
In just a couple of days, restrictions will be loosened, and university sports will resume
On Jan. 20, it was announced that Ontario would be reverting its lockdown policy that was meant to last until Jan. 27. This means that as of Jan. 31, gyms, restaurants and other amenities will be allowed to reopen. In addition to this, the Ontario University Athletics got the green lights to continue its competitions from that date onwards.
The OUA expressed their disappointment many times with the decision from the Ontario government, deeming the OUA to be non-elite. This decision forced the organization to halt all activities due to their classification as amateur and not elite sport. Immediately, many of the athletes competing in university sports cited their anger with the decision, with the McMaster Olympic alum, Jesse Lumsden, calling the verdict a “joke.”
Now that a date is set for the return of athletes to campus and their sporting activities, what does it exactly mean to them?
Francesco Fortino, a member of the men’s wrestling team at McMaster, expressed his happiness with the OUA finally bound to resume.
“It’s pretty exciting to have some positive news relating to [the OUA]. We had a very solid first semester of training and the team has built a very solid foundation. Personally, I am very excited not only to wrestle, but to witness my teammates perform to the best of their abilities. The whole team is looking forward to coming back,” said Fortino.
“It’s pretty exciting to have some positive news relating to [the OUA]. We had a very solid first semester of training and the team has built a very solid foundation. Personally, I am very excited not only to wrestle, but to witness my teammates perform to the best of their abilities. The whole team is looking forward to coming back."
Francesco Fortino, Wrestling Team
The lockdown has also had an impact on Fortino’s preparations for the rest of the season.
“I’d be lying if I said the lockdowns have been easy. However, the lockdowns are just another obstacle that we must deal with. This sport is full of adversity and unpredictability. Preparing has been adjusted slightly, but the grind has continued like always,” said Fortino.
Although there was no activity from any team during the past month, it is important to note that the McMaster wrestling team has been outstanding this season and has been ranked in the top five teams in Canada. Like others on the team, Fortino is excited to start competing again.
“Words cannot describe how excited I am to be given another opportunity to compete. There are so many people involved in getting a successful season together. One step at a time, we are ready to move forward and perform at our best in the coming competitions,” said Fortino.
For now, the expected commencement date for the OUA championships is Feb 9. Although it is unknown whether fans will be allowed back in the stands, it is no secret that the lockdown lift has relieved many student athletes. Not only will students be returning to campus, but they will also be making a satisfying and exciting return to sports.
Jessica Yang/Production Assistant
Housing is still a problem for many as in-person classes are set to commence
Prior to the 2021 winter break, students began to search for housing for the 2022 school year when McMaster University announced plans for a near full return to campus. This meant upper-years were looking to sublet rooms for the winter semester and first-years were looking to sign year-long contracts.
Now, with in-person classes beginning for all students on Feb. 7, some students still find themselves in the process of house hunting.
Mario Panza, a fourth-year student who struggled to find housing before the break, gave an update on his search for housing this semester. With more listings, availability has gone up, but Panza stated that landlords have taken to increasing prices during this season of demand.
“I was seeing 700 [dollar] minimums,” said Panza.
Fortunately, upper-year students now have McMaster residences as another option this year. Holly Gibson, manager of marketing and communications at housing and conference services, said residence is currently accepting applications from all years.
“This is not a typical year, so we had the opportunity to open up space for all levels,” said Gibson.
“This is not a typical year, so we had the opportunity to open up space for all levels,”
Holly Gibson, Manager of Marketing and COmmunications at Housing and Conference Services
Gibson also mentioned that a great way for students to get in touch with the residence team to ask questions is through their Instagram.
Residence buildings reopen as of Jan. 14 and winter residence applications continue to be reviewed beginning mid-January.
Zara Khan, a first-year student who was also struggling to find housing before the winter break, said that students were told residences would open a week into the semester due to a rise in the Omicron variant during the holiday season.
Khan also said there were some worries among students about adding additional residents when moving out for the winter break.
“Before we all moved out, there were speculations that more people were moving in . . . There’s kind of that COVID scare. There’s more people on the same floor using the same things,” said Khan.
“Before we all moved out, there were speculations that more people were moving in . . . There’s kind of that COVID scare. There’s more people on the same floor using the same things,”
Zara khan, First-Year Student
Since Oct. 18, it has been mandatory for students and staff to be fully vaccinated before entering campus buildings and McMaster residences. With the vaccination booster rollout being accelerated due to an increase in the Omicron variant, anyone over the age of 18 is now eligible to book their booster as of Dec. 20. However, Gibson said there is not yet any requirement for boosters at McMaster.
“Residence is following MacCheck vaccination guidelines that the university has put into place. So, what the university is saying, that's what we're going to follow. There isn't any talk about boosters in residence at this time, but we would encourage people to get the booster shot if they can,” said Gibson.
Residence is following MacCheck vaccination guidelines that the university has put into place. So, what the university is saying, that's what we're going to follow. There isn't any talk about boosters in residence at this time, but we would encourage people to get the booster shot if they can,”
Holly Gibson, Manager of Marketing and COmmunications at Housing and Conference Services
With residence accepting applications from all years, hopefully, many students will soon be ready to return to campus.
C/O @mmoma_hamont
Take art, leave art, love art at Hamilton’s newest art gallery, the MMOMA
Matt Coleman is an artist, musician, art teacher, photographer and innovation coach for the Halton District School Board. The latest addition to his list of titles is founder and curator of Mapleside Museum of Miniature Art. The small art gallery is filled with tiny art and located on the front lawn of his home on Mapleside Drive.
Coleman was inspired to open MMOMA after learning about Stacy Milran’s miniature art gallery on the front lawn of her Seattle home. It is based on the concept of the Little Free Library in which people can take or leave an art piece or simply view and appreciate the art and talent being shared.
With some help from his neighbours and friends, Coleman built a small popup box on a stand for the gallery and exhibited his first set of art works around New Years of this year. Despite it having been open for only about a month, MMOMA has already garnered great love, interest and support from the local community.
“[MMOMA] is generating a little socially distant community hub for artists and makers. There are makers who specialize in miniature art and others who just want to participate,” explained Coleman.
"[MMOMA] is generating a little socially distant community hub for artists and makers. There are makers who specialize in miniature art and others who just want to participate."
Matt Coleman, Founder and Curator of MMOMA
The gallery is a center for all art lovers and anyone, including young children, are welcome to contribute. Inside the gallery, there is also a maker's kit in the shelf underneath the gallery floor.
The art itself can be two dimensional and three dimensional as long as it is miniature enough to fit inside the gallery. MMOMA has showcased sculptures on pedestals and hung some from the ceiling. Any 2D artwork is usually lined up against the railings inside the gallery.
With contributions from community members frequently pouring in, Coleman rotates the art around with new submissions. There is always a series of fresh new art to admire at the gallery.
Previews of what the gallery looks like can be found on MMOMA’s Instagram page where current and previous displays are posted. The social media page has also served as a place of connection and appreciating art for community members and artists who have left their pieces at the gallery.
MMOMA is not the only tiny art gallery in the city. Inspired by MMOMA, another gallery popped up on Beulah Avenue called Studio Beulah. It occupied its current location as a Little Free Library since last year, however, it recently transformed into an art gallery in the beginning of this year.
MMOMA will remain as a permanent exhibition and it has many exciting announcements coming up. It will be hosting artists for Hamilton’s Winterfest in February and with more petite street art galleries being introduced around the city such as Studio Beulah, Coleman hopes to one day run a tiny art crawl.
“I could see it being the start of a whole network of tiny art galleries and there being a truly tiny art crawl through the city of Hamilton which would be really cool,” said Coleman.
A miniature group art show is another idea Coleman hopes to turn into reality in the future. It will showcase miniature art of all the same size.
The opening of MMOMA was a delightful addition to city that fulfilled the local community’s craving for connections, the arts and positive change.
“I think maybe in a time of dreary news, [MMOMA] generated a little bit of positive buzz,” said Coleman.
“I think maybe in a time of dreary news, [MMOMA] generated a little bit of positive buzz."
Matt Coleman, Founder and Curator of MMOMA
As we all head back to campus for in-person classes in February, consider visiting MOMMA and sharing your art. The COVID-19 pandemic may have interfered with new experiences we were looking forward to and made community-building more difficult during the past two years; however, this tiny gallery is reminding all of us of the wonderful things that continue to surround us during pandemic.
C/O Travis Nguyen
An in-depth look at the Marauders basketball teams after years of success
Anyone who has been following Ontario University Athletics basketball recently would be quick to note the Marauders as one of the powerhouse teams in the league. Not only have the men’s and women’s teams started their 2021-2022 seasons strong, with both holding a five and one record, but recent history also sits in their favour.
Over the past decade, the men’s team holds a strong record of 122-73 in regular season play. The women’s team holds an even stronger 144-55 record with a championship victory from the 2018-2019 season to top it off, their first since the dominant 2000s run, which saw four championships in a 10-year stretch.
Having attained sustainable success, a rare and difficult to achieve outcome in sports, a deeper analysis into McMaster’s basketball program was completed to understand how the school can continue pumping out strong results year after year.
In reviewing the men’s team, it is an offense-heavy squad which has begun to improve its defense as well. They’re capable of scoring 90+ points on any given day, and find several scorers in double digits each game. On the defensive end, the team has begun to find great success in poking the ball away and racking up steals.
MBB | After bouncing back in the second half, the Marauders brought home the win 96-78!
— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) November 20, 2021
Check it out⬇️
: https://t.co/W2m4XKKUIe
Despite a slow defensive start to the season, the Marauders quickly picked themselves up and have become much more alive on the defensive end. Last time out against the Algoma Thunderbirds they tallied together to set a single game season high of 22 steals, defying their typical reputation as an offense first team.
The team is primarily based around offensive menace Jordan Henry, who holds a season statline of 22.7 points per game while shooting 54.1 per cent from the field and averaging 5.5 assists. The team is very top-heavy, but has a very strong group up top, including Sefa Otchere, Christian Bentley, Mychael Paulo and Mike Demagus, who commonly finish the game among the best performing leaders in several categories (minutes, points, assists, etc.).
When asked about the early season success, Demagus commented on the brand of basketball the team has played and the culture found within the organization.
“We all have one goal in common and that’s to win. Everyone on our team knows their role. Everyone on our team knows what they have to do for us to win and that’s where we come as a collective. No one outshines anyone else because everyone knows what they’ve got to do to win,” said Demagus.
Demagus would later shift his focus to head coach Patrick Tatham, a highly respected coach in the league. Prior to coming to McMaster, Tatham was an assistant coach of the Maine Red Claws of the NBA’s G-League, where he coached future and former NBA players including (but not limited to) Malcolm Miller (NBA champion), Damion Lee, Abdel Nader and Ryan Kelly.
“It’s great knowing we have someone with that type of experience that’s under our wing. He’s constantly trying to prepare us for the next level,” explained Demagus.
“It’s great knowing we have someone with that type of experience that’s under our wing. He’s constantly trying to prepare us for the next level.”
Mike Demagus, point guard
Finally, Demagus explained the close culture within the team and how comfortable each player feels with one another. When asked to choose one word to describe the culture of the team, Demagus chose “brotherhood,” describing the closeness of the team and how the lack of anonymity provides an advantage to the Marauders.
The rich culture was one of the most discussed reasons for success in the interview with Demagus, which soon became a common theme with the women crediting similar reasoning for their success.
The highly successful McMaster women’s team is a highly balanced squad with significant depth up and down the roster. They revolve around star point guard Sarah Gates, who holds season averages of 25.5 points and 7.7 rebounds, while shooting 52.6 per cent from the field. She also holds a season high of 38 points, which was significant in her achieving the OUA player of the month.
Beyond Gates, the team has a very deep rotation, where it’s common to see nearly every single player get minutes. Individual game point leaders regularly rotate through and many members of the team can step up when needed. Rebounds and assists are dispersed through the entire lineup and this has become one of the team's biggest strengths.
Tori Rigas-Didomenico, a point guard for the Marauders, discussed the chemistry of the team and the drive that they show in always wanting to be the best that they can be.
“From day one I could tell this was a cohesive group. It’s a “one team, one heartbeat” kind of thing. We’re working together on the court and off the court to have the most successful team possible . . . Our team is always ready to learn. We have that collective mindset and are pushing ourselves to the limit. I think that’s where our success comes from,” said Rigas-Didomenico.
“From day one I could tell this was a cohesive group. It’s a “one team, one heartbeat” kind of thing. We’re working together on the court and off the court to have the most successful team possible."
Tori Rigas-Didomenico, point guard
When asked about the impact the coaching staff has had on the team's success and development, Rigas-Didomenico was very quick to praise the job of coach Theresa Burns and staff.
“We have such amazing and committed coaches that care about us as players and people and that starts with coach Theresa Burns. She really knows how to connect with us on an individual level and make us the best players and people we can be. We all look up to her and see her as a role model, on and off the court,” explained Rigas-Didomenico.
Just as Demagus was asked of the men's team, Rigas-Didomenico was asked to provide a one-word description of the culture within the organization and the answer she provided was very similar to that of Demagus.
“It would have to be ‘home’ or ‘family’ — those two words really stand out to me,” said Rigas-Didomenico.
Although there is no definitive answer, the culture of both teams seems to be a strong reason for their success. The men and women both feel extremely strong connections with their teammates and always try to work as a collective unit, pushing the boundaries both on and off the court.
With a strong culture and coaching staff in place, it makes sense as to why the Marauders can recruit such high-level talent. It also makes sense that they can translate their relationships off the court into on-court chemistry and overall success.
C/O McMaster Marauders, Sherbrooke Athletics
Jessica Pearo-Rawlins is one of the newest inductees into the McMaster Sports Hall of Fame
Jessica Pearo-Rawlins is one of 2021’s four inductees into the McMaster Sports Hall of Fame. Immediately after the mandatory 10-year waiting period from which she graduated from McMaster, she was nominated and then selected by the Hall of Fame committee.
Pearo-Rawlins is one of the most decorated athletes, not only in cross-country, but in all of Marauders’ history. Pearo-Rawlins spent four years at McMaster studying Kinesiology from 2007 to 2011, where she earned many well-deserved accolades for both athletics and academics. During her time at McMaster, Pearo-Rawlins was named an Academic All-Canadian for three consecutive years, was awarded the female student-athlete community service award in 2009 and maintained the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship for all four years.
Athletics-wise, Pearo-Rawlins was the first female Marauder to win an OUA gold medal in 2010. In addition, she became the first Marauder to win an individual gold medal at a CIS cross-country final in a five-kilometer run over hilly terrain. In addition, she is a two-time CIS first-team all-Canadian, three-time OUA first-team all-star and was named McMaster Female Athlete of the Year twice.
Back in 2011 in an interview with Daily News McMaster, Pearo-Rawlins explained that she was applying to physiotherapy graduate school, with the goal being to earn a master of physiotherapy at the University of Toronto. In the interview, Pearo-Rawlins explained that she hoped to one day run her own clinic and help athletes such as herself. Now, around 10 years later, her goal has become a reality with the opening of Prospect Physiotherapy in 2021.
“I worked at a great clinic called Lifespring to do therapy for about eight years and then transitioned into my own practice now, [for] which I've had a lot of help along the way. But that's sort of been my goal that I've been working towards so it's super exciting now that it's actually happened,” said Pearo-Rawlins.
She and her two coworkers each have their niche of athletes that they work with and Pearo-Rawlins focuses on runners such as herself. Currently, she works with the Newmarket Huskies Track Club and other local distance runners.
“They sort of sought me out just because of my background in the sport so just being able to treat patients that you are well acquainted with the type of injuries that they've had is very helpful for them just to be able to feel like I know what they're going through,” explained Pearo-Rawlins.
"They sort of sought me out just because of my background in the sport so just being able to treat patients that you are well acquainted with the type of injuries that they've had is very helpful for them just to be able to feel like I know what they're going through,"
Jessica Pearo-Rawlins, 2021 McMaster Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Something that has greatly helped Pearo-Rawlins during her time as a varsity athlete was the presence of supportive friends, family and coaches and this still carries forward today with the new challenges that come with opening her own practice.
“I tended to be anxious until he'd arrive at the course. And honestly, he wouldn't say much; it would just be like a hug and then I just felt like I could calm down. And so honestly, even carrying through into today like opening a clinic and a business is a big thing and just having that family support from really everybody in my life: my husband, my father-in-law [and] my dad, again just being that ear. I feel like I'm somebody who needs to vent a lot and talk things out and just have those people in my life that are able to hear me and talk me down,” explained Pearo-Rawlins.
While cross-country is a sport of individuals, it is the contributions of family members, fellow team members and coaches Rory Sneyd and Paula Schnurr that helped shape Pearo-Rawlins into the incredible athlete, businesswoman and physiotherapist she is today.
C/O MSU Elections
The two candidates in the MSU presidential election clash over different approaches to advocacy
On Jan. 21, McMaster Students Union presidential candidates Simranjeet Singh and Denver Della-Vedova engaged in a two-hour long debate, in which they each responded to several questions pertaining to their platforms and the biggest issues on campus right now.
In his opening statements, Della-Vedova expressed that he wants students to experience a better transition to in-person learning than the one they experienced this year. Additionally, he introduced the three main pillars of his platform: amplifying voices, student stability and keeping momentum.
In Singh’s opening statements, he emphasized that his campaign is inspired by research and he introduced the five themes of his platform: building a more supportive student wellness institution, stronger Hamilton community, environmental sustainability, equitable education and career development.
The candidates then went on to discuss several issues that are important to McMaster students right now. They were asked directly about how their platforms tackled issues such as environmental sustainability, student mental health and student expenses. The candidates were also asked several more general questions about how their platforms and styles of advocacy would benefit the student body.
Regarding environmental sustainability, both Della-Vedova and Singh expressed that McMaster could be doing more for sustainability.
Della-Vedova suggested offering more eco-friendly food packaging on campus and collaborating with student-driven environmental initiatives, stressing the feasibility of these targets.
Singh also supported a reusable container program; however, Singh’s approach to environmental sustainability focused more on implementing auditing initiatives regarding McMaster’s waste management and educating students about sustainable waste management.
Singh and Della-Vedova clashed over the need for waste management audits. Singh stated that, due to COVID-19, much has likely changed since the last audit in 2019 and that a key role of the MSU is to fill gaps in the university’s knowledge. Della-Vedova, on the other hand, argued that data from 2019 is still quite recent and because of temporary changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new audit may yield less reliable data.
Regarding student mental health, Singh and Della-Vedova were in agreement about the seriousness of this issue and the importance of collaborating with the Student Wellness Centre.
Regarding student mental health, Singh and Della-Vedova were in agreement about the seriousness of this issue and the importance of collaborating with the Student Wellness Centre.
Amarah hasham-Steele, News reporter
Singh stressed his plan to advocate for further expansion of the SWC, expand and effectively market Thrive Week and advocate to expand McMaster’s student health and dental plan.
Della-Vedova proposed introducing telehealth and online booking options to the SWC in order to expand the use of preexisting resources. Della-Vedova also stressed the importance of student security and a positive campus environment for student mental health.
Regarding student expenses, Della-Vedova emphasized his aim to partner with the Food Collective Centre and with local businesses to assist food insecure students. Regarding rent expenses specifically, Della-Vedova discussed the possibility of revitalizing an MSU role dedicated to connecting students with reasonable housing.
Singh, on the other hand, proposed a large-scale audit of student housing and expanding usage of Open Educational Resources to decrease textbook costs.
Della-Vedova and Singh clashed over OER. Della-Vedova argued that financial changes due to OER would likely occur over many years and that more immediate expense issues should take priority. To this, Singh responded that the structures necessary to support OER already exist and that even a small decrease in average textbook costs would impact students significantly.
Overall, it seemed that Singh and Della-Vedova clashed on two major issues: the importance of data collection and the scope of their platform points.
Regarding data collection, Singh repeatedly stressed the research basis of his platform, proposing two major audits regarding environmental sustainability and a study about student housing. When asked whether he was more invested in student advocacy or in enhancing student life, Singh explained that his platform's research focus will enable him to enhance student life through advocacy.
According to Singh, he aims to collect information that’s lacking so that it can be used as the basis for more focused and effective advocacy.
According to Singh, he aims to collect information that’s lacking so that it can be used as the basis for more focused and effective advocacy.
Amarah hasham-Steele, News reporter
Della-Vedova disagreed with Singh on the role of data collection. He responded by stating that the MSU often collects a lot of data that goes unused because new leaders enter the MSU with new ideas every year. Della-Vedova emphasized action over data collection, saying that preexisting and online data are sufficient bases for advocacy.
Della-Vedova emphasized action over data collection, saying that preexisting and online data are sufficient bases for advocacy.
Amarah hasham-Steele, News reporter
The second major point of clash in this debate was regarding the scope of the ideas put forward and the role of feasibility. When asked which point on Singh’s platform he was most critical of, Della-Vedova stated that although he liked many of Singh’s ideas, he believed many of them to be unfeasible within a year. Della-Vedova was particularly critical of Singh’s plan to transition to more OERs, emphasizing that there are limits on what the MSU can achieve within a year.
When asked which point on Singh’s platform he was most critical of, Della-Vedova stated that although he liked many of Singh’s ideas, he believed many of them to be unfeasible within a year.
Amarah hasham-Steele, News reporter
Singh, on the other hand, criticized Della-Vedova's platform points for simply focusing on increasing supports already in place. For example, as Singh explained, Della-Vedova was advocating for expansion of the compostable container program, whereas Singh was advocating for a widespread reusable container program.
Singh, on the other hand, criticized Della-Vedova's platform points for simply focusing on increasing supports already in place.
Amarah hasham-Steele, News reporter
Further, regarding OER, Singh explained that while he did not expect to see this transition completed within a year, he believed that progress towards more OER would still be worth pursuing.
Voting will take place online from Jan. 25 to Jan. 27. An overview of Della-Vedova's entire platform can be found here and an overview of Singh’s platform can be found here.
C/O Denver Della-Vedova
Getting to know the person behind the platform
Denver Della-Vedova is one of the candidates running to be the McMaster Students Union President for the 2022-2023 academic year. Della-Vedova's platform outlines three main pillars: amplifying diverse voices, prioritizing student stability and keeping momentum.
The Silhouette: What made you run for president and what is it about the role that attracts you?
Denver Della-Vedova: Great question! Aside from the elephant in the room of the obvious past experience [as current MSU President], with which I can say I like it, I think there’s a lot that I’ve realized I can do differently this year. Hindsight is a really handy thing and the second time around I can do a lot of that.
A couple examples would be the SRA support; we tried it this year, but it didn’t work, not the way we envisioned. So, trying to re-envision that and change it so there’s a better way to do it. Same with faculty support.
Another example would be Welcome Week – [I] didn’t really realize that there [were] communication errors there until I was involved in it and went, “Oh, this actually is an issue. We should really try to revitalize this for the coming year and make it clearer for everybody.”
A third reason would be, as much as everyone else, I would love it as an in-person experience. It’s not a guarantee, but I would really like that opportunity. I find my personality is very approachable; I try to be pretty friendly and connect with folks.
So, I’d really just like that opportunity to be with folks in the office, with students, engaged in student events – all of the things that weren’t necessarily possible this year.
The last thing that made me run is – and I think I had some trouble with this because it felt a little weird running again – but I think this is something that everyone who wants to should. I have a lot more that I feel I could give to the MSU, so I wanted to do it again.
What do you think is your strongest asset for the role?
At the risk of sounding conceited here, I’m probably going to say personality. I find I mesh well with most folks. I try to be patient, I’m a pretty good listener – I know I’ve been talking a lot here, but I’m typically pretty good. And I’m also not afraid to go my own way on things. If I don’t necessarily think what is happening is ideal, I’m not afraid to voice that.
So, I think [I am] that mix of being somebody who can work with folks while also being able to [say,] “I think what we’re doing isn’t working.” And identify[ing] that and communicat[ing] that in kind ways to groups and trying to work with them to find solutions is probably my biggest asset to the role because it’s that working with people element that I think is really important to a role like this.
For a complete overview of Della-Vedova's platform, please visit https://www.thesil.ca/msu-elections-2022-denver-della-vedova-platform-overview.
C/O Simranjeet Singh
Getting to know the person behind the platform
Simranjeet Singh is is one of the candidates running to be the McMaster Students Union President for the 2022-2023 academic year. Singh’s platform outlines five main pillars: student wellness, building a stronger community, environmental sustainability, creating more equitable education and career development support.
The Silhouette: What made you run for president? What about this role attracts you?
Simranjeet Singh: In terms of why I wish to be president, I first came to make McMaster in 2017. I was in a program called medical radiation sciences and it was a great opportunity for me to learn about what exists [at McMaster] and how vibrant of a community there is.
[I] initially actually was not that involved in student leadership. It was actually only in my third year that I was elected to the SRA but, from that point, I was able to gain a huge amount of knowledge about what opportunities exist for advocacy as well as what gaps exist . . . and what changes can be [implemented].
[In 2021], I kind of was thinking about what more can be done, how can I implement the knowledge that I've learned moving forward and I thought that the president position would be a great place to do that advocacy. Through my experience in the MSU as well as just being a student and other experiences, I've gained an understanding of what gaps exist and then I was able to do consultations to better learn of how I would fill those gaps.
That's why I chose to run for president, because I feel like it is the best opportunity for me to deliver the support students need and I think this is important as well because some of these gaps are things that I would have loved to have had in my first year.
If, for example, I had more affordable housing, if I had less expensive textbooks, if I had greater access to career development supports, I know that I would use those to further myself as much as I could and I think it's important that the future students also have that opportunity.
So I thought that I had pretty good ideas, I think and a way to implement them and the president position is, I think my best way of doing that, which is why I chose to run.
What do you feel is your strongest asset for this role?
So I think of myself as a pretty conscientious person, so that kind of encompasses the thoroughness and my dedication to my work.
I have been someone who has been quite dedicated to the MSU for that reason because I have a clear interest in ensuring that students are more supported with the resources they need and [it’s] something that I generally find enjoyable as well. I like to be in these discussions, I like to understand how I can solve the problem that is in front of me and then work with the relevant partners to have a plan in place to actually solve that problem.
[A]s a part of conscientiousness as well, that involves going to do the correct consultations and working with community to understand what their needs actually are and how I can utilize my position to solve those needs.
So I do think that in my past, through the things I’ve been accomplishing, the SRA and academically, I do think that that at least provide some sort of basis to kind of prove that I am a conscientious person.
[I] will apply that conscientiousness through my role through my dedication to my work and during external consultation with the university, with certain groups to better understand how I can best serve their needs and then actually apply that moving forward.
For a complete overview of Singh’s platform, please visit https://www.thesil.ca/msu-elections-2022-simranjeet-singh-campaign-overview.
C/O Denver Della-Vedova
Denver Della-Vedova is running to be MSU president again, albeit with an updated campaign
Della-Vedova fails to commit fully to many of his platform points and lacks detail regarding consultation, raising questions about feasibility.
Amplifying Voices
Della-Vedova proposes a $1 fee per student to assist the Undergraduates of Research Intensive Universities with hiring staff and covering costs of lobbying. However, his plan does not denote any reasoning behind this number nor does he provide detail on whom he will work with within the MSU to implement this fee.
He plans to prioritize environmental sustainability in his platform; however, he only addresses the problem of non-reusable and non-compostable food packaging. Given that La Piazza has already introduced compostable options for cutlery, Della-Vedova's commitment to introduce more eco-friendly containers does not detail which areas he hopes to address.
His plan to establish stronger relationships with faculty societies is vague. He suggests spending pooled resources between the MSU and faculty societies during events such as Welcome Week, which he hopes will encourage cross-faculty events. However, he makes no explanation of what these resources will be or whom he will work with to implement this. He states that he has consulted with a number of faculty societies but does not share any further detail as to which faculties these are.
He also plans to better connect Student Representative Assembly caucuses with their respective faculty societies but does not clarify how he will accomplish this.
Student Stability
Regarding Della-Vedova's discussion of creating student jobs, he states that he will try to create more jobs on campus for students and investigate ways to potentially connect students with jobs in Hamilton. However, he has not yet reached out to any employers on campus nor any businesses in Hamilton.
Della-Vedova states that he will work with employers such as the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence and the David Braley Athletic Centre to find more job opportunities for students. However, he has not consulted with PACE or DBAC on whether an increase in student positions is feasible.
In addition, Della-Vedova proposes the hiring of a “hype crew” within the Communications and Media department to focus on sprit and brand engagement for the MSU and increase student engagement in events. Yet, Della-Vedova fails to differentiate this from the MSU Maroons who already acts as a representative of the MSU and plays an active role in showing spirit in the community.
To inform first-year students of their housing rights, Della-Vedova proposes in-person legal clinics within residences. However, he intends to have the First Year Council host these sessions, which fails to consider that FYC members are first-year students themselves. This presents a potential issue as first-year students may lack the experience and knowledge to inform their peers.
With mental health impacts more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, Della-Vedova’s plans to address mental health concerns are valuable.
Although Della-Vedova did not reach out to the SWC to consult on the feasibility of expanded programming specifically, Rosanne Kent, director of the SWC, said that Della-Vedova has been actively working with the centre throughout his presidency this year. Kent shared that increased capacity is an ongoing goal the SWC strives for, with capacity already being increased this year.
Aside from expanding the SWC, Della-Vedova plans to create an online booking system, which was also proposed in his 2021 platform. However, no mention of the booking system was noted in any of his president reports in his current term. He states that this year’s approach would be different from last year’s, as he would see what the MSU could offer in the development of this system. However, details about what the development would look like and how the MSU would help were not provided.
Keeping Momentum
Della-Vedova commits to making online classes more accessible and consistent for students. His plan for how to accomplish this is to produce a set of standardized recommendations for professors running online classes. However, the specifics of these guidelines are unclear and, further, some of the issues that Della-Vedova highlights, such as the quality of lectures, are difficult to quantify and would thus be challenging to address with a set of guidelines.
Further, Della-Vedova plans to have these guidelines encourage use of fewer platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom more consistently, rather than the wide range of software that the university currently uses. However, Della-Vedova does not address how different platforms may, in some cases, be better suited to the needs of a particular course.
In Della-Vedova's discussion of issues related to Student Accessibility Services, he points out that requiring students to provide a diagnosis from within the last five years poses a major accessibility obstacle; however, he makes no commitment to attempting to change this policy.
Lastly, when Della-Vedova discusses SAS, he suggests that McMaster offers rewards to notetakers, such as references or gift cards. However, references are already being offered to notetakers as rewards. Additionally, regarding gift cards, Della-Vedova does not outline how he would ensure that such rewards could be acquired and distributed.
Throughout his platform, Della-Vedova proposes ideas that he hopes to further investigate. He does not offer many concrete and actionable plans demonstrated by the evident lack of consultation with relevant university members.
C/O Simranjeet Singh
Simranjeet’s Singh’s platform offers an ambitious number of ideas to various issues
With a whooping 26 platform points, Singh brings forth a myriad of solutions to pressing issues, but not without question of feasibility. Singh’s platform hinges on extensive collaboration with numerous organizations within McMaster University and the city of Hamilton.
Student Wellness
Singh proposes to increase the Student Wellness Center’s collaboration with a variety of McMaster Students Union groups and clubs by creating a Student Wellness Centre Advisory Committee. It would serve as a hub for student leaders to communicate their findings and concerns to the SWC.
However, current services of the MSU already connect with students through peer support services. The creation of such a committee poses a question of redundancy given that volunteers of these services can already direct students to specific resources, such as the SWC.
Furthermore, Singh looks to increase the number of group counselling sessions and operating hours of the SWC and to allow students access these services outside of working hours.
Rosanne Kent, the director of the SWC, confirmed Singh had consulted with her regarding this and that his goal is indeed achievable. In fact, the SWC has already been slowly increasing capacity through this academic year with the intent to bring back pre-COVID-19 service in the future.
Building a Stronger Community
While Singh’s desire to collaborate with Metrolinx to expand bussing and reintroduce cancelled express bus routes may be ideal to reduce student commute times, Singh does not detail any consultation with Metrolink to address the feasibility of these changes. These bus routes were likely cancelled due to reduced student ridership because of online classes and the trajectory of McMaster’s reopening remains uncertain in this current climate of the pandemic.
Singh has communicated with John McGowan, general manager of the MSU, about ensuring that bus services are reflective of student needs once students return to campus. McGowan stated that he believes his goal is achievable.
He also hopes to encourage Metrolinx to fast track the development of the Hamilton light-rail transit line. Given that the development of the LRT line is dependent on a host of other stakeholders whose schedules differ from that of students’, Singh has not provided detail as to how actionable this goal can be.
The feasibility of Singh’s goal to introduce student discounts to a significant number of local Hamilton businesses also raises questions given that the actual implementation of this is dependent on the businesses’ desire to do so.
Singh wishes to lead a large-scale study to determine average rental prices, student experiences with off campus housing and use those findings to better inform students of their rights as tenants and advocate for a better housing market. He consulted with McMaster’s associate vice provost, Kim Dej, who expressed support for this study.
However, despite the support from Dej, Singh fails to mention how this goal would accomplish something different from the resources already offered to McMaster students.
Environmental Sustainability
Many of Singh’s suggestions under environmental sustainability are already undertaken by the university on a regular basis with community partners. For example, Singh’s proposal to work with Hospitality Services to reduce food waste and address student food insecurity is addressed by the student-run MSU Food Collective Centre with non-profit projects. Hospitality Services are also aiming to increase its purchasing of local produce.
Singh’s suggestion to collaborate with the Office of Sustainability to develop a waste management strategy to audit the total amount of waste produced on campus within a year is an ambitious idea. However, such an audit might not be an accurate reflection of McMaster’s waste production given possible reduced student and staff presence on campus amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this would require a close partnership with the city of Hamilton. Singh has not stated if he has consulted anyone with the city.
Creating More Equitable Education
Singh's suggestion of a provincial tuition freeze with the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance does not consider that the MSU and the OUSA already officially hold the position of freezing tuition.
He hopes to advocate for a province-wide initiative that will support university funding through avenues outside of the pockets of students themselves. Singh plans to work with the MSU vice president of education given the VP’s delegatory position at OUSA meetings. He has consulted the current VP Education, Siobhan Teel, who expressed support for Singh’s idea. However, Singh’s platform does not provide further elaboration on how this funding will be acquired.
Singh’s desire to advocate for reduced textbook costs by replacing them with Online Educational Resources is valuable as a means of encouraging more equitable education. He has conversed with associate vice provost Kim Dej, who stated that introducing more OER options is feasible.
However, Singh points out that McMaster lacks OER funding. He plans to introduce student research assistant positions to support the development of OERs but does not clarify whether there is adequate funding to do so.
Career Development Support
Singh’s suggestion to create more opportunities to aid students in their career development with the creation of services that aid in resume writing and applications are already offered by the university’s Human Resources Services. McMaster provides networking opportunity events in the form of Volunteer Fairs as well as many career events hosted throughout the year by the Student Success Centre and student-run clubs such as the McMaster Undergraduate Research in Science Association.
Singh has extensive ideas; however, his platform would benefit from further clarification as to how his approaches will differentiate themselves from many of the services already at works within McMaster.
