“Denver’s ABC’s” significantly lack detail, research and plans for execution
Though “Denver’s ABC’s” address some timely concerns, like tuition and MSU clubs, his platform significantly lacks in research, consultation and detail, both in terms of specific plans and execution.
Significant Concerns
Della-Vedova hopes to use the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance more effectively to reduce tuition. Tuition is an important issue, especially with increased financial barriers during the pandemic.
The MSU and OUSA are bound by their policies. The official stances of both the MSU and OUSA on tuition are: The province should freeze tuition across all programs until a fair-cost sharing model is restored. Then, tuition increases for all programs should be capped at inflation.
Della-Vedova’s platform is in direct violation of these policies. Regardless of COVID-19, OUSA and the MSU have not changed their tuition policies. Both policies are subject to amendment by the MSU Student Representative Assembly or by the OUSA General Assembly, which would likely not meet in his term until the end of October 2021. Della-Vedova will likely face significant challenges to advocate for tuition reduction.
The campus safety point does not address racial profiling or sexual violence prevention and response. In June 2020, the SRA, including Della-Vedova, passed a motion to call for the removal of the head of security services and an end to the special constable program. This motion became the official stance of the MSU. Yet, Della-Vedova does not promise to achieve either of these goals.
In June 2020, the SRA, including Della-Vedova, passed a motion to call for the removal of the head of security services and an end to the special constable program. This motion became the official stance of the MSU. Yet, Della-Vedova does not promise to achieve either of these goals.
Della-Vedova cited a campus climate survey and census from this year for student feedback on campus safety. However, through the Silhouette’s fact-checking, we could only find last year’s provincial government SVPR climate survey. Della-Vedova does not mention any past or ongoing efforts of sexual violence prevention or response.
There is a significant and noticeable lack of consideration for issues of racial justice and justice for equity-seeking groups on campus in Denver’s ABCs.
While there are points around international student representation, financial aid and increasing physical accessibility on campus, there are no points on justice for Black, Indigenous and students of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ students, women and survivors.
A is for Accessibility
Della-Vedova promises to ensure the safety of immunocompromised individuals in the return to campus. However, there are no details for how he will accomplish this. No consultations, such as with key return to campus groups, are noted in the platform.
This section includes education and resources on student housing, such as tenant rights and signing a lease. He hopes to work with campus stakeholders, including Residence Life and the Society of Off-Campus Students. It is unclear whether Della-Vedova has consulted with these groups. Further, his platform does not acknowledge or differentiate between similar initiatives.
Della-Vedova hopes to receive and address student concerns around proctoring software and to improve hybrid learning. He plans to streamline student-professor communication and he wants the MSU to be a leader in physical accessibility, such as ensuring McMaster complies with provincial standards.
He hopes to advocate for parking cost changes and for more online course options to alleviate parking needs. There are no details on how he will accomplish these tasks.
B is for Better Advocacy
Della-Vedova wants to continue federal advocacy for international students and provincial advocacy around tuition regulation. He plans to build upon the international student task force implemented by MSU President Giancarlo Da-Ré and create long-term goals.
He plans to create an off-campus international student seat on MSU First Year Council and work with the Student Success Centre to understand and deliver on the needs of international students. It is unclear what consultation has been done or how he plans to achieve these goals.
C is for Community
Della-Vedova’s prioritization of mental health can be appreciated with the overwhelming nature of the pandemic. He plans to create an online booking system at the Student Wellness Centre but his platform lacks detail on how this would be accomplished or if he has consulted the SWC.
Della-Vedova’s prioritization of mental health can be appreciated with the overwhelming nature of the pandemic.
Della-Vedova suggests a survey to understand student struggles this year. The McMaster virtual learning task force ran the fall 2020 experience survey and is currently implementing its recommendations. Della-Vedova does not mention this or differentiate his idea.
He plans to address academic concerns for current and incoming students, discuss academics with the vice-provost on academics and include current first years in Welcome Week 2021. He plans to restructure Welcome Week with MSU Spark and Maroons; however, these services do not plan Welcome Week.
He plans to continue improvements on the MSU website and create an Avenue to Learn tab for MSU updates. He does not provide further details.
He plans to work with the Clubs Advisory Council on shaping the future of MSU clubs. This is timely as students were outraged this past fall by policy changes. However, Della-Vedova does not specify the changes he would like to make or provide insight into how he will accomplish these goals.
Hundreds of students in McMaster’s introductory finance course commerce 2FA3 received a failing grade on their first midterm, with the class average sitting at 50.6 per cent, barely scraping past the passing threshold.
“The main issue began with many students complaining that prof. Trevor Chamberlain, who was teaching all four cores at the time, was not a very good instructor,” said Sara*, a second-year McMaster student in the course.
Chamberlain, the course professor, allegedly told students that the low class average was a reflection of students’ poor work ethic. These comments and the perceived incompetence of the professor emboldened a few commerce students to organize a petition in late October in hopes of improving their experience in the course.
Two hundred students signed the petition. Some of their demands included “fair assessments,” or test questions that are more consistent with the types of questions exposed to students in class, and tutorials, which were not initially provided by the course. The petition also called for the professor to use Avenue to Learn, the university’s course management platform, and disseminate course notes.
After garnering support from their peers, the organizers submitted the petition to Sue McCracken, the associate dean of the commerce program, in the first week of November.
Unbeknownst to McCracken, during the same week, Chamberlain asked a teaching assistant to temporarily take over the course for a few days.
“The TA stated that the professor had left a lot of class content for her so go through, so she was going through it in a fast pace, making it difficult to take notes,” said Sara. “When asked to slow down, she stated she rather get through 100 per cent of the material with students having some understanding than 30 per cent of the material with a good understanding for students.”
On Nov. 9 and 12, McCracken and Greg Rombough, the manager of undergraduate and specialized graduate programs (Academic), visited all the students in the course and affirmed that the DeGroote School of Business will take the concerns articulated by students seriously.
In the turbulent month before exams, Chamberlain was removed from the course and two new instructors stepped in to teach commerce 2FA3.
Nevertheless, this change was implemented with only a few weeks of the course left to spare. Having only completed one assessment thus far into the term, commerce students are left uncertain and concerned about where they stand academically.
“This course is also a prerequisite for commerce 3FA3, which second year students are supposed to take in the winter 2018 term, but now will have to be pushed back if a student decides to drop this course,” said Sara.
In the light of the petition, the DeGroote School of Business revised the assessment weighting scheme and added additional tutorial sessions to help students prepare for their next evaluation. The second midterm is scheduled for Nov. 16.
UPDATE: November 19, 2018
Prof. Leonard Waverman, Dean of the DeGroote School of Business, has noted that Dr. Chamberlain became ill with pneumonia and needed to take time away from teaching. Prof. Waverman also added that the petition demanding fair assessments, tutorials (which were not initially provided by the course), the professor to use Avenue to Learn and to disseminate course notes was signed by 145 students rather than 200.
Since this article was published on Nov. 15, 2018, hundreds have students have commented that they have faced similar experiences within this course throughout the years.
We will continue to update this story with new information.
[spacer height="20px"]*name changed to protect identity
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