An extended break sounds great, but it has consequences for students
On Nov. 19, McMaster University announced that our winter semester classes will begin on Jan. 11, 2021, as opposed to Jan. 4, when they were initially supposed to begin. This change was recommended by the virtual learning task force, which consists of 31 faculty, students and staff members.
They stated that the reason for this is to support students’ wellness and mental health and providing faculty and instructors with extra time in preparing for the winter term. Mac also mentions that with this extra week, students who went home will now have an extra week to self-isolate to limit COVID-19 cases.
While I am thankful for an extra week in many aspects, I think it’s important to consider the consequences of this decision.
For example, not all students will be able to enjoy this extended break. Health sciences students, with the exception of the Bachelor of Health Sciences program, are exempt from this break. This means that nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, medical students and more are unable to partake in the break, even if they really need it. In addition, graduate students who have planned their thesis defence for the week of Jan. 4 will not have the option to have this break.
Not only does this break already exclude a large group of students, but it may have consequences on our exam period. It’s important to note that the McMaster Daily News article states that classes will be extended into the exam period, that no classes will overlap with exams and that the semester will end as originally planned.
What this means is unclear, but we may no longer have a short break between classes and before exams. An extra week of winter break may also mean that our exam schedule is condensed, which can result in more back-to-back exams.
For me, these potential consequences of an extended winter break seem like a net negative. An extra week off is always good to have, but I’d rather have a break right before exams when I’m a lot more stressed and have my exams spread over a longer period of time.
What this means is unclear, but we may no longer have a short break between classes and before exams. An extra week of winter break may also mean that our exam schedule is condensed, which can result in more back-to-back exams.
Furthermore, if this is the response to added stress from a pandemic, their solution is weak. Other universities, such as the University of Toronto, made a much clearer statement about the reasoning behind the break and also stated that they are continuing to redesign its mental health services.
They also mention that employees who are returning on Jan. 4 will get three extra paid days off which can be used now until Aug. 31, 2021. U of T acknowledged the consequences of the pandemic by noting that students have been feeling a huge amount of stress for several months and that many U of T community members have dealt with unique challenges, such as at-home childcare.
Obviously, U of T has its own set of issues that have yet to be addressed, but it is comforting to know that they have other action items that they are working on to improve the quality of life for students.
Most of all, this announcement had me frustrated. I’m worried that because students seem happy about this break — which we’re allowed to be happy about — Mac may think that these measures are good enough to support students during a pandemic. However, a break is not enough for me and it likely isn’t enough for many other students.
The way I see it is that Mac is focusing on strategies to cope with stress when they could be focusing on how to give us a less stressful workload. After all, we wouldn’t need breaks to deal with our increased levels of stress if we had less stress in the first place.
What does it mean to be a well-rounded student? According to the University of Toronto, a well-rounded student is one who has satisfied their breadth requirements.
Since 2010, in order to graduate with a University of Toronto degree, students must take at least one course from the arts, the natural sciences, history or philosophy or cultural studies, quantitative reasoning and social and behavioural sciences.
According to their website, the aim of breadth requirements is that it “enables [students] to develop insight, experience, and new ways of thinking areas distinct from their main fields of study.”
While this sounds reasonable enough on paper, this translates into art majors taking calculus classes and computer science students listening to lectures on historical wars.
There is no doubt that each of the breadth requirements are important disciplines that should be studied — but to force students to pay and work extra for these classes that do not contribute towards their major makes little sense.
There are alternate ways to show one’s well-roundedness despite the arbitrary fulfillment of breadth requirements. Students can participate in activities outside of the classroom which are unrelated to their major or take elective classes that align with their other interests. These experiences hold actual meaning and should be valued more than taking a single random class to fill some requirement.
Many of the programs and courses McMaster University offers inherently encourages students to be well-rounded. Especially in advanced-level classes which involve project-based assessments, students often are taught to blend their technical skills with those acquired from communication and arts studies. For example, in a class on climate change, we were taught how to create podcasts and write blog posts to communicate our ideas effectively. Thus, the development of a breadth of skills needs not be a result of taking a breadth of classes.
Despite any reservations, there might be some value in breadth requirements. As their purpose is to provide students with a balanced education, arguments in favour of breadth requirements often cite the development of transferable skills and scholarly tools that can be acquired from different disciplines.
Taking a math course can cause students to develop greater problem-solving skills while a philosophy class can improve critical thinking and the ability to construct sound arguments.
Additionally, University of Toronto claims that there are many classes that fulfill the breadth requirements and so students are bound to take a class that they enjoy. The breadth requirements may even provide the push some students need to take classes that they find interesting but would otherwise not take. Students may even learn that they like topics unrelated to their major and then decide to pursue those further.
The University of Toronto is constantly lauded as Canada’s most prestigious university and employers may give their graduates special considerations, especially if the idea that is pushed across is that University of Toronto graduates are well-rounded graduates. To adopt some of University of Toronto’s policies, such as their breadth requirements, may then benefit McMaster University students.
Perhaps if McMaster were to adopt such a policy, it could be a degree add-on and thus optional for students to participate in. The question of if breadth requirements truly make a well-rounded student or simply a well-stressed student is still unclear. Nonetheless, the pursuit to be a well-rounded student should be encouraged by universities in whatever form they choose.
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Several student unions in Ontario have joined the campaign to raise the minimum wage to $14. Anti-poverty groups proposed the minimum wage hike in March this year as part of their ‘Fair Wages Now’ campaign.
Alastair Woods, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students (Ontario), said members voted unanimously in their August general meeting to support the cause. Leading up to Nov. 14, a designated day of action, students joined community groups in voicing their concerns to local politicians.
“The last time we had a minimum wage increase was in 2010. Since then, the cost of education and living has gone up significantly,” Woods said. “The $14 [was determined] through community consultation to bring full-time workers about 10 per cent over the poverty line.”
Guled Arale, VP (external) for the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus Student Union, has been working with community groups to advocate for a $14 minimum wage.
“We had a forum a few weeks ago with 200 to 250 people in Scarborough and it was really good to see that many people working on this issue - not all of them were students, but many were parents of students,” Arale said.
Arale said a minimum wage hike would help students earn a living wage, particularly those working in casual or part-time positions while in school.
“Every year, the cost of living goes up for students, but a lot of students who do work minimum wage don't see their wages increase,” he said.
In a similar vein, Carleton University’s Graduate Students’ Association recently supported the hike in a presentation to the Ontario government’s minimum wage advisory panel. The panel was formed in the summer and will advise the province on future minimum wage increases.
“A lot of graduate students work as a TA or RA and take other jobs on the side,” said Lauren Montgomery, VP (external) of the Carleton GSA. “If the minimum wage were to be $14, grad students could take on less part-time jobs and put more into their schoolwork and teaching.”
She also mentioned the mounting pressure graduate students face in terms of rising tuition, debt load and, in many cases, childcare costs.
Along with groups such as the Workers’ Action Centre, the CFS-Ontario has submitted recommendations to the province’s advisory panel.
“Just two decades ago, a student could work full-time at minimum wage over the summer at 35 hours a week for 9 weeks, and pay off a year’s worth of undergraduate tuition fees. Today, it would take at least 20 weeks at minimum wage...more weeks than are in the summer,” CFS-Ontario’s submission states.
According to Statistics Canada, 60 per cent of minimum wage workers are under 25 years old, and of those youth workers, 44 per cent aged 20 to 24 attend school.
A new proposal from the Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities suggests the province is looking to reduce deferral fees, regulate ancillary fees more and put a threshold on flat-fee charges.
According to the Ministry’s proposal, which has not yet been made public, changes to tuition payment and ancillary fees across Ontario could be implemented starting in 2015.
The Ministry outlined a province-wide cap on late fees and reduction in deferral fees. Student advocates have been outspoken about deferral fees being an unnecessary penalty for students struggling financially and those who receive OSAP in two instalments.
While student groups including OUSA and CFS-Ontario acknowledged the Ministry’s work to address the issues, they continue to push for elimination of deferral fees and flat-fee tuition.
Currently at McMaster University, students opting into an OSAP “Flex Plan” are charged $35 per term in deferral fees.
Non-OSAP students unable to make a full payment by Sept. 1 are charged a one-time $35 late fee on top of monthly interest, which amounts to 14.4 per cent annually.
Spencer Graham, Vice-President (Education) of the McMaster Students Union, said deferral fees are unfair and should ideally be eliminated, not just reduced.
“We believe universities should have flexibility in their funds for students who will end up paying their tuition anyway,” Graham said.
The Ontario government also addressed ancillary fees in its proposal. According to OUSA, Ontario students pay some of the highest ancillary fees in the country. The Ministry proposed to clarify that institutions cannot charge extra fees for credential completion or graduation.
“We’re pretty happy the government is starting to talk to us more about technology,” Graham said. “A lot of programs use technology that charges students extra – if those things are made mandatory, that’s not allowed.”
Both the MSU and OUSA are recommending a 20 per cent off rebate for students who have to buy e-learning materials. Their estimate is that 20 per cent is roughly the evaluation component that should already be covered in students’ tuition.
The MSU’s “Stop, You’ve Paid Enough” campaign launched this fall encouraged students to report and take notice of “mandatory” course materials besides textbooks that they had to pay for out of pocket.
For example, software such as APLIA, CAPSIM and Mastering Chemistry should not be mandated by professors for evaluation purposes.
“To get around the Ministry’s rules, professors can make it an optional part of your grades. For organic chemistry, for example, it’s just not included in your course breakdown so you would be evaluated based on 90 per cent instead of 100,” Graham said.
“You may also have the option to have a percentage added to your final exam…But we don’t think students should have to opt out of assignments.”
Graham said he is currently following up on one student’s report of Top Hat Monocle’s interactive classroom software being mandated in a course.
While many students are required to buy iClickers, the technology does not fall with other e-learning materials that cannot be mandated, since students can still use their iClickers or sell them after they complete a course.
The Ministry’s proposal to put an 80 per cent threshold on flat fees would not apply to McMaster, which charges tuition per credit. However, nine universities in Ontario currently have flat-fee models. The University of Toronto, for example, charges students taking a 60 per cent course load the same tuition as students taking a full course load.
Sophia Topper
Staff Reporter
McMaster has countless faith-based clubs and organizations, but they lack a place to interact. For years, the creation of a multi-faith centre has been in the works, but these plans have not come to fruition.
“It gets talked about, but it doesn’t seem to happen,” said Reverend Carol Wood, a McMaster Chaplain. “Every group has to support their own religious advisor."
“For a long time I’ve been interested in interfaith dialogue,” said Wood, an Ecumenical Chaplain. She has worked to create the Daughters of Abraham program, a group of Jewish, Muslim and Christian women.
The program arose from “some major tensions in years past...We worked to create some dialogue sessions to speak to some conflict areas,” explained Rev. Wood.
However, this still excludes men and those of other faiths from the discussion.
Rev. Wood looks towards the University of Toronto multi-faith centre as an example of the possibilities such a place could yield. The centre boasts a meditation space with a living green wall, a prayer space for 200 and a smoke detection system that can be altered to allow for traditional smudge ceremonies to occur.
However, explained Rev. Wood, the muli-faith centre at U of T was a “year in the procurement and implementation.”
“[Although] two proposals went out, and the [David Braley Athletic Centre] wanted to create an open space that would be a place for people to practice as well as a space for programming, and some unprogrammed times… a bit more money [was needed] than what was available,” said Rev. Wood.
Such space would “allow people to mix and interact, which I think is pretty important,” Wood said.
Dr. Liyakat Takim, Sharjah Chair in Global Islam said, “I think that’s a very important idea… we live in a multi-faith society, and that demands multi-faith gatherings.”
“It still won’t accommodate every single interfaith need…at least it’s a start,” said Rev. Wood.
While groups involved in the development of a multi-faith centre see its value, some students are not as keen on the idea.
One such student, Emily Wilson, said, “I think that different religions are really interesting, but I don’t think I would utilize a multi-faith centre, and I don’t think many people would.”
First-year Arts and Science student Liana Glass said, “I don’t think that people would go to things that are for a faith other than their own, except for people who are objectively interested in religion and not there for spiritual purposes.”
Ronald Leung-The Silhouette
Ryerson students turn to ‘Sugar Daddies’ for income
It’s not easy surviving financially as a university student – tuition, rent, food and entertainment attack from all sides as debt piles up. More than 150 Ryerson students, mostly female and in need of cash, have turned to dating website SeekingArrangement.com to find “Sugar Daddies”: older businessmen looking for company. These “Daddies” pay the students large amounts of money for dates, friendship and even sex. While not illegal, it certainly is a concern that some of today’s students are turning to prostitution to pay for education. (Reported by Diana Hall, The Eye Opener)
Memorial University theatre students get hate mail from Church in Kansas
The theatre class of Memorial University recently put on a production of Laramie Project, focused on the true story of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old who was physically attacked and left for dead in 1998 after being identified as homosexual. Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas turned its sights on the Newfoundland university by sending hate mail such as “God hates fags.” The Church has been known to picket the funerals of AIDS victims, American soldiers killed in the Middle East and individuals identified as “nation-destroying filth.” (Reported by Laura Howells, The Muse)
Burst reservoir floods McGill campus
Water freely flowed from the McTavish Reservoir on Jan. 28. The location of the reservoir, just uphill of McGill, allowed the leak to sweep through campus, resulting in hundreds of cancelled class and laboratories and over hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Although a home-made video of a student being swept away in the middle of the street by surging tides has gone viral, no injuries were reported. (Reported by Erin Hudson, CUP Quebec Bureau Chief)
Plans for new B.C. law school criticized for allegedly homophobic rules
The plans of Christian-based University Trinity Western to open a new law school on the West Coast has ignited controversy for proposing that all future student must sign a “Community Covenant” that outlaws pornography, alcohol on campus and limits “sexual intimacy” for “marriage between one man and one woman.” This gives the University sweeping powers to theoretically suspend or expel students displaying homosexual behaviour. Deans of law schools across the country have strongly opposed this point, arguing that Trinity Western crosses a moral boundary and is promoting discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Reported by Laura Rodgers, CUP B.C. Bureau Chief)
University of Toronto sex-based student party sparks controversy
The University of Toronto Sexual Education Centre recently held a controversial party at Oasis Aqua Lounge, where students were invited to spend the night exploring their sexuality. With pornography freely playing and piles of condoms and lube stacked in corners, it’s not surprising that this event ignited heated discussion on the online Toronto Star article page, which got thousands of shares on Facebook. Critics argue that “it says something about where our society is going morally,” but some students are proud of how accepting the event was. (Reported by Kristine Wilson, The Ryersonian)
McMaster part of Cootes eco-protection
The Hamilton Conservation Authority, in partnership with Mac profs and students have been working towards fundraising for a Dundas EcoPark. The EcoPark is part of a larger movement for Cootes to Escarpment Park System Project, which seeks to bring together the local stakeholders to create awareness of the lands surrounding Cootes Paradise Marsh. The Dundas EcoPark would connect more than 2,500 hectares of land and would be one of Canada’s largest urban parks.
Twenty-somethings: the new “underclass”?
A recent article from Maclean’s has suggested that current young workers are working in jobs they are overqualified for. The article goes on to argue that changing labour market demands will continue to adversely effect university graduates. Continued trends predict growth in skilled trades and engineering positions, which post-secondary institutions are not readily addressing.
U of T Group Rents Swingers Club
The Sexual Education Centre at U of T has rented the Oasis Aqua Lounge to promote their Sexual Awareness Week with a “sexy social” party night. The event has sparked controversy for explicitly promoting sexual activities in the club, but bars group sex or sex in the hot tub. The club has stated that the event is about learning about safe and healthy sexual relationships.
Hamilton influenza activity declines
The Medical Officer of Hamilton has noted cases of flu or flu-like illness are slowly declining from the high rates seen over the holiday season. However, due to continued demand across Canada for flu vaccines, especially in Eastern Canada and British Columbia, local pharmacies are facing shortages. Hospitals in the region have agreed to open access to their supply to meet short-term demands.
