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A roundtable discussion on the Girls finale

by Audrey Carleton, Selin Altuntur, Sophie Brzozowski, Sara Cullen, Daniel Lutes, Ariana Kaye, Mingye Chen on

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HBO’s Girls aired for the last time on April 16. The series finale, titled “Latching” which garnered a wide array of reactions from film and TV critics, featured main character Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) in the early stages of motherhood, assisted by her best friend Marnie Michaels (Allison Williams). In what many have considered to be an epilogue to the true series finale one episode prior, viewers catch a glimpse of the harsh reality of Horvath’s new life in upstate New York. A month after the show’s ending, The McGill Tribune writers, editors, and contributors sat down to reflect upon the final episode and season as a whole.

 

(Note: This conversation has been edited for duration and clarity, and contains spoilers.)

 

Audrey Carleton (AC): What did everybody think of the finale? And this season in general? Was it what you expected, was it what you wanted to see?

 

Selin Altuntur (SA): I liked it. I thought it was just as filled with weird absurd non-sequiturs as the rest of the show, which made sense. And it wasn’t like, ‘Bam, this is a finale! Everything is going nuts!’ It was very subdued and slow, which I thought was appropriate. I guess it’s not expected of a finale for any show, but for this show it probably made a bit more sense.

Sophie Brzozowski (SB): I wasn’t sure if we’d get to see her have the baby, I thought maybe it would be like, she’d deliver, and it would end, and it’s like, ‘This is a new chapter,’ but I’m glad, you know, we had to see her be a new mom, and thus, a kind of bad, incompetent mom.

AC: Yeah, because Season 6 was so unrealistic in the whole, just her maturing, and viewing herself as a mature person was very un-self aware, and then her getting that job too, which I completely agree with that article [Hannah on ‘Girls Could Not Have Gotten That Job…], but it was just very,  ‘Wow, maybe Hannah’s like a grown adult now!’ but then we see in this episode that, no she’s really not.

Daniel Lutes (DL): But isn’t that better though? Wouldn’t it be kind of weird if she just randomly, out of nowhere, just becomes a grown-up? I think the point is that she’s always going to be a little bit of a fuck up. Just because that’s who she is as a character.

Ariana Kaye (AK): I so didn’t expect the move to upstate and her having the baby, because it’s just so not her as a person, like even the way she is as a public figure.

AC: It was unexpected the baby thing, but then, it makes sense for her to think that she’s mature enough to do this, I feel like she just lacks this self-awareness.

SA: It’s true, because I think that so much of watching the show I just get frustrated because of how not self-aware she was–and, all of [the characters] And then there was just, moments of, ‘Oh wait! They may actually kind of understand themselves, but only like, 25 per cent.’ So yeah, that’s a good point.

AK: But also the whole relationship between Hannah and Adam, like the one episode in Season 6, I didn’t really get what happened, it was kind of confusing because it seemed like they were going to get together and then raise the baby and then, he was just like, ‘Ok I gotta go now! Bye.’

Sara Cullen (SC): That’s how I felt about it too and at first I was annoyed, but at the same time I kind of appreciated it in a way too, because I was like, that’s almost, it’s not what’s important, you know? She keeps the focus on the growth of just the four women, as opposed to branching off and seeing what every other dude is like doing after they fuck their shit up.

SB: I like that he just fell off the face of the earth and you didn’t hear from Adam or see him for the last two [episodes….] That’s what happens to your ex boyfriend right? He just falls off the face of the earth.

AC: What do you think of the way that Shoshana ended that whole friend group?

SC: On the one hand I see Shoshana as the most level-headed, but then on the other hand I don’t see her motivations for actually making those decisions being honest, in a way, or genuine […] Shoshana is kind of  going along with what “successful people” do, and then met this cookie cutter husband.

AK: When I saw that scene I was very confused, just because the show is about these four women and, just to suddenly be like, ‘Ok no, like it’s over,’ was kind of shocking.

SA: That’s a thing that the show does a lot. You’ll be expecting something, and then it’ll do something much [more uncomfortable] to watch, but it’ll make sense in the context of like, these are all people that have serious flaws, and haven’t worked out their issues. I feel like that’s part of why some people who write reviews about it maybe don’t like it. It’s hard to wrap your head around the idea that you’re not supposed to like the people that you’re watching, or that you’re supposed to question what they’re doing.

SC: Each character, they each have a very specific vibe, that you recognize as flawed, but then you’re also like, ‘I’m kind of like that sometimes too,’ not to the extent that they are, because they’re all extremes, but it’s weird because you would recognize qualities that you see in yourself or other people that they’re very human, but it’s so exaggerated.

AK: There are some people that are really offended by the lack of representation, are you guys offended?

AC: I mean, I think she depicts her life, I think she was only friends with white people.

Mingye Chen (MC): You know it’s interesting because as [a person] of colour who lives in Canada, I still work with predominantly white people […], so I don’t necessarily think it’s totally misrepresentative.

SB: And if she were to write a character of colour who had the struggles or dealt with the situations that people of colour in the real world do deal with then we would’ve just said, ‘You’re not qualified to write about this.’

MC: Exactly, our backgrounds are so different, so I don’t think she’s necessarily qualified to write characters like that, in that sense. I’ve watched a little bit of the show, and like, I can’t necessarily relate that much to the girls, but I think that if she tried to write someone of colour into her show, I would be like, ‘That’s not [accurate],’ or you know at least that’s just not the surface. She’s not really got a good grasp of like, what people of colour deal with. I almost prefer that she doesn’t, because then she’s not trying to speak for us, or she’s not trying to misrepresent us in that sense.

AC: Are there any other things that people noticed about the episode? Did you like the ending on just focusing on those two characters, or did you want to see more characters in the finale?

DL: I’m glad it was just those two characters, because they could’ve done like, a really really dumb thing in the end where they like, shot like, 15 years in the future, and it’s like, Adam’s now the CEO of a company, and like, Lena’s like, a successful professor, and I don’t know, it’s just like–

SB: That’s a funny thing! Like, what does happen to them all? Like where does Adam end up? I’m glad we didn’t find out, I’d like him to be immortalized as this weird 26 year old guy.

AC: I guess after episode nine happened, it sort of felt like a finale. I guess I fell into the trap of [thinking], ‘Episode 9 was so good, like, they wrapped everybody, wonder what’s gonna happen next, like, they’ll just wrap everybody again, even more, and have it be like, even grander of a finale,’ and then it was the exact opposite, and I was just very frustrated. Like, I was angry when I watched it. It was very unsatisfying.

SB: I feel like she’s unsatisfied with her life and motherhood and that’s the point right? And her life is now boring and she doesn’t get to be crazy and eccentric and in New York City.

AC: Because it was sort of a beautiful moment when they’re playing that Banks song and she’s  driving and moving into her house and everything is beautiful and nice and you’re like, ‘Aw oh my god, that could be so great,’ but like no, her life is really bad.

To listen to the full Girls roundtable discussion, click here.

News, PGSS

PGSS hosts panel on emotional labour

by Ryan Canon on

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On May 23, the Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS) hosted a panel on emotional labour and emotional abuse and how these ideas function within the broader systems of violence. Panel members included Equity Educational advisor (Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity) Shanice Yarde, Montreal-based writer Malek Yalaoui, and PhD candidate in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) Rachel Zellars.

At the beginning of the panel, Yalaoui discussed how, despite its usage in the service industry, the term ‘emotional labour’ extends far from the workplace and is often distributed along gendered and racial lines.

“Women are well versed in the art of navigating and managing the emotions of others, often the men in our lives,” Yalaoui said. “‘Boys will be boys,’ whatever that means, but girls can only be one thing, nice.”

Yalaoui spoke to the importance of the equitable sharing of emotional labour, expressing his view that that everyone deserves to  rest and care for themselves when they need to.

“Whether at home, school, or work, we should have the right to take a break sometimes, and that means that the people around us need to be able to take up the work when we can’t,” Yalaoui said. “We are all responsible for ourselves, emotions and all, and we are all responsible to one another.”

According to Zellars, consulting support groups is the best method for managing emotional labour.

“I have found that the ability of women, both on and off campus, to deal with the great trauma of sexual violence often depends on how much of an environment of care […] has already been shaped around that woman,” Zellars said. “This is one of the reasons that I also deeply believe in the work of community accountability and the principles of transformative justice.”

She also spoke about the daily challenges that women of colour face in navigating campuses and classrooms and dealing with white supremacy, a term Zellars says that she uses intentionally.

“White supremacy is that thing that twists emotional labour into emotional trauma,” Zellars said. “When a black woman is speaking up in my classroom and is responded to with things like […] ‘I’m not racist, some of my best friends are black, or […] ‘let me play devil’s advocate’ [… and when] all of these are normalized as acceptable responses to the emotions of black and brown folks, […] then emotional harm ensues.”

While emotional labour remains a contentious issue in the classroom, PGSS Equity Commissioner Angela Yu, who organized the panel, hopes this kind of event will encourage a larger dialogue about the concept around campus.

“Throughout my year at PGSS, these topics kept coming up quite a bit […] but it was always just a caveat,” Yu said. “There was never really a place, in the university or activist workspace, to have a moment to ourselves [as women of colour.] To think about all of the work that we do, just advocating for ourselves and having to educate others at the same time.”

In addition to creating a space for discourse about the topic, the panel allowed attendees to reflect on the emotional labour they’d performed in the past. Mansha Imtiyaz, incoming PGSS Internal Affairs Officer and event attendee, felt that the panel helped her classify her own experiences.

“Before coming here, I had a different notion about emotional labour, and after listening I realized that this is something that I face each and every day,” Imtiyaz said. “This thing that I have been feeling, it has a name. This is enlightening for me, hearing all these people’s different experiences.”

McGill, News

Principal Suzanne Fortier re-appointed at Board of Governors meeting

by Fionn Adamian on

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On May 25, the McGill Board of Governors (BoG) met in a closed session to approve the re-appointment of Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier for a second five-year term beginning July 1, 2018. Immediately following Fortier’s reappointment, the BoG held an open meeting, which began with a discussion of several grant requests for genomic research. Next, the BoG approved the McGill Senate’s changes to the Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Prohibited by Law and reviewed the annual report on the Safe Disclosure Policy.

 

Genomic Technology Grants

Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) Dr. Rosie Goldstein presented two related grants on genomic research for consideration, both of which the BoG approved. The first, a collaborative project with  the Hospital for Sick Children and Génome Québec, allocates $7 million to the development of throughput genomic technologies for the scientific community. The second grant, valued at $9 million, funds an inter-university project with the University of British Columbia  and the University of Toronto  design new tools for genomic analysis in addition to the development of new technologies.

Both grants were matched by other sources, including the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Goldstein credited Mark Lathrop, the Scientific Director of the McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, with leading the inter-university collaboration of the second grant.

“It's been [Lathrop’s] leadership that brought about the collaboration,” Goldstein said. “He can really take credit for bringing the country together in this area.”

 

Updates to the Sexual Harassment Policy

The BoG confirmed a series of changes–approved by the McGill Senate on May 15–to the Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination Prohibited by Law. The changes enable the Senior Equity and Inclusion Officer, a post currently occupied by Pascale Legros, to address complaints and facilitate informal resolutions at her discretion. Complainants will retain the option to bring their disputes to Assessors, who are Faculty members trained to deal with issues including sexual assault, harassment, and stalking. This change will broaden the available resources for victims of sexual violence on campus.

Nevertheless, the policy remains a work in progress. Though third parties who experience or observe sexual harassment can inform Faculty members, they may not file independent complaints. In a memorandum to the Senate prior to its May meeting, Associate Provost (Policies, Procedures and Equity) Angela Campbell wrote that the Senate needed to assess the issue of third parties in the coming year.  

 

Annual Report on the Policy on Safe Disclosure

Additionally, the BoG reviewed the Policy on Safe Disclosure annual report, which summarizes the Policy’s use and outcomes over the last year. The policy allows members of the university community to report misconduct at McGill to the Secretary General without fear of reprisal, serving as a last step if the complainant feels that they have exhausted other options, such as lodging a complaint within their faculty. Secretary-General Edyta Rogowska said that one report had been filed during the 2016 calendar year, down from three in 2015. Though the details remain confidential, an investigation into this year’s complaint concluded that the respondent had not violated any McGill policy. McGill Alumni Association Representative Tina Hobday expressed uncertainty over the fact that only one case had been filed.
“I don't know whether we should take solace in [the single case] and think we're obviously doing a great job, or should we really be concerned that we're not creating an environment where people feel comfortable to come forward,” Hobday said.

Rogowska replied that the low numbers might reflect the fact that members of the McGill community have used other channels to settle complaints this year, but agreed that the BoG should strive to improve on that front.

“We have noticed the need to further raise awareness of the existence of this policy,” Rogowska said. “The Secretary has actually created a webpage that basically spells out the processes through which disclosures can be made. We're trying to raise awareness of this policy at an institutional level.”

Commentary, Opinion

Judicial independence should not be compromised for executive goals

by Gabriel Rincon on

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When Prime Minister Stephen Harper left office in 2015, he left a legacy of politicizing the judiciary. Harper reformed the way judges are appointed to concentrate power in the federal government and pursue policy goals. Current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has used similar tactics for his own agenda. A PM influencing the judiciary erodes the legitimacy of both the nomination process and of the judges who are appointed. If one values judicial independence and public confidence in the law, Canada’s judiciary should not be compromised by political agendas.

The PM has extreme discretion in the appointment of provincial superior court and federal court judges. Candidates are first screened by an advisory council, which then creates a ranked list from which the federal justice minister can choose a judge. These advisory councils are not constitutionally required, however, and their composition can be altered by the PM. In 2006, Harper passed reforms ensuring the federal appointees to the committees were a voting majority on the committees, comprised otherwise of provincial government and bar association representatives. Harper made his motives clear–to appoint judges friendly to his originalist constitutional views and his tough-on-crime agenda by changing the nomination process. Unfortunately, when Trudeau undid the Harper reforms, he did so to institute his own preferred policies.

In an essay in The Globe and Mail in August 2016, Trudeau outlined his vision for the Canadian judiciary. The Prime Minister placed a clear emphasis on increasing diversity on the bench, particularly by appointing more female jurists. Since then, the government has reformed the advisory councils so that the federal government no longer has a voting majority and has promised less interference in the neutrality of the councils. These are positive changes that should, in theory, ensure a judicial selection process that’s independent of Ottawa’s policy goals. However, the neutrality of the selection process is put into question when 66 per cent of the committee members are women and 59 per cent of subsequently appointed judges have been women, despite only 33 per cent of candidates being women. Even if it doesn’t have a voting majority, the federal government is still responsible for appointing a large percentage of screening committee members and for ultimately selecting the judges from the list of nominees–the disproportionate amount of women jurists can arguably be traced back to the policy goals articulated by Trudeau. Naturally, the Trudeau’s agenda has raised questions as to whether there are “quotas” in the appointment of female judges. These concerns unfairly taint the reputations of female judges as mere affirmative action appointees.     

The politicization of the judiciary is detrimental no matter how noble the policy goal. One should consider the precedent Trudeau is reinforcing for future PMs who may institute less popular policies through the judiciary. In its first 70 years the Supreme Court was held in disrepute since most appointments were political favours. The best way to preserve judicial independence is to create a meritocratic nomination system, devoid of politics, such that the judges appointed are seen as deserving of their position.

Indeed, to truly help women become jurists Trudeau need only to respect the process. Meritocratic nominating committees for provincial trial judges (non-federal appointees) have successfully appointed more women and minorities. According to a research paper from the University of Guelph by Derek Matisz, since nominating committees were instituted in Ontario in 1988 the percentage of female appointees jumped to from 30 to 52 per cent. Similar results were found in other provinces. There are undoubtedly highly qualified female lawyers that should become judges and a system based on merit will identify them–there doesn’t need to be a policy directive guiding the process.

Once the PM interferes in the nomination process to achieve a particular result, the judiciary becomes politicized, regardless of the goal of the interference. The judicial branch is supposed to be a check-and-balance on the government, not an instrument through which to advance federal political agendas.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Performing without conforming: Pianist Jan Lisiecki on why classical music isn’t dead

by Holly Cabrera on

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Twenty-two-year-old Calgary pianist Jan Lisiecki is far from being a slacker. After making his orchestral debut at age nine, the musician rose to international fame once The Fryderyk Chopin Institute released a recording of his live renditions of Chopin’s piano concertos. Four albums later, he now performs roughly 80 times per year. In the past month alone, he has played in six countries, with appearances already lined up through 2020.  

When he isn’t taking a break from practice to go skiing, the young pianist performs at some of the world’s most prestigious concert venues such as Carnegie Hall–all while pursuing his bachelor’s of Music Performance at the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t finished my bachelor’s because of performances,” Jan Lisiecki said bashfully. “It’s funny. There’s this paradox, here I am performing in the biggest concert halls as a pianist and yet, I don’t have a bachelor’s of music. It’s sort of funny actually.”

This week, Lisiecki’s jam-packed schedule brings him to the Montreal Chamber Music Festival. He’ll take the stage alongside acclaimed cellist and festival founder Denis Brott on June 14.

Despite his impressive list of accomplishments, Lisiecki doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s excited to play Beethoven’s rarely-performed Fantasy, Op. 77, which he candidly describes as, “pretty much how you imagine Beethoven’s character: Rather outgoing and sort of bipolar.” Lisiecki derives his enthusiasm for the art from its ability to offer unique interpretations to listeners in person.

“Even though you may have been playing some of the concertos hundreds of times, you still find new and fresh things,” Lisiecki said. “Music stays in the moment. The audience that was there that particular evening plus you are the only people who leave with that memory of your performance and it’s a gift. And it sort of feels incredibly individual, and that’s one of the greatest things about classical music.”

As a musician in the public eye and a UNICEF Ambassador to Canada, Lisiecki feels it is his duty to expose young audiences to classical music. He promotes the genre by giving lectures and planning informal performances for elementary schoolchildren.

“It’s important for me to reach out to schools and make sure that children have access to classical music at the highest level,” Lisiecki said. “And I’m not just saying playing the recorder or singing in the choir but actually understanding and knowing what it’s about.”

Classical music has been subject to persistent misconceptions, namely that it is “boring,” or as Lisiecki puts it, “stuffed up.” For him, the key to drawing younger audiences to concerts is offering shorter shows without compromising the caliber of the works performed.

“The modern world needs shorter and simply, high quality performances,” Lisiecki said. “[A classical music concert] doesn’t have to be [so long] that [it] bores you to death [….] That doesn’t mean that great masterworks shouldn’t be interpreted. […. In] my experience, […] when people come to the casual concerts, it’s more for the experience than for how they can dress. It’s more for the fact that the concert starts earlier […] and they still have a nice evening.”

While he cites performing in front of audiences as “another great teacher” for a musician, he also takes pride in his classical training. Some music teachers are notorious for suppressing their students’ individuality as they interpret new works. Lisiecki, however, was quick to credit his mentor from the beginning of his university studies, pianist Marc Durand, for encouraging him to express his aesthetic ideas.

“I am very individual in how I see music,” Lisiecki said, “But it’s always appreciated to have someone give you advice in the most caring way without imprinting on you exactly how you should do things and that, to me, was Marc Durand.”

In addition to his teacher’s guidance, Lisiecki also heavily relies on his own creative instinct throughout his career. The pianist even promises to present a slightly different take on Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20 at his June 16 performance.

“I had, always, my own vision and I had to stay true to myself,” Lisiecki said. “I couldn’t actually go out on stage and simply try to rehash what somebody told me was the right thing to do.”

 

The Art of Jan Lisiecki takes place June 14 and 16, 7:30 p.m., at Pollack Hall, McGill University (555 Rue Sherbrooke O).

Student tickets $28.50.

McGill, News

Aldo shoes founder donates $25 million to McGill to start school of retail management

by William Pang on

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The family foundation of businessman Albert “Aldo” Bensadoun, BCom ‘64 and founder and former CEO of Aldo Group, donated $25 million to McGill in May to fund a new school of retail management. The university is drawing up plans to transform 8,000 sq. feet of space in the Bronfman building into a state of the art Retail Innovation Lab with renovation slated to begin in summer 2018. Students will be able to register for classes at the Bensadoun School of Retail Management beginning in the Fall 2018 semester.

Bensadoun’s gift comes at a time when the retail industry is undergoing dramatic changes. Department stores such as Macy’s and JCPenney are finding themselves eclipsed by online retailers like Amazon.com, which are able to offer competitive prices and allow customers to shop from their smartphone or tablet. As such, the Bensadoun School of Retail Management aims to confront the fast-changing retail landscape through an interdisciplinary approach.

“The proposed school […] will train future leaders of the retail industry to adapt better to a sector that has become increasingly advanced and complex, particularly from a technological standpoint,” Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management, wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

McGill will become one of the few universities in Canada to offer a specialized program in retail management. Among others is the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management at Ryerson University, which offers an undergraduate degree with an optional co-operative program, allowing students to gain practical work experience while earning credits.

The upcoming Retail Innovation Lab differentiates McGill’s retail management program from other universities’. It will provide experiential learning opportunities as well as a place to test the latest retail technologies.

“The Retail innovation Lab will house an omni-channel retail operation in online and traditional retail settings,” Bajeux-Besnainou wrote. “The Lab will link directly to the study of data and pricing analytics, efficacy of different payment systems, consumer behavior and global value change management, while providing data sets for research and courses.”

According to Bajeux-Besnainou, the Retail Innovation Lab will also invite partner retailers to install pop-up stores to test various retail innovations. Student and faculty researchers will collect data for further research.

For Saibal Ray, a professor of Operations Management in the Desautels Faculty of Management, now is an opportune time to start a new school in retail management.

“Given the changes that [have] happened in the retail sector during the last two decades or so due to various reasons—technology, demographics, globalization—and the changes that are going to take place in the near future, [retail] is a sector that we think is ready for serious examination from all perspectives—research, teaching, training,” Ray wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

According to Ray, administrators hope to modernize the school of retail management’s curriculum by seeking input from professors in neuroscience and engineering. The school plans to offer degrees at the undergraduate, master’s, and PhD.

Students including Megan Munroe, U3 Marketing, responded positively to the creation of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management.

“Based on experience, the topics I’ve studied in BCom, while helpful and educational in their own right, are broad and theory-based,” Munroe wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “It seems that this new school would provide a more detail-oriented and hands-on approach to learning the content, and I think that’s perhaps a more effective way to learn this subject matter.”

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that construction on the Retail Innovation Lab would begin in January 2018. In fact, construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2018. The Tribune regrets this error.

Commentary, Opinion

First-Year Seminars aid new students’ transition into university

by Julia Metraux on

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When I was finalizing my university decision, my biggest hesitation about attending McGill University was the sheer class size of core requirement courses for my then-major Economics. I had never had a class with more than 25 students throughout my elementary and secondary education, so I felt both overwhelmed and uncertain of how to navigate classes of a few hundred students. Fortunately, in the second semester of my first year at McGill, I took a First-Year Seminar: “Images of Otherness” (GERM 199). The course helped me grow in various academic areas and increased my confidence in communicating with a professor. Thanks to their small class sizes, First-Year Seminars permit students to build stronger relationships with their peers and professors. Because of this, McGill should increase the number of courses offered and expand the content they cover.

First-Year Seminars are available once per year for first-year U0 or U1 students. There are currently 22 First-Year Seminars, each of which have a maximum cap of 25 students, depending on the subject. Subjects range from the Department of English’s “Literature and Democracy” (ENGL 199) to the Department of Psychiatry’s “Mental Illness and the Brain” (PSYT 199). The number of First-Year Seminars McGill offers has drastically increased over the past few years, from only four seminars offered in the 2015-2016 Academic Year.

To be honest, I took “Images of Otherness” on a whim to fill up credits required for that semester, but I had a more positive experience than in classes where I had over 200 classmates. Due to the small class size, First-Year Seminars aid students in developing skills that can be used in other classes and encourage them to participate. My professor was able to provide each student with lengthy feedback on assignments in order to improve their writing skills. The intimate setting helped us to create close bonds with each other and on the last day of the semester, we even had a potluck to commemorate the end of our time together. Arranging an end-of-semester celebration or other intimate gathering with a Leacock 132 entry-level class would be near impossible.

 

Due to the small class size, First-Year Seminars aid students in developing skills that can be used in other classes and encourage them to participate.

There is a correlation between class size and student success. London School of Economics Professors Oriana Bandiera and Valentino Larcinese and University College London Professor Imran Rasul found that students do worse in larger classes. In contrast, their study showed that students in small classes such as First-Year Seminars performed better on tests. Furthermore, high ability students–those who are academically above average–are the most negatively affected by a large class size. McGill is a school with high admission standards full of high-achieving students. The university should expand the availability of small classes to aid its high-ability students who research has shown perform better in smaller class sizes.

There are, however, ways in which First-Year Seminars can be improved. First of all, the number offered at McGill must continue to grow, as there are not enough classes for each first-year student to take one if they wanted to. The 2016-2017 undergraduate entering class consisted of 6,467 students. If there were to be enough First-Year Seminars for every student, there would need to be 259 classes–compared to the 22 currently offered. Multidisciplinary courses would attract students from various faculties. For example, a history of chemical discoveries course would allow students who are interested in history and those in chemistry to learn together and from each other.

When incoming students select their courses for the fall semester, they should take a First-Year Seminar to improve on skills that can be used in other classes as well as to get individual attention from a professor. First-Year Seminars have benefited students like myself and the university should continue to expand the number of courses and the content taught.

 

 

Julia Metraux is a U1 English-Cultural Studies major and French as a Second Language minor

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]

 

 
Soccer, Sports

Champions League final preview: Different journeys lead to an explosive match

by Samuel Cordano on

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April and May were supposed to bring the soccer world an action-packed slate with the Champions League knockout rounds taking place and European national leagues drawing to a close. However, predictable outcomes proved disappointing to the beautiful game’s fans. There were no late-season comebacks in the national leagues and most of the favourites advanced in the Champions League.

Soccer fans will finally be treated to an exciting fixture on June 3 as offensive powerhouse Real Madrid takes on Juventus of Turin and their stalwart defensive corps in the Champions League final. Unlike previous Champions League contests this year, there is no clear favourite heading into the match; sports gambling sites have placed near-even odds for both teams to win while FiveThirtyEight, an industry leader in statistical analysis, actually forecasts this matchup as the tightest of any Champions League knockout game this season.

To fully appreciate the matchup, one must also look back at each team’s journey to the final. Real Madrid’s strength lies in their offensive line, composed of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Historically, Madrid has had difficulties finding a sustainable balance, with a disproportionate emphasis on its offence. This imbalance can be partially attributed to the structure of the club: It is a registered association, meaning supporters own part of the organization and elect its president. In order to stay in power, presidents have incentive to please fans by blowing excessive amounts of money on high-profile, offensive stars, such as Bale and James Rodriguez, instead of improving each position to the same extent.

Halfway through last season, the typical volatility calmed as new head coach Zinedine Zidane took charge. His aura brought stability to the club and his experience allowed him to make hard decisions, such as rotating his starting 11. By benching his marketable superstars to bring on under-the-radar players, he has kept Ronaldo, Benzema, and Bale in top form while also allowing new faces like Alvaro Morato and Mariano to gain valuable first team experience. His impact was immediate, as Real Madrid won the Champions League six months later. They’ve enjoyed great success this season, too, winning three of four possible trophies—including the prestigious Spanish League title.

(www.leparisien.fr)

Juventus has also reaped the rewards of a sophisticated shift in attitude. The Italian side made the Champions League final in 2014-2015 but suffered a definitive 3-1 loss to Barcelona, epitomizing a crucial need for change. Since then, they’ve earned experience, changed their mentality, and adopted a smart transfer policy. The club sold Paul Pogba to Manchester United for a record-setting 105 million euros and used the funds to sign a multitude of talented players—including Gonzalo Higuain, Juan Cuadrado, Dani Alves, and Medhi Benatia—in his place. While the short-term marketability of the team has diminished, Pogba’s sale was a worthwhile sacrifice considering the highly-skilled supporting players that were brought in.

Apart from their recent upward trajectories, Juventus and Madrid are polar opposites on the pitch . Juventus finds strength in their defence—specifically the Buffon-Barzagli-Chiellini-Bonucci back line. This quartet has been together since January 2011 and has won six consecutive Italian Serie A titles, with their latest triumph occurring just weeks ago. The unit has guided Juve to the final by allowing just three goals in twelve Champions League games.

With such a sharp divide in strengths between the two sides, spectators will get to enjoy a classic struggle between the unstoppable force and immovable object. Besides, Madrid’s defence and Juve’s offence are exceptional in their own right against almost any team. In such a tight matchup, the difference could come down to health, where Juventus appears to hold an advantage when considering Bale’s discouraging ankle status. Nonetheless, his probable replacement—Francisco Suarez—is more than capable, and the Champions League finale will not be tarnished by one hobbled star.

The 2016-2017 season will come to an exhilarating conclusion on June 3 in what promises to be a breathtaking matchup between up-and-coming Juventus and the experienced Real Madrid

Out on the Town, Student Life

Free and fun things to do in Montreal: Summer 2017 edition

by Catherine Morrison on

More in Out on the Town:

Montreal is the place to be during the summer—its true beauty and romantic atmosphere simply cannot be captured during the winter months. Whether you are taking summer classes, working a job, or simply enjoying a break from studying, there’s always something exciting for you to do. As a student, the cost of exploring the city can sometimes feel constraining but the good news is it doesn’t have to be! With Montreal’s diverse arts scene and endless parks, it’s hard to be bored and easy to stay on a budget. The McGill Tribune has scoured the city and web and found the most unique–and enjoyable–free events in Montreal to explore this summer while saving money, so you don’t have to.

Happenings of the city

Volunteer for Alive375

(http://www.national.ca)

Get involved in the excitement of celebrating Montreal’s 375th birthday! Apply online to be a part of the Alive375 anniversary team and get involved in incredible events, such as La Grande Tournée, Montréal Avudo, The Giants, Les arts de la rue, and Montréal Symphonique. Learn more about the events here.

Watch the sky light up 

(http://dailyhive.com/)

Every summer since 1985, Montreal has been host to the International Firework Competition, the largest fireworks competition in the world. From July 1 to August 5, watch firework shows starting at 10 p.m. for free anywhere from Parc Jean-Drapeau to the Old Port.

Try this in your free time

Stop and smell the roses

(http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com)

Visit the Floralies Gardens at Parc Jean-Drapeau this summer–left over from the 1980 Floralies Internationales horticultural fair, Parc Jean-Drapeau features 25 hectares with mini-botanical gardens and monumental works, part of a free public art exhibit. Make sure to pack yourself a picnic to make a day of your visit!

Bixi around town

(http://www.xplorocity.ca)

There’s no better way to explore the exciting streets of Montreal than on a Bixi bike. Get out and enjoy a free 30-minute ride through the city’s bike paths on the last Sunday of every month all summer long—maybe you’ll stumble upon a new brunch place in a different neighbourhood along the way.

Sing your heart out

(http://lounge.thekaraokechannel.com)

On the last Saturday of the month from May to September, bring your favorite duet partner to public open-air karaoke, organized by Héroes de Karaoké. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Parc du Portugal on the corner of Boulevard St-Laurent and rue Marie-Anne, this will be the perfect place to let your hair–and guard–down.

Get your heart rate up

(http://www.top.me)

If the gym is not your thing,  Anytime Fitness Plateau is offering free bootcamp sessions at Parc des Amériques–on the corner of boulevard Saint Laurent and rue Rachel–every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. during the month of May. The parc is a beautiful spot to work out and you’re guaranteed to make some new, albeit sweaty, acquaintances.

Fantastic festivals

Montreal Jazz Festival

(http://jazzpolice.com)

Ranked as the world’s largest jazz festival by Guinness World Records, this year’s Montreal Jazz Festival will be hosting over 140 artists from June 29 to July 8 throughout venues downtown! If you’re not up to pay to see the headliners–think Bob Dylan, Anderson Paak, or John Coltrane–the festival offers many free jazz concerts at various locations in Montreal.

Mondial des Jeux

(http://media.lavitrine.com)

Located in the Quartier des Spectacles, Mondial des Jeux offers a free outdoor game area for people of all ages. From July 15 to 30, head down to the Mondial des Jeux from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends to participate in video games, play board games, and get your heart rate up!

Just For Laughs

(http://www.destination360.com)

Every July, Montreal’s downtown hosts the largest comedy festival in the world, Just For Laughs. With headliners such as Trevor Noah and Ali Wong, this year’s festival is not one to miss. If you’re not up to paying the admission fees to see these and more comics, make sure to celebrity-watch around Places des Arts on rue Sainte Catherine. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, another option is to volunteer for Just For Laughs–save some money, gain some experience, and maybe have a convo or two with a celebrity.

Montreal's MURAL Festival

(http://www.tourisme-montreal.org)

For the fifth year in a row, Montreal will be hosting the incredible MURAL Festival, going on from June 8 to 18 and featuring artists such as 1010. During this time, a walk down Saint Laurent Boulevard will be met by a plethora of food trucks, clothing vendors, and kiosks, while 20 new muralists such as Ola Volo and Mono Sourcil add their artworks to the existing 50 on the boulevard.

McGill, News

Principal Fortier addresses Andrew Potter resignation at Board of Governors meeting

by Daniel Freed on

More in McGill:

On April 27, the McGill Board of Governors (BoG) met to discuss the resignation of Andrew Potter, the challenge of defining campus borders when applying the McGill context, and plans for the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education. The BoG also outlined objectives for repairs and restoration of campus infrastructure, reviewed plans for changes to McGill’s existing software, and discussed dead property and empty space on McGill’s Macdonald campus.

 

Suzanne Fortier’s Comments on Andrew Potter’s Resignation

Associate Professors Darin Barney and Derek Nystrom asked Principal Suzanne Fortier about the resignation of Andrew Potter from his position as the director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC). Potter’s resignation followed the publication of a column he authored in Maclean’s magazine on March 20. The article linked the shutdown of a major highway during a snowstorm on March 14 with the lack of trust within Quebec society. Fortier explained that Potter was not clear enough in distinguishing his views from those of the University.

“It is impractical, every time you open your mouth, to say, ‘These are my views, not the views of the university,’” Fortier said. “But there are circumstances where we need to consider whether [making this disclaimer] is needed or not.”

Fortier reminded the BoG of the university's commitment to serve Quebec and alluded that Potter failed to do so with his controversial article.

“We express a view all the time of pride of being a university of Quebec, in Quebec,” Fortier said. “It’s part of our mission to serve society and specifically talk about our service to Quebec.”

Barney relayed his feelings to Fortier that the monitoring of professors’ views and the university’s backlash against Potter threatened their academic freedom of expression.

"There is a concern among the professoriate […] that [the] standard of conduct pertaining to expression could be enforced or experienced as placing constraints on what is otherwise those professors’ academic freedom to express themselves," Barney said.

In response, Fortier emphasized the responsibility of administrative members of faculty to uphold McGill's principles in their speech, despite the concerns of Barney and other staff.   

“There is no restriction on academic freedom as faculty members,” Fortier said. “It is only as it pertains to your ability to deliver your mandate. [Faculty members] will choose not to occupy administrative positions because they have assumed a role that is important in university of being provocative, [… creating] a lot of heated debates, and that’s fine. We need people like that. But they usually choose not to be in academic administrative leadership positions because they believe that is where they can best fulfill the role they want.”

 

The McGill Context

Deputy Provost (Student Life & Learning) Olliver Dyens relayed that, in recent months, the university’s principal challenge has been to define the McGill context with regard to taking disciplinary action and enforcing rules. Dyens explained that establishing McGill’s jurisdiction and its borders is challenging and complicated and that the administration will need help from the McGill community.

“There is no perfect solution to the McGill context,” Dyens said. “We will just need to come to some sort of resolution on where it stands or not. It is complex and difficult and we are faced with it continuously.”

 

The Indigenous Task Force

The meeting concluded with an update from Associate Professor Hudson Meadwell of the Department of Political Science and Associate Provost (Policies, Procedures, and Equity) Angela Campbell, who are Co-Chairs of the Provost's Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education. They spoke about future projects and goals, including a plan to hire five professors with knowledge of Indigenous history and methodology as a part of the expansion of the Faculty of Arts’ Minor Concentration in Indigenous Studies.

Meadwell also spoke on the controversial name of McGill’s male varsity sports teams, the McGill Redmen.

“There is a recommendation that the name of the Redmen should be changed and that a university and community wide consultation process should be initiated as part of that critical reflection,” Meadwell said.

The co-chairs spoke to the possibility of creating residences for Indigenous students. The Macdonald Campus, specifically, was raised as an ideal location for these, given the amount of existing space available for renovation on campus.

“There’s real promise [for development at Macdonald Campus], it’s definitely something we’re looking at,” Campbell said. “Not just residences, but communal space, because there isn’t space [for such developments] downtown.”

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