The cost of financial independence Government financial aid programs should be expanded to benefit the larger public
Photo by Kyle West Disclaimer: This piece was written prior to the changes made on Jan. 17 by the Ford provincial government regarding tuition for postsecondary education. Changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program include increasing the length of time students must have graduated high school to qualify as an independent student from four to six years, removal of the grace period for repayment of loans upon graduation, and...
Shifting the focus from merit-based to needs-based scholarships McMaster should funnel more of its money into creating needs-based scholarships
Photo C/O Madeline Neumann It’s scholarship season. If you’re like me, you probably spent a few days scouring Mosaic to find a list of awards to apply to, in hopes of receiving a subsidization of your degree, no matter how small. Many of McMaster University’s largest scholarships are merit-based, which strike me as odd; would it not be more beneficial to assist students demonstrating financial need? A good example of such a...
Reducing confusion over snow days and exams The university should revise their inclement weather and examinations policies to reduce student confusion over rescheduled exams
Photo from Silhouette Photo Archives December is fast-approaching: holiday shopping is underway, the weather is dropping and students are beginning to prepare for final examinations. But with this winter forecasted to be especially harsh, students should also prepare for the possibility of rescheduled exams. For the fall 2018 term, McMaster University plans to run final examinations for a 12-day period from Dec. 7 to Dec. 20. While...
Breaking the stereotype of downtown Hamilton Downtown Hamilton may have a poor reputation but students will find that it’s filled with hidden charms
Photo from Silhouette Photo Archives By: Sam Marchetti When you think of downtown Hamilton, I wouldn’t be surprised if the first thought that comes to mind is “sketchy.” Downtown, specifically along King Street and anywhere east of Queen Street North, has often been considered as a run-down ghost of what was once a thriving, central hub. Centered around the Jackson Square complex, my mother — a born-and-raised Hamiltonian — has told...
The need to change McMaster’s assessment structures The need for more distributed testing to improve student learning
Photo by Grant Holt By: Brent Urbanski University testing is the Neapolitan ice cream of student evaluation. With its two midterm tests and single exam, this format has become known to students as an imperfect trifecta. As this format continues to be observed by students across classes, it becomes clear that university testing needs to change. Within McMaster University, infrequent heavily-weighted tests have become the standard....
Students and Hamilton’s one-bag trash limit Hamilton’s one-bag trash limit may be environmentally conscious but is not student-friendly
Photo C/O Grant Holt I live in a twelve-bedroom student house. In a single week, we have, at minimum, between two and three large bags of garbage. So far, the city has taken our bags, but this will soon change once we run out of trash tags. While my crowded housing situation might be unique, many other students are in a similarly tight position in regards to Hamilton’s garbage and recycling policy. Since 2010, Hamilton has had a...
