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Commentary, Opinion

McGill students need a Fall reading week to maintain mental health

by Johanna Cline on

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Taking a break is beneficial and often necessary for maintaining mental health. A rising number of Canadian universities are acknowledging this in their academic calendars by implementing a Fall reading week. With strenuous midterms, shorter days, and overburdened on-campus support services, McGill students need a Fall break to improve their well-being and academic success.

In November 2015, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) proposed a Fall reading week, but failed to implement it because of administrative concerns, including, according to former Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Chloe Rourke, “aversion to change” and apprehension about student benefits from the break. Further, outdated tradition has placed constraints on how the McGill calendar is set. Currently, the calendar follows Senate guidelines that are still based off of year-long courses, meaning they’re not structured with Fall midterms in mind. In April 2015, an Enrolment Services survey of 5,000 students found that 71.5 per cent of respondents were in favour of having a Fall reading break. Later that year, SSMU passed a motion in support of the break.

Although efforts have been made to find a way to accommodate a Fall break through calendar restructuring, administrative barriers are not a sufficient excuse. The momentum behind creating another break must continue to grow, in order to give students the aid they require as immediately as possible—ideally by next year. For every bureaucratic speed bump blocking the path to implementing a Fall reading week, there are countless students whose participation in their education is diminished by burnout.

Students would benefit massively from an additional break. As one of Canada’s top schools, McGill is known for its rigorous academic programmes. This hard-working atmosphere is intense year-round, but reaches alarming peaks during midterm season—when stress and exhaustion can ignite mental health challenges for students. McGill Health Services has even reported an increased demand for mental health support in October and November. Unfortunately, the spiking demand means longer waitlists and delayed assistance for those who need it most. Despite these critical issues and evident student support for an additional break, the university has yet to update the calendar.

For every bureaucratic speed bump blocking the path to implementing a Fall reading week, there are countless students whose participation in their education is diminished by burnout.

With rising demand for mental health services, other Canadian universities have moved to adopt Fall breaks for their weary students. Today, 61 per cent of universities nation-wide incorporate rest days into Fall semester. At the University of Alberta, for example, officials implemented a post-midterm break to alleviate pressure on students whose mental wellness had been strained during the arduous assessments. Mount Royal University in Calgary—another school that has recently designated a Fall break—believes the time off offers students experiencing challenges in their studies the opportunity to seek academic aid at a time that’s early enough in the semester to course correct—a reassurance that lessens students’ mental burdens.

At Western University, implementation of a first-semester break arose from more than just student petitioning and a concern for mental health on campus—it was a response to crises. After two high-profile suicides, the Senate finally heard what students had been saying for years—that they needed a break—and added a week off in October.

Tragedy cannot be the only way to incite a response. McGill’s mission to advance learning and offer the best possible education is not obtainable for students when they are unable to manage their studies alongside their mental health. Administrators must recognize concerns about overwhelming student stress and face facts about deteriorating wellness during midterms. This means working through bureaucratic barriers to implement a restructured academic calendar with a Fall reading week sooner, rather than later.

McGill needs to support students during stressful periods; not just through on-campus support, but through thoughtful restructuring of their academic experience to allow students time to catch up on work and rest. McGill cannot wait for tragedy to occur—it should take action now.

 

Johanna is a U1 student majoring in Philosophy with a double minor in Political Science and Gender Studies.

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

‘Nightfall’ explores the intersection of art and insanity

by Avery Warkentin on

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Players’ Theatre is an independent group at McGill, run entirely by undergraduate students. Nightfall, their first production of the 2017-2018 season is a theatrical adaptation of four tales by Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Tell-Tale Heart. The play takes us into the mind of Poe and, through a continuous, vignette-style adaptation, explores the meaning and meeting of madness and genius. An engaging and ambitious revisioning of Poe’s works, Nightfall provides strong performances, and—although suffering from somewhat unpolished audio production—serves as a haunting tour of Poe’s fraught inner workings. 

Director Kenzia Dalie’s adaptation is one continuous act with no intermission and only small set changes separating the four storylines. The first story, The Raven, depicts Edgar Allen Poe as he sits in his study, trying to forget his lost love, Lenore. The appearance of a raven at his window drives Poe mad as he repeatedly asks the raven painful and personal questions—questions to which the raven only responds, “Nevermore.” In The Fall of the House of Usher, an unnamed man returns to the home of a boyhood friend, Roderick Usher, only to find that the house and its inhabitants are hiding sinister secrets. The Pit and the Pendulum is a first-person narration of a man who finds himself trapped in a prison and has to escape a series of torturous devices. Finally,  The Tell-Tale Heart provides a story of paranoia and mental deterioration as Poe himself tells the story of how he murdered an old man.

Luke Horton delivers a haunting performance as Poe in the opening and closing stories. Matthew Milton, Oliver Epstein, Esme Thompson, Emma Barbisan, and Stanley Myers O’Mulloy round out the dynamic cast. The actors play multiple roles, giving the production an intimate feel and allowing each actor to develop a more prominent presence on stage. This directorial decision to keep the cast small pays off, as Nightfall’s strength lies primarily in its actors’ performances. 

The opening tale, The Raven, serves as an introductory piece into the mind of Poe. The dialogue is split between cast members, creating a seamless shared narrative. Horton’s Poe captivatingly delivers some of the most poignant lines in the poem. With sunken eyes and lifeless stares, he dominates the stage and convincingly captures the poet’s mania. Perfectly rehearsed dialogue from Epstein, Thompson, and Milton, who all play unnamed characters, create a fluid narrative that is wonderfully eerie to watch. 

Interestingly, the raven of the poem is played by an actor (Emma Barbisan). Although the avine personification is initially intriguing, its presence at times distracts from the rest of the characters on stage. The raven only repeats a single word of dialogue a handful of times, rendering its large physical presence on stage somewhat at odds with its limited vocabulary.

The subsequent three tales provide a similar combination of horror and suspense. However, tense moments were periodically interrupted by technical shortcomings. Set changes, although necessary, felt unpolished and lighting and sound cues were not always precise. Sound effects were also an issue, most notably in the third piece, The Pit and the Pendulum. Nightfall chooses to use voice over in its adaptation of the story, rather than a live performance of the dialogue—a technical choice which doesn’t quite live up to its potential. Myers O’Mulloy gives a strong speechless performance as the prisoner, yet the unpolished and uneven recording feels like a jarring modern insertion in an otherwise antique world.

Sarah Alevy’s set is well utilized and appropriately versatile, with a singular old-fashioned living space serving as the setting for three out of the four pieces (The Pit and Pendulum is set downstage and uses only a single chair). Costume designer Allie McGowan also stands out with her use of old-fashioned formal wear, invoking a distinctly Victorian aura. 

Nightfall, despite a few technical  shortcomings, is a unique adaptation of literary classics. With compelling performances and haunting characters, it presents an appropriately disturbing examination of a poet’s descent into madness—a fitting performance for the Halloween season.

 

Nightfall runs from Oct. 18-28 at Players’ Theatre, 3rd floor SSMU. Tickets are $6 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets can be reserved online or purchased at the door.

Halloween
Off the Board, Opinion

Adults need Halloween, too

by Selin Altuntur on

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Being a grown-up is really hard. Any young adult can attest that our first encounters with personal finances, heartbreak, and aging parents can be downright scary. The real world is indeed a frightful place, rife with political instability, wildfires, and unexpected ways to die. The idea of having a specific holiday with the purpose of frightening the masses seems redundant at this point in time—our lives are already scary enough. Thankfully, Halloween is about much more than fear itself.

As a child, the purpose of Halloween seemed abundantly clear: Dress up, get spooked, get candy, and eat candy. Kids think about their costumes with great anticipation, and genuinely look forward to immersing themselves in the Halloween spirit. It is, after all, a day that celebrates the key facets of childhood: Play, fantasy, and creativity.

Alas, as our bodies age and our minds become jaded by the general mess that is human life, our imaginations slowly waste away. We play less, work more, and become generally less enthused about Halloween. Finding a costume becomes a source of stress, tacked on to the long list of other things that need to get done. Trick-or-treating is no longer an option, replaced by run-of-the-mill house parties or nights out in half-assed unicorn costumes bought at Walmart the day of.

Yet, things don’t need to seem so dire. The imagination is a muscle: It may be weakened by years of inaction, but it is still ready to be used. Halloween is the perfect occasion to reinvigorate our childhood spirits, and it deserves to be recognized as such. Halfway through the most stressful period of the semester, it’s incredibly vital to take this one day to prioritize living out our wildest fantasies.

Halloween may seem like a strange thing to spend valuable energy on in the middle of a bustling life, but it’s important to remember that play is actually good for you. Celebrated psychologist Abraham Maslow included play among 14 attributes essential for living a fulfilled life. Playfulness, according to Maslow, can be defined by amusement, humour, gaiety, and effortlessness. There are few better ways to let go of everyday stresses and inhibitions than to dress up as a completely different person, animal, or object.

Halloween is the perfect occasion to reinvigorate our childhood spirits, and it deserves to be recognized as such.

Better yet, putting actual effort into making a costume that you care about is a sure-fire way to flex those imaginative muscles, and get the most out of Halloween. There are two ways to potentially go about the task of building a costume: Either think of something you would specifically want to be and seek out the necessary pieces, or go to a thrift shop and improvise an outfit. Last year, my friend and I went full-on goth for no more than 10 dollars, using thrifted items and things we already owned. It was lit.

In addition, the fun of Halloween goes beyond imaginative play and creative thinking. Experiencing fear in a non-life threatening context can be delightful in and of itself. The adrenaline-fuelled excitement brought on by horror films, escape rooms, and insane corn mazes can trigger positive emotions like relief and triumph once the initial spook wears off.

At its core, however, the point of Halloween is to literally and figuratively embody someone else, which allows you to escape the stresses of regular life. Or, if you actually do need to work or do something important on the day of, taking care of business while dressed as ‘80s pop icon Cher is a surefire way to make your day infinitely more special.

It’s abundantly clear that Halloween is not a day to waste. It serves an important purpose: To remind us that despite everything we have going on, time spent having fun is never time wasted. In fact, I’d argue that adults need Halloween more than children do—kids don’t need to be reminded to have fun. As an adult, it’s easy to get caught up in the mundanity of busy life, and to forget the simple joys of pumpkin carving and fake blood.

 

Selin Altuntur is a U4 Arts student and Managing Editor at the Tribune. She will be embodying Canadian country music legend Shania Twain this Halloween at a MATH 141 midterm near you.

 

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 
Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: dvsn – ‘Morning After’

by Josh Marchesini on

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After the release of their critically acclaimed debut album SEPT 5TH, Toronto duo dvsn (pronounced “division”) returns with their sophomore album, Morning After. Fresh off their tour with Drake, producer Nineteen85 and vocalist Daniel Daley continue their distinct sound: Combining melisma R&B vocals with production echoing ‘90s neo-soul artists. They released four singles ahead of the album, accompanied by visuals reminiscent of the Cuban film Una Noche (2012). Specifically, the Morning After trailer features nightfall in Cuba, with dvsn album playing in the background.

The booming basslines blend with violins, acoustic guitars, and several background vocals, notably in the track, “P.O.V.” and the title track, “Morning After.” In contrast, the album also features more brooding tracks, including “You Do,” and “Don’t Choose,” where Daley croons over a mystery lover over nostalgic Maxwell samples. Morning After deviates from their last album’s preoccupation with lust and pain, focusing more on love and forgiveness.

Prior to their first album, the duo was rather elusive, releasing only a couple singles followed by a one-time performance at SXSW early in 2016. With their second album, Daley and Nineteen85 emerge from the shadows, set on establishing their own path within the OVO group. The two met early in 2007 when Daniel Daley started to experiment with singing, both later becoming close with the OVO circle of musicians and producers.

Now signed to Drake’s record label, OVO Sound, they join an impressive roster, including The Weeknd, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan, and Roy Woods. Nineteen85 is also responsible for producing successful singles such as “Hotline Bling” and “One Dance,” leading him to a Grammy nomination.

Morning After moves towards a level of abstraction, departing from the group’s traditional roots. A listener familiar with dvsn’s debut album will notice a more well-rounded composition in its follow-up. As well, the overall sound is polished compared to the mixtape-inclined debut. To those just discovering dvsn, Morning After exhibits a distinct sonic maturity in nature, through its use of experimental, cinematic beats, layered with falsetto vocals, and lyrics that are relatable without compromising nuance.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘Beach Rats’’ queer drama juxtaposes emotional intimacy with dubstep

by Leina Gabra on

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With a hypnotizing mix of neon lights and electronic music, Eliza Hittman’s Beach Rats presents viewers with the gritty, day-to-day life of her hometown Brooklyn. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart’s muted cinematography and Hittman’s artistic direction–which earned her the Best Director prize at Sundance 2017–make Beach Rats a stunning visual experience, but fail to deliver an engaging storyline, or any particularly likable characters, either.

The film focuses on Frankie (Harris Dickinson), a closeted teenager who spends his summer struggling with his grief-stricken family and an exhausting double life. To his family, he’s a straight, miscreant dude-bro who spends most of his time on drugs with his equally delinquent friends.  Yet, in secret, he’s an insecure boy who seeks out older men online in hopes of better understanding his sexuality. Although this premise has the potential for a moving depiction of a boy navigating the taboo of homosexuality in a bleak neighbourhood, instead, the plot twists and turns without anything significant ever really happening.

Despite the story's lack of direction, newcomer Dickinson’s standout performance is remarkably genuine, and demonstrates the character’s quiet inner conflict with his identity. As Frankie reluctantly pursues local girl Simone (Madeline Weinstein) to maintain his heterosexual facade, Dickinson skillfully portrays Frankie’s frustration in his inability to be “normal.” However, Frankie never really grows or changes, and by the last scene of the movie, viewers are left unsatisfied by his lack of character development. The principal issue does not lie with Dickinson’s acting at all, but rather with Hittman’s writing of Frankie as a static, passive character.

The sombre, raw quality of the film’s cinematography aptly portrays the stifling tedium of Frankie’s daily life. The close-up shots of Frankie’s face express the character’s inner turmoil and add to Dickinson’s on-screen presence, while the mixture of atmospheric, panning views of the beach and the Coney Island Boardwalk’s neon lights draw viewers into the film’s scenic backdrop. Hittman alternates between Nicholas Leone’s occasionally headache-inducing electronic music and complete silence in Frankie’s moments of vulnerability and intensity, which also tended to be the most potent scenes.

Unfortunately, the colourless character writing, combined with a repetitive and ultimately disappointing plot, leaves Beach Rats’ message unsatisfyingly vague. However, the subject of the film is as relevant as ever; heteronormativity, the difficulty of coming out, and the double standard of lesbians being ‘hot’ while gay men are “just gay, ”as Simone puts it–just some of the issues which LGBTQ+ teens deal with every day. Beach Rats is a coming-of-age film in which the protagonist never actually comes of age, so to speak, and in a grim sense, maybe this makes the film more realistic. While Hittman attempts to hit all these marks, because of Frankie’s lack of character arc and the absence of any other characters that viewers could feel remotely sympathetic towards, her meandering approach registers as shallow and incomplete. Hittman’s second feature film is the epitome of an aesthetically pleasing indie flick, but falls short with an unfulfilling script and a winding, anticlimactic storyline.

 

 

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

‘How to Talk to Girls at Parties’ genre mashup loses the plot

by Omar Arafeh on

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The hunt for a wild party is a timeless, often fruitless adventure many teenagers embark on, but when well-meaning gawky teen punk Enn (Alex Sharp) stumbles on a house party hosted by aliens in latex, a surreal mess ensues. There, he meets his delicately awkward love interest Zan (Elle Fanning), an otherworldly being eager to stray away from her overbearing alien cult and explore the streets of Croydon’s 1977 punk scene with Enn as her guide.

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), Shortbus (2006), How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017) is loosely based on Neil Gaiman’s 2006 short story of the same name. The film offers a creatively erratic variety of genres ranging from shock value sci-fi to over-the-top musical teen romance. However, the plot meanders whimsically, ultimately failing to tie its loose ends together.

Following Enn and Zan on their adventure, the audience is thrown into a muddled world of dynamic alien politics and tradition. Rather than focusing on the charmingly nervous relationship between Enn and Zan—the alien nature of Enn’s communicating with the opposite sex literalized in Zan’s extraterrestrial form—Mitchell chooses to explore a much broader theme: A defiant punk culture versus conservative tradition. Yet, the plot never adopts this as the driving theme, rather, it vaguely occurs in the background. Gaiman’s short story on the other hand is limited to the initial interaction between Enn and Zan, only a piece of Mitchell’s much larger plot.

A tone of active rebellion underlies the film’s atmosphere throughout. Zan giddily runs away with Enn to escape her traditional elders–“tradition” for the aliens entails eating their young. But she flees not because of the horrifying cannibalism, rather, her elders are suffocatingly autocratic, apparently an inter-galactic sentiment shared by many a rebellious alien youth. Her struggle with obedience culminates in a showdown back at the alien hive, a fine suburban home. There Mitchell’s two opposing concepts of punk and tradition clash, depicted in an actual altercation with the punks led by the anarchic Boadicea (Nicole Kidman) and the aliens.

Despite the conceptual creativity of the film, the characters are presented one-dimensionally and granted limited development over the course of the film, save for Zan who breaks from the world emerging from her journey charged with defiance. Opposite her, however, Enn is simply a teenager in love whose ordinary behavior serves as a foil for Zan’s alien persona.

Visually, warm colours painted most scenes to create an intimate setting juxtaposed against the vibrant costumes the characters wear. The soft, almost candle-lit undertones beautifully capture Enn and Zan’s romance as well as softening the raw punk hedonism depicted at many parties throughout the film. Although the expressive and colourful costumes artfully contrast with the mellow hues of the background, it does not make up for the tragic visual effects included in the film. Sporadically interrupted with half-hearted graphics meant to depict Enn’s dreams, the special effects are more fitting for a B movie. These particularly jarring tangents disrupted the flow of the cinematography.

Mitchell’s choice to focus on alien politics and the complications they create eclipses that which makes the film endearing–Enn and Zan’s awkward relationship and the alien youths’ freedom to explore an aspect of the world they have been restricted from. How to Talk to Girls at Parties is a theatrical and colorful tale, but is missing the dense and rich layer of coherent narrative that would give the film substance.

Men's Varsity, Sports

McGill Redmen rugby tackles UdeM Carabins late in season closer

by Patrick Beacham on

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McGill Redmen
31

 

 

UdeM Carabins
21

 

On Oct. 20, spectators at Molson Stadium saw the McGill Redmen (3-4) get off to a slow start against the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins (3-4) in the first half of the season’s closing game. Refusing to end on a low note, McGill’s near-impenetrable defence prevailed in the second half, and they took the game 31-21.

“It was a good win,” Redmen Assistant Coach Greg Gallant said. “We were a little bit sloppy, we didn’t take control of our ball, [but] we proved that we’re a superior team but [only] when we want to work.”

The Redmen and Carabins were on equal footing for an entire first half rife with picks and scrums as the ball constantly changed hands. For every rush McGill made, a penalty or broken ruck set them back. UdeM had similar problems with making it to the goal line, and the game was tied 14-14 when the dust settled at halftime.

“Whenever they scored, it was because we gave them the ball off a penalty,” McGill lock Ryan Robb said. “It’s us playing badly, not them playing well, so if we continue doing our job and doing what we do, everything will be okay.”

Renewed after the halftime break, McGill swiftly took the upper-hand. The Redmen scored two tries and a drop goal in the second half, while a strong defence didn’t allow any opportunities for a comeback until the Carabins managed a try in the game’s closing minutes. That effort was eventually in vain, as McGill’s ruck-breaking ability eviscerated UdeM’s offensive momentum during that last breath of life.

“We had to bring a lot of energy out on the field,” Redmen scrum-half Jessen Gibbs said. “We came off two strong wins. The team’s finally coming together really strong. We had a lot of rookies this year [.…] We just need to be more critical on the field now.”

McGill will go on to face the École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) Piranhas in the RSEQ quarterfinals on Oct. 28. Despite losing narrowly to ETS early in the season, the Redmen are confident going into the postseason.

“We’ve just got to keep our work rate up, make sure we’re working hard all the time” Gallant said. “Good things happen when you work hard.”

 

Moment of the Game

In their last scoring chance of the first half, UdeM dropped the ball just shy of the goal line in the face of McGill’s behemoth defencemen, where the Redmen took possession and squandered the Carabins’ last shot at victory.

 

Quotable

“We’re gonna hit on Wednesdays, run on Mondays, and on Fridays we’re gonna come together as a team.” – Second-year hooker Alex Pantis on the week ahead.

 

Stat Corner

The Redmen hope to continue their streak of reaching every RSEQ final since 2000.

Hockey, Men's Varsity, Sports

McGill Redmen hockey downs Guelph Gryphons

by Jordan Foy on

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McGill Redmen
7

 

 

Guelph Gryphons
4

 

On Oct. 20, the McGill Redmen (5-1-0) took on the Guelph Gryphons (1-2-1) at McConnell Arena. Both offences capitalized on opportunities during the high-scoring affair, but ultimately McGill took the game 7-4.

In the first frame, the Redmen dominated the shot clock, but finished the stretch at a deficit due to defensive breakdowns. The Gryphons were the first to score when they took advantage of a discombobulated Redmen defence after a scramble in front of the net. Later in the period, an unsuccessful Redmen penalty kill resulted in another goal for Guelph. McGill was able to respond on the rush when third-year defenceman Dominic Talbot-Tassi scored after firing a shot that trickled in after the Guelph goaltender deflected it. Heading into the second, the shot totals were 15-8 in favour of the Redmen although they trailed 2-1 on the scoreboard.

The Redmen attack exploded in the second period, using speed on the forecheck and in the offensive zone to create juicy opportunities and drive the puck to the net, for a total of four goals.

“We had a tough start […but] we have a fast team this year, so […] we had an advantage,” Talbot-Tassi said. “Our speed made a huge difference.”

However, McGill suffered from ongoing sloppy defensive play and gave up a number of scoring opportunities to Guelph, conceding two more goals.

During the final period, McGill ran into penalty trouble and had to survive a barrage of Guelph shots. Early on, the Gryphons capitalized on a power play, narrowing the gap to just one goal. Despite their defensive ineptitudes and a quintet of minor penalties, the Redmen hung on to the lead—helped by an aggressive penalty kill that resulted in two shorthanded tallies. First year forward Quinn Syrydiuk scored his career-first Redmen goal after a misplay by the Guelph goalie saw him alone in front of an empty net. Later, second-year centre Alexandre Sills completed a hat trick after a beautiful saucer pass from third-year forward Julien Verrier on the penalty kill.

Despite earning a victory, the Redmen acknowledged that their defence needs to tighten up.

“We weren’t sharp tonight defensively,” Head Coach Kelly Nobes said. “We need to be better.”

Sills, who was the first star of the game, agreed with his coach.

“We were lacking […] focus at some points, [and] we made some mistakes that [are] easy to correct,” Sills said. “[We] definitely need to get more focused on our game, and get back to the system.”

The following night on Oct. 21, McGill defeated the Brock Badgers 3-2. Next, the Redmen will travel to take on the Queen’s Gaels on Oct. 27. They return to home ice on Nov. 3 for a rematch against the Royal Military College Paladins after a blowout victory in their OUA season opener.

 

Moment of the Game

On a power play late in the second period, Alexandre Sills scored his second goal of the night on a beautiful passing play off the draw. Defenceman and captain Nathan Chiarlitti set up Sills in the paint with a gorgeous pass from the half wall.

 

Quotable

“It was fun [….] I was seven years old when I scored [my] last hatty, [and] two of my buddies were here from my hometown [tonight, so] it was good.” – Forward Alexandre Sills on how it felt to score a hat trick.

 

Stat corner

McGill outshot the Gryphons by a margin of 21 shots at a final count of 53-32.

Letter to the Editor: No, there is no “quest for monolingual domination” in Québec
Letters to the Editor, Opinion

Letter to the Editor: I work for SSMU. I’m giving the record some context.

by Alison Gu on

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As one of the Sustainability Commissioners for the 2017-2018 year, I’ve worked with almost all of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Executives. When my contract began in May, I worked under the Vice-President (VP) Operations and Sustainability. When she resigned, my portfolio was reassigned to the SSMU President, Muna Tojiboeva. About two months after this, my portfolio was again reassigned, with various aspects of my role now falling under the VP Internal, VP External, VP University Affairs, and VP Finance. I’ve had experience working with six of the seven Executives (or five of the remaining six), so I believe I have a relatively good grasp on the competency, efficiency, and, most importantly, integrity of the Executive team. Tojiboeva’s letter to The Bull and Bear, “I’m the SSMU President. I’m Setting the Record Straight.” concerns me because I’ve seen first-hand how readily she communicates half-truths. The version of reality she tells is one that is partly based in fact, but with key points warped to benefit her reputation.

In my experience, working under the supervision of Tojiboeva required a lot of patience. Emails went unanswered; meetings got cancelled. While part of this stemmed from the President’s heavy workload, other Executives have a similar, if not equal, workload—just of a different type—yet they still fulfill their duties. Tojiboeva never treated me poorly or unfairly; in fact, she was often very nice and understanding. My concern is that it takes very little to be nice. A good SSMU President needs to be more.

What bothered me most during my time spent working with Tojiboeva was the lack of accurate and informed communication. For instance, when I requested information about the 2017-2018 budget for sustainability initiatives, Tojiboeva promised to follow up. Three weeks later, I had still received no answers—even after repeatedly asking her in person. Frustrated, I sent her a personal message, and she then quickly responded that SSMU Environment Commissioners had no budget for sustainability events or initiatives, and that sustainability-related funds could only cover the Sustainability Commissioners’ salaries. I’ve been involved with the SSMU Environment Committee for three years, and this seemed unlikely. I verified the information with past Environment Commissioners, who immediately rejected this claim. When I communicated this to Tojiboeva, she said that it was a “good thing [I] told [her].” She then passed the work on to me to communicate and figure out the sustainability budget with the VP Finance directly.

It was alarming and confusing that Tojiboeva relayed false information, especially about something as important as our budget for the entire year. The possible explanations are either she misunderstood the information communicated to her about the sustainability budget, or she never actually followed up to obtain it and didn’t want to seem as if she hadn’t done the work. If the latter is true, it would suggest that Tojiboeva is more concerned with optics than with communicating accurate information. Ironically, the way she handled this situation contradicted one of her main campaign platforms: Transparency.

It’s difficult, and maybe impossible, to ever hear an unbiased account of both sides of an argument, especially in SSMU politics. However, the end-game of Tojiboeva’s letter is concerning. If the goal of the article was to have the rest of the SSMU Executives resign, the work of seven Executives would fall on one, benefitting nobody and actively harming the SSMU student body. If the goal of the tell-all-style piece was to gain popularity, I’m puzzled as to what motivated this desire. If Tojiboeva went into politics for the reasons she stated—purely to fix SSMU’s reputation and create real change—then “setting the record straight” in terms of her public image shouldn’t matter.

It seems to all come back to who has power on campus, and how that power is often used to suppress and invalidate the voices of others. Her characterization of her critics as an “extreme vocal minority” worries me, because of how frequently that phrase is used to dismiss those who have the courage to challenge the status quo.

Alison Gu
SSMU Sustainability Commissioner, 2017-2018
U3, Kinesiology

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