Nominations for spring 2019 valedictorians closed on March 4. Interviews with the selection committee are taking place until March 29, with decisions releasing in early April.
In total, the spring 2019 convocation will consist of 11 valedictorians, one for each convocation ceremony, with representation from McMaster University’s different faculties and programs.
Historically, the valedictorian is the student with the highest ranking amongst their graduating class, where highest ranking is determined by grade point average. This student is expected to deliver a closing statement at their graduation ceremony.
While valedictorians are still required to deliver a farewell remark, the definition has greatly changed. According to the McMaster Students Union, valedictorians are graduating students who “best represents the student community at McMaster University.”
In regards to grades, valedictorians are only required to have an average of at least 7.0 in their last academic year, or as their cumulative average.
While this definition does not appear to be problematic, and in fact makes the title more inclusive, the selection process for valedictorians does not reflect this positive change.
To be nominated for valedictorian, students must complete a lengthy valedictorian nomination package. This includes signatures from at least three members of the graduating student’s respective faculty, a two-page letter outlining why the student is best suited for the valedictorian title, a copy of their curriculum vitae or resume and two letters of reference, one academic and one work or volunteer related.
The requirements of this package already discriminates against students who do not have the time to thoroughly complete it. Especially considering the horrible job the MSU did in advertising valedictorian nominations, many students did not have time to complete their applications despite the nomination period opening on Jan. 28.
One of the largest issue with Mac’s valedictorian process is the selection committee itself. While the committee is comprised of both faculty and students, the student representation on the committee is severely lacking.
According to the valediction information package, the student representation consists of students from the Student Representative Assembly and MSU members appointed by the MSU vice president (Education).
Although this means that the selection committee may contain students from the graduating class, the seats on the selection committee were also poorly advertised.
The poor advertising for seats on the selection committee and the actual nomination period does nothing but perpetuate a cycle of only individuals within the MSU bubble being aware and taking advantage of these opportunities.
It makes no sense why faculty members especially are allowed to determine who best represents students. Even the few selected students on the selection committee are not a good representation of the student community, but rather, a representation of those few already involved in the MSU.
If the university truly wanted to elect valedictorians who best represents the student community at McMaster, and not just the MSU bubble, they would allow the graduating student community to vote for their representative through an election.
If an election were to occur, students would have the opportunity to pick who they’d like to have speak at their convocation. Students could run based on whatever merits they feel they possess, rather than those arbitrarily set out by the selection committee.
Perhaps the winning valedictorian isn’t the most “involved” student, but their actions and character make them somebody that their fellow peers opt to vote-in.
As it stands, the selection committee for valedictorian focuses on “McMaster and/or community involvement”, which is listed as involvement in student groups, student support, student government and community involvement. Of the listed examples, almost all have some relation to the MSU.
Being valedictorian shouldn’t equate to being the ideal and involved MSU member. It should, as their definition states, be an accurate reflection of the diverse student community at McMaster.
Beyond the title and delivering a five-minute speech at convocation, valedictorians don’t receive anything. Personally, I don’t see the point of having valedictorians. It’s pretty much impossible to have a single student be truly representative of their entire faculty.
But if the university wishes to keep the tradition, they ought to do a better job of ensuring that whoever gets the accolade is supported by the graduating class.
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On Feb. 20, the McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice and the McMaster Muslim Students Association sent a letter to Canadian ministers Chrystia Freeland and Ralph Goodalech, asking the government to investigate the Chinese government’s role in directing students to silence human rights activists on campus.
The letter follows an event organized by MMPJ and McMaster MSA on Feb. 11 where Rukiye Turdush, a Uighur Muslim activist, spoke about the Chinese internment of Uighur Muslims.
According to the Washington Post, a group of students created a WeChat group chat to oppose the event.
During the event, a student filmed Turdush and cursed at her. After the talk, the students say that they contacted the Chinese Embassy in Canada, which directed them to investigate whether university officials or Chinese students attended the event.
https://twitter.com/BethanyAllenEbr/status/1096159156061589504
A few days later, five Chinese student groups, including the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, released a statement condemning the event and stating they contacted the Chinese consulate in Toronto.
https://twitter.com/BethanyAllenEbr/status/1096090275666108416
The internment of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China has been confirmed by multiple news outlets and the international community.
Approximately one million Uighur Muslims have been detained by the Chinese government, according to the British government.
The Chinese government has denied any wrongdoing, suggesting the camps are constructed for counter-terrorism purposes.
On Feb 16, the Chinese Embassy released a statement defending the actions of the Chinese students on the principle of free speech and dismissing any accusations of misconduct as ‘groundless accusations’ and ‘anti-China sentiment.’
Representatives from McMaster MSA and MMPJ say this is not a free speech issue.
“I do not think this was ever a conversation about freedom of speech. I think it always has been a conversation about human rights violation and speaking up against that,” said representatives from the McMaster MSA and MMPJ. “It’s blatantly obvious that the government is supporting these attempts to quell discussion about these human rights violations.”
The CSSA did not respond to multiple emails from The Silhouette about the situation.
McMaster MSA and MMPJ said the government acknowledged their letter but has yet to engage in any formal action on the matter.
“It’s important that we help people understand the university’s commitment to free speech and to the sharing of views and opinions, even those that might be controversial,” said Gord Arbeau, McMaster’s director of communications.
It is worth noting that these events come amid growing concerns about Chinese government involvement in Canadian universities to oppose any criticism against the Chinese Communist Party.
Following the protest at Turdush’s talk, an unnamed McMaster student created a Change.org petition in hopes of removing the CSSA from the MSU. As of March 2, the petition has amassed 461 signatures.
McMaster MSA and MMPJ said they did not start the petition.
“We definitely have mixed feelings about this petition simply because I think we somewhat recognize that these students these Chinese students are also victims of surveillance and they are victims of a form of control,” McMaster MSA and MMPJ representatives said. “It has never been a priority for either of our organizations to go and attack them, to take revenge.”
The MSU clubs department is aware of the situation but will not take any action without instruction from the government and/or university administration.
"As the clubs department is not a formal investigative body, its governing policies state clearly that any punitive action taken towards a club or individuals inside a club are done so after federal, provincial, municipal and/or University judicial bodies (as appropriate) render opinion and/or action. Therefore, the Department would certainly act on the advice of investigative professionals in this matter," said Josephine Liauw, the MSU clubs department administrator.
This article was clarified on March 12, 2019 to include a direct quotation from Liauw.
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McMaster has released the first public draft of its guidelines on protest and free speech on campus, in which it outlines what the university considers acceptable forms of protest at campus events. The university released two documents: a report of their own findings and a guideline draft.
In the report released from the ad hoc committee on protest and freedom of expression, McMaster laid out the rationale behind recommending the creation of a statement from the university on freedom of expression.
The report argues that the university needs a formalized process to address issues that arise as the political climate becomes more polarized and is meant to address the conflict the right to expression may have with commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion.
In addition to recommending a formalized protest policy, the report also recommends the university create an online lecture series on topics such as free speech and activism to better inform the public and develop resources for instructors who teach controversial or potentially challenging material.
According to the guidelines document, The rules and recommendations laid out are meant to commit McMaster to creating an environment that harbours a free exchange of ideas and respectful debate. In its current form, the guidelines would be applied to all members of the McMaster community and any invited guests. According to the report from the ad hoc committee and stated in the guidelines draft, events will only be shut down in extreme cases where student safety is at risk.
“The temptation to ‘shut down’ or prevent events from occurring is troubling. Censorship is not an option. There are very narrow grounds under which McMaster should restrict or stop a speaker or an event, essentially those dealt with in federal and provincial laws governing harassment, libel, slander and hate speech,” the report stated.
The guidelines lists examples of what it deems acceptable and unacceptable dissent, meant to guide those curious on what behaviours are acceptable. For example, the guidelines lists picketing as acceptable, so long as it does not impede on the access to the event.
In addition, the guidelines address the manner in which events should occur and encourage event organizers to include question and answer periods, encourage open lines of communication with dissenting groups before and throughout the event, arrange formal responses from dissenting groups in advance if deemed appropriate and use non-partisan moderators in the case that the subject matter is particularly controversial.
The guidelines also advise event organizers to ensure their events are safe and accessible by working with the Environmental & Occupational Health Support Services and McMaster Security Services.
The guidelines list using or threatening violence either the audience or speaker, inciting violence or hatred either verbally or through visuals, physical intimidating audiences or speakers, endangering safety and causing damage to property as unacceptable behaviour.
If dissenters are found to violate these recommendations, event organizers are encouraged to first ask individuals to stop and then ask them to leave before getting McMaster Security Services involved. The guidelines state that those who violate or appear to violate laws or university policies will be investigated in accordance to the university’s usual processes.
For those who wish to submit feedback to the guidelines, the university encourages the McMaster community to email the university secretariat (univsec@mcmaster.ca) by Mar. 30, 2018.
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By: Mitali Chaudhary
How do you meet someone out of the blue, and proceed to talk about everything and nothing at all for extended periods of time? How do you navigate that fine line between questioning someone and asking smart questions? How do you practice the art of small talk without looking like you’re conducting a study on human social behaviour? For an introvert, surviving a bout of small talk is matter of life and death, but these tips will make it more like a casual stroll in the park.
To get someone talking about him or herself, ask general questions. Once you get them talking, half the work is already done and all you have to do is be a good listener. This includes asking questions for clarification to show continuing interest, when appropriate, as well as maintaining casual eye contact and actually listening.
This especially applies if you’ve only recently met and are still in that sort-of-strangers stage. If you’re at a party, you could start a dialogue about how you both know the host, how the food/drinks are or how the people seem so far. This can then serve as a segue to more personal topics (but not too personal! See point #3).
Remember, it’s a simple conversation, not a job interview. Even though you’re trying to get to know someone, there’s no need for a rapid fire round of questions probing into someone’s personal life and experiences, nor does it add anything to the conversation if you aren’t familiar with the subject matter that you’re asking about. For example, if you don’t watch hockey and ask the other person whether they do, it could stilt the conversation since you probably won’t know what to say after they have responded.
Your interest and excitement will show naturally if you talk about a hobby that you have or an activity you really enjoy partaking in. You’ll also be able to answer any questions easily and your unique personality will also show. However, it’s important to note that conversations are reciprocal. If one of you is doing all the talking, that’s a monologue, not a conversation. Be mindful to not become that person.
Note that this doesn’t mean “be an asshole”. Instead, try to relax and show that you’re comfortable. This will put others, and yourself, at ease and will let the conversation between you flow more easily.
By: Stephen Clare
Speaking at TwelvEighty last Thursday, Oct. 23, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi quipped that he was here to “steal our children.” Though the comment was paired with a hearty chuckle and Nenshi’s trademark smile, the sales pitch that followed was no joke.
The popular mayor, ranked last year by Maclean’s as the second most powerful person in Canada, first reminisced about his Mac campus tour as a prospective student and journey to public office before launching into his presentation. There was no doubt about the purpose of the talk. Nenshi was here to sell Calgary to the young, soon-to-be-job-hunters of McMaster.
Speaking casually and confidently, Nenshi sang the praises of his city, which ranged from healthy job prospects to a thriving culture scene. He was particularly proud of Calgary’s recent ranking by the New York Times as one of the 52 places you “need to see.”
It was clear that his pitch fell on eager ears. In the Q-and-A session following the talk, students jumped at the chance to ask about the city’s transportation infrastructure, recreational opportunities, and, of course, property taxes.
“The lowest in Canada,” Nenshi said, beaming.
The mayor himself lived up to his reputation as honest, friendly, and sharp. He made reference to Hamilton’s municipal election, light-rail transit debate, and relationship with Toronto. An off-hand comment about his less-than-favourable view of Prime Minister Harper drew laughter and perhaps a few raised eyebrows from the audience. The fact that the catering tables, laden with a feast of fried food, remained largely untouched speaks to Nenshi’s ability to engage an audience.
Yaman Al-Nachawati
The Silhouette
The speech given by Michael Lee-Chin, Chairman of Portland Holding Inc., to McMaster students on Oct. 7 was more than just inspiring; it was symbolic. By taking us through his journey as a McMaster Engineering alumnus, one that began as a bouncer upon graduation and eventually led to becoming one of the more generous billionaire philanthropists in the world, his past became the representation of the fruits McMaster University wishes to bear in the future.
Speaking directly to students, he urged we “discover a dysfunctionality and make it your cause to change it. It is your passion that enables perseverance, and passion comes from the confidence that you are doing the right thing.»
The environment that allows one to follow their passion is very important, and has been much of the focus of the McMaster administration in recent years. In 2011, President Patrick Deane sent an open letter to the McMaster community outlining the principles that he hoped would guide the university’s future “Forward with Integrity”.
The letter highlighted experiential learning, self-directed learning, inter-disciplinarity and internationalization as the themes McMaster must follow in order to continue to generate leaders who solve the problems of the future.
These themes are very much enshrined in Lee-Chin’s life. He has found a way to use his Engineering degree as a stepping stone to becoming one of the leaders in the mutual fund industry, making his passion for self-directed learning and inter-disciplinarity easy to spot.
He was a pioneer in calling for the reinvestment of profits in developing countries locally, adopting a new method for internationalization. Fuelled by his confidence in doing the right thing, he rose above the perceived dichotomy of “doing good” and “doing well” in business, piloting the program in his home country of Jamaica. His company’s shares increased almost instantaneously.
I believe that the vision has also resonated with the students here at McMaster. Indeed, with this year’s first winds of autumn came a subtle wind of change in culture among students. While I personally may not see what comes of this new culture here in, I am excited by what’s to come from this university after I graduate.
Having attended the McMaster Social Innovation Lab and Entrepreneurship Association club launches, both in their first years, I was impressed with the eagerness shown by students to seek solutions that solve real-world problems. I also see this enthusiasm first hand in SUSTAIN 3A03, Societal Tools for Systemic Sustainable Change.
I believe this course changes the story students write for their script after university life, proving to them that the skills learned in their degrees can in fact be used to do help improve the world. The multi-disciplinary fabric of the course, as well as its self-directed learning nature, have also gone a long way in making me more comfortable to take on problems that I would have otherwise thought were out of the scope of my degree.
At the end of his homecoming, Lee-Chin left us with the most important formula we will learn in our time here: “Fulfillment is a function of doing well, doing good and having fun in between.”
Now knowing where the path Forward with Integrity leads, I think I have found the direction to walk after my graduation ceremony this year.
