Latest News

Features

A walk through Auschwitz

by Natalie Wong on

More in Features:

I had gone out the night before, enjoying Krakow’s nightlife and the cheap vodka that came with it. With about three hours of sleep, I awoke to get on a bus for Auschwitz-Birkenau, the head extermination concentration camp from the Second World War.

Falling into a deep sleep on my way to the site, I woke up to a grey sky with steadily falling rain. The atmosphere was chilling. I stepped off the bus, greeted by a deathly silence that serenaded one of the most infamous locations of the Second World War. This was where the Nazis had tortured and exterminated over a million Jews, Poles, Roma, and Soviet prisoners of war. Around 6,000 Jews were killed in gas chambers everyday at the peak of the deportations.  

This was not my first time at Auschwitz. When I was four years old, my parents brought me and my sister here, although I retain no memories from that trip. As I grew older and became fascinated by the history of the war, I begged my sister to describe what Auschwitz was like; what did she remember that I could not? She told me that one of the most disturbing images for her 9-year-old self was that of old, tattered children’s shoes that haunted the grounds of the camp.

From these selective memories, I pictured vivid brutality, thinking it would be visibly imprinted upon the structures that had housed atrocities. Perhaps there would be remnants of the creepy cells and dark dugouts which held the prisoners. Maybe blood smeared on the walls, left behind by those who had tried to escape.

It was nothing like I had imagined it would be. Instead, I saw neat rows of brick townhouses—almost resembling a boarding school. Only the signs indicating “Extermination House” on the entrances of various buildings betrayed its identity as a slaughterhouse.

From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

The case for eradicating malaria with gene-editing technologies

by Palma Gubert on

More in From the BrainSTEM:

What if we could rid the world of any species that we didn’t like: The annoying ones, the dangerous ones, and the disease-spreading ones? This seems like a tall order and one that carries a number of ethical quandaries.

With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene technologies, the once theoretical bioethics is now a real consideration for scientists in the field. Target Malaria, a university-based research program at Imperial College London, is developing methods for limiting the populations of disease-carrying mosquitos.

Last year, malaria caused half a million deaths, mostly of children under five years old. Three related species of Anopheles mosquitoes are primarily responsible for most malaria transmission. Of these, only the female mosquitoes can bite, and thus transmit the disease.

Target Malaria is testing approaches designed to reduce the number of female Anopheles mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa. Cutting down the population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes through the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene drives will in turn reduce the transmission of the disease.

Gene drives are genetic elements that "drive" themselves and nearby genes to be inherited by almost all offspring. In using gene drives, genes are artificially stimulated to manipulate specific genes in entire populations.

Normally, in a sexually reproducing organism, a particular gene has a 50 per cent chance of being inherited by its offspring. Gene drives, however, ensure that a gene is passed on to almost all progeny––even if that gene reduces the viability of the organism.

CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene-editing technique that allows scientists to delete, insert, or replace a gene of interest in a given species. Coupled with gene drives, these genes of interest would be inherited by nearly all offspring.The gene can then spread quickly through an entire population and to every population group of that species.

The CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive is an immensely promising and powerful biological tool, with numerous possible applications. For example, it can cause all males of a species to be sterile, removing the need for toxic chemical insecticides and herbicides to eliminate pests or weeds, or eradicating harmful invasive species.

“[Gene drives] offer a way to solve biological problems with biology,” the Sculpting Evolution Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology––the first to suggest the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to build gene drives––said. “We are finally learning to speak with the living world using nature's own language.”

A similar process could be used to eliminate other devastating diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as Dengue fever and Zika.

“Some species of […] mosquitoes […] are invasive species in North America […and] may very well be eradicable with CRISPR/Cas9 or related techniques,” Dr. Tim Geary, director of McGill’s Institute of Parasitology, said. “This would markedly reduce the incidence of dengue […] and Zika and would target mosquitoes that were not found here. Their eradication would leave all the other native North American species of mosquitoes intact and so would have minimal effects on the ecology of mosquitoes here.”

While promising, this technology is not without enormous ethical ramifications.

"We now have the ability to change entire species at will. Should we?” asked journalist Jennifer Kahn in a TED talk about gene editing.

Many scientists are cautioning the use of CRISPR-based gene drives, emphasizing the importance of safeguards and the necessity for more transparency in the scientific field.

“Even developing a CRISPR gene drive in the laboratory is ethically questionable because an accident could directly impact the lives of others, not to mention seriously damage public trust in scientists,” the Sculpting Evolution Group’s website said.

It is evident that this powerful tool needs to be regulated and treated with the caution it deserves. There are many differing opinions on how to accomplish that goal, including requiring any plans for its use be made public prior to starting experimentation or requesting approval from a regulatory body. Nonetheless, the life-saving potential of CRISPR-based gene drives is huge.

“We did not feel bad about eradicating smallpox or polio or rinderpest,” Dr. Geary, who is in favour of the use of this technique, said. “Getting rid of even 50 species of mosquitoes out of the thousands of species would have minimal effects on ecology, but would change the course of millions of lives.”

McGill, News

McGill appoints new Associate Provost (International)

by Lanya Feng on

More in McGill:

On Aug. 21, Philip Oxhorn, a professor in McGill’s Political Science Department and the former director of the Institute for the Study of International Development, was appointed McGill’s first Associate Provost (International). The portfolio of Associate Provost (International) includes strengthening international partnerships and overseeing international outreach and research.

Oxhorn plans to add more innovative graduate programs in international development in order to attract more faculty and students from around the world. He also hopes to foster an environment that encourages students to participate in the internationalization of McGill by sharing their cultures, completing internships abroad, and bringing global awareness to the campus. According to Oxhorn, developing an international strategy will be a large part of his work.

“As for the first six months, I am working on developing an international strategy,” Oxhorn said. “There is lots of learning—especially with the abundant resources we have—on how to utilize these resources and bring units together. Another defining feature of the strategy is to seek and create genuine partnerships around the world.”

Recognizing the diversity of cultures on campus, Oxhorn feels stronger communication between departments is necessary for fostering a community with global mindsets.

“McGill has many great resources and many strengths, but the right hand may have no idea what the left hand is doing,” Oxhorn said. “So the problem is how to bring [departments] together and centralize them to make McGill a better place.”

Oxhorn plans to introduce a series of new curricula that focus on globalized learning and developing students’ appreciation of diverse culture and perspectives.

“It is important to comprehend the meaning of global citizenship in the 21st century,” Oxhorn said.

Oxhorn was appointed by Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi after an extensive interview and evaluation process. Manfredi has faith that Oxhorn will successfully carry out all the mandates for advancing McGill on the world stage.

“As the former director of the Institute for the Study of International Development and with an excellent track-record in teaching and research in this field, Professor Oxhorn will bring valuable skills and expertise to this new role,” Manfredi said.

Erin Sobat, the VP University Affairs of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), expressed concerns about the value of the new position for undergraduate students and its potential impact on international student affairs.

“We're interested to see how exactly the portfolio shapes up,” Sobat wrote in an email to /The Tribune/. “And particularly if International Education (exchanges, study away, etc.) will remain under the Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning). Otherwise, it's unclear exactly what impact or added value this role might have for undergraduate students.”

Chenghao Liu, a U1 Science student from China, hopes the new position will help improve the experience of international students at McGill.

“The administration at McGill [is] disappointing at times,” Liu said. “They [seem] fragmented. I need to run around the campus in order to get what I need. It is great to hear that there is a position created to unify, coordinate, and oversee the international aspect of the University.”

Art, Arts & Entertainment

Julie Favreau: Navigating personal space

by Sophie Brzozowski on

More in Art:

Although she was born and raised in a small suburb outside of Quebec City, curators, critics, and fans cannot help but proudly introduce Julie Favreau as “one of Montreal’s very own.” Since graduating from Concordia in 2012, the 35-year-old artist has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the Pierre Ayot Prize. Even so, no one can deny that two exhibitions showing in two of Montreal’s most reputable galleries is a feat worthy of the elegant reception thrown in her honour.


She Century: Tracer Son Portrait is an exhibition comprised of six pieces that premiered on Monday Sept. 26 at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), followed by a second opening at the Darling Foundry gallery on Thursday Sept. 29. The title piece is a five-minute short film featuring  Caroline Dubois, a dancer, choreographer, and friend of the artist. Although her background is primarily in sculpture, Favreau’s work has always incorporated aspects of performance art. In She Century, the focus fell somewhere between dance and theater.


“We worked for ten days in a studio,” Favreau explained in an interview at the exhibit’s opening event at the MMFA. “After those ten days in the dance studio, we kind of followed the movements and how she responded to the space. It was very planned.”


Favreau has always emphasized that her work is not performance art. Dubois’ movements are simple but deliberate, filmed from various angles and distances against the backdrop of an empty green field. Her interest is not in the subject themselves but the way in which they interact with their surroundings, something we do everyday without a second thought.


The space seems to lend itself to the theme of the show. Located in the Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion, the exhibit is housed in a small, narrow room. In the centre is the television playing She Century, surrounded by two sculptures, another film, and several photographs. The small space makes spectators uncomfortable—one can’t help but be aware of their own body in relation to the room. Audience members are unsure as to where to position themselves so as not to block the sculptures or the screen, and are hesitant to stand close to a piece.  


Whether or not the show was designed to instill discomfort, it drove home the artist’s message in a way that was impossible to ignore. The exhibit forced the audience to pay attention to their environment, and the clumsy way in which they exist inside of it.  Suddenly, the audience is at the mercy of their surroundings, rather than the other way around.


For an artist that specializes in sculpture, Favreau has an unexpected fascination with movement. In 2011, she completed a residency at the Quartier Éphémère in Paris to study dance in order to improve her choreography.


Her interest in choreography and motion seem to be woven into even the stationary pieces of the show. The largest sculpture is an upright three dimensional model version  of a continuous looping structure that Dubois makes out of string in one scene of She Century.


“The question we were asking is, what would happen if the rope materialized into a sculpture?” Favreau explained, gesturing to the steel figure, which the label describes as a “drawing in space.” Although she stresses  that each piece is separate, it appears as though none of them could exist in isolation. Each creation seems to come from a moment or object in the film, each transparent in its own simplicity. In one of the final scenes of She Century, Dubois is shown performing a sleight of hand trick. The young woman twists a white handkerchief into a closed fist, then, rubbing her palms together, makes it disappear while staring unwaveringly into the camera. This scene echoes the theme of the exhibition, forcing the viewer think twice about the way they interact with the objects that inhabit space around them.

Trailer – She century – 2015 from Julie Favreau on Vimeo.

 

Student Life

Political clubs on campus: The secret to improving voter turnout in the US election

by Neha Rahman on

More in Student Life:

Due to McGill’s large population of American students, discussions about the looming US presidential election have become a familiar part of life for many students this year. An unprecedented level of polarization between the candidates makes such conversations particularly lively. However, for many American citizens studying at McGill, this election is less about talk, and more about action. 

Despite the fact that voter turnout among 18-to 35 year-olds in the US is typically  dismal—with only 46 per cent voting in the last presedential election, compared to 72 per cent of those aged 71 and up—signs point to this election being different. The extremes to which the campaigns have gone has raised the stakes for members of all political parties, thus increasing voting rates and general interest among students. 

“I do not know a single American citizen at McGill who is not registered to vote,” Phoebe Warren, U3 Political Science and History, and founder of McGill Students for Hillary Clinton, said. “Almost everyone is interested in the election, even if they aren’t American.”

There are many potential reasons why the campus environment is so conducive to political interest. One is that the environment is necessarily one of education and intellect, keeping news and politics at the forefront. Additionally, the social atmosphere ensures that news and opinions spread quickly through the student body. However, what might be making one of the biggest differences on the campus in engaging students in political processes are political clubs.

“[Political clubs] are vital [to engaging students in the election],” Warren said. “Participating in political groups allows us to develop our political identities and find others with similar beliefs and values.” 

In fact, campus political clubs seem to be a key factor in improving low voter turnout. These political groups facilitate student voter rates directly by holding voter registration and absentee ballot request events. Democrats Abroad at McGill, for example, hosted a voter registration table in the Y-Intersection, which was widely attended by students this year. 

“[Our voter registration] had a pretty good turnout this year,” Amanda Demers, U2 Geography and Political Science and member of Democrats Abroad at McGill, said. “There was a constant stream of people really expressing a strong interest to vote, because it’s really coming from a strong sense of concern than [in other elections….] It seems now people are more interested in having their voice be heard.”

Yet, improving voter turnout is not strictly an American effort. Canadians can also do their part by making sure their American classmates are aware these services exist on campus. 

“A lot of Canadians have expressed to me that they’re also […] spreading the word because this election will impact them in some ways, too,” Demers said. “And since they can’t vote personally, I guess the closest thing they can do is help [Americans] vote.”

Voting abroad can intimidate students and deter many from registering to vote. Through voter registration booths, political clubs on campus can alleviate some of the barriers to voting abroad, such as the high cost and time commitment. 

“Voter registration is somewhat accessible,” Warren said. “However, we have to pay for postage with this and the absentee ballot itself. For people on a student budget, this can be a hassle. Democrats Abroad does a great job of taking away all other barriers that come with voter registration.”

To alleviate such stress, student groups on campus are doing their best to simplify the process for American students at McGill, working with students every step of the way. 

“[Casting an absentee ballot] is actually easier than most people think,” Demers said. “You can do most of it online, but the hardest part is that you eventually have to print out everything you fill out online because [the US government] usually wants everything signed. Printing it out and mailing it in is the part that deters a lot of people, but that’s what [Democrats Abroad] is here for.”

While candidates are resorting to desperate measures to get young people to show up to the polls this November, like inviting leagues of pop stars to sing at rallies, or awkwardly using slang in their speeches, campus political clubs are putting power in the eager and educated hands of American students at McGill. These students’ commitment remains unhindered no matter where in the world they are.  

Find out more about how to vote in the US election from abroad here.

Student Life

The Westmount Public Library innovates while keeping its history in mind

by Paige Mysliviec on

More in Student Life:

The Westmount Public Library (WPL) sits tucked away from Rue Sherbrooke in Westmount with a red brick façade and green-trimmed windows across its exterior. Attached to its right wing is a white-lined greenhouse with frosted windows, and a hint of foliage peeking out from within. The building seamlessly transitions from antique to modern as new windows and streamlined construction give away the library’s grand addition, which allowed it to add more items and more space for the public’s enjoyment. Behind this library’s façade is an institution that holds an intriguing architectural history and serves as an important place for locals, students, and tourists. 

The original building of the Westmount Public Library was constructed in 1899—the first public library in Quebec. Designed by Robert Findlay, McGill University librarian Charles Gould, and a library committee made up of three counselors, three elected trustees, and the town mayor, the Westmount Public Library was built in honour of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Because librarians—who prioritize efficiency—and architects—who prioritize style—often clash over building layout, the library was built with the library committee’s ideas on hand to compromise between the two parties. What resulted was a public library with a beautiful and efficient space.

 “[WPL] is the library that we often see cited in books [and] articles. People do refer to the library, just [because of] the aesthetics of the building,” WPL Director Julie-Ann Cardella said. “The aesthetics of the building constantly draws people in.”

[metaslider id=46789]

The architecture implied is mesmerizing to outsiders. The inspiration for the architecture was heavily influenced by American libraries, especially those in New England, according to scholar Elizabeth Hanson’s historical article “Architecture and Public Librarianship in the Early Nineteenth Century: The Westmount Public Library.” Gould used an inspector from the New York public libraries to help find library blueprints from Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 

Originally made to hold about 30,000 books, the library has since been expanded to hold over 170,000 items, including books, audiobooks, newspapers, and more. The additions to the library, completed in 1995, are not apparent from the front, but venturing around the building through the park, one can see how the faded red brick merges into a new painted one. The building becomes more straight-edged and modern. 

A library, however, is so much more than its architecture or layout. The age of technology and its allowance for users to read books online has threatened to make books and libraries obsolete. An article in Time Magazine, titled “Study: The Number of Teens Reading for Fun Keeps Declining,” attributed  decreasing reading rates among teens to the growing prevalence of technology. It also found that an increasing number of younger children were reading from ebooks over paper books. Yet, the Westmount Public Library chose to integrate technology into its operations, refusing to let changing times negatively affect them. 

“Technology we actually use to our advantage. We made sure that we didn’t fight it. We didn’t ignore it, we embraced it,” Cardella said. “People are commenting now more and more about their eyes [with technology….] We still have our readers, eh? They’re not going anywhere. In fact, it has increased the readers.”

Perhaps it’s the incorporation of technology, or maybe it’s the yearning for print, but the library, according to Cardella, is more popular than ever. On Friday nights it’s often full of people, and on the weekends it’s busy until closing. The library is open 69 hours a week; it is open every day without fail, hosting over 1,000 people per day on average. 

Catering to this many people a day is not easy, which is why Cardella makes service a priority. 

“We’re more and more popular because we’re very welcoming [….] The staff here is so helpful, always with a smile,” Cardella said. 

The Westmount Public Library is like a grand paradox: The old, unique architecture of the outside merges into the updated addition seamlessly; the inside juxtaposes antique and ornate features with modern windows. The never-ending rows of books are just the beginning of a large collection—a lot of which is in a database. The welcoming atmosphere makes the library feel extraordinary, as if the past and present married and welcomed everyone to grab a book, take a seat, and feel at home.

Baseball, Sports

MLB Awards

by Weiyu Dang and Ben Simon on

More in Baseball:

American League Awards

Weiyu Dang

MVP: Mike Trout ( Centre fielder, Los Angeles Angels)

Logically, Trout must win the MVP. He’s been the best player in the MLB for five years; however, the voters are largely establishment cronies and it’s possible he’ll lose because the Angels had a bad season. While Mookie Betts was putting up superstar numbers on one of the best offensive teams this decade, Trout recorded similar numbers with no lineup protection or runners on base for him. On performance and value, Trout should unquestionably win.

Runners-up: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox; Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Cy Young: Corey Kluber (Starting pitcher, Cleveland Indians)

Kluber has been one of baseball’s best for the last three years. Finally, the rest of his team has caught up. In a year where pitchers have been good but not great, Kluber stands out as a workhorse and strikeout machine. No other pitcher on a good team has been as influential and statistically productive as Kluber. Orioles closer Zach Britton may be unhittable, but only pitches one inning a game.

Runners-up: Zach Britton, Baltimore Orioles; Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Rookie of the Year: Gary Sanchez (Catcher, New York Yankees)

After making his major league debut in August, Gary Sanchez has been the best player in the league. He plays the most demanding defensive position at a Gold Glove level while hitting moon shots at a historic pace. Sanchez has supreme tools of arm strength and power, making him a must-watch on TV. Tigers starter Michael Fulmer was great for a longer stretch, but Gary Sanchez brimmed with transcendent talent.

Runners-up: Michael Fulmer, Starting pitcher, Detroit Tigers.

Manager of the Year: Terry Francona (Cleveland Indians)

On-field production is largely unpredictable, yet it is possible to control the deployment of the right players at the right spots. Francona’s iconoclastic move, turning superstar closer Andrew Miller into a fireman sent out at any whiff of danger, stands out as creativity in a game dominated by convention. Winning the division with one of the lowest payrolls in the American League without superstar Michael Brantley is irrefutable managerial brilliance.

Runners-up: Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers; A.J. Hinch, Houston Astros

 

National League Awards

Ben Simon

MVP: Corey Seager (Shortstop, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Corey Seager should join Ichiro Suzuki and Fred Lynn as the only players to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. He is a generational talent and what he has been able to do at such a young age is simply outstanding. Unlike Kris Bryant who had the lineup protection and support to put up ridiculous numbers, Seager did it with a constantly changing cast of characters.

Runners-up: Kris Bryant Chicago Cubs; Nolan Arenado Colorado Rockies

CY Young: Max Scherzer (Starting pitcher, Washington Nationals)

Max Scherzer continued to dominate the league this year. While 20 wins might not be as important as it once was, his advanced statistics are all spectacular. He led the National League in innings pitched and was virtually unhittable all season. With the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw injured for most of the season and Kyle Hendricks not breaking the 200 inning plateau, Scherzer should take home his second Cy Young this year.

Runners-up: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers; Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager (Shortstop, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers’ youngster Corey Seager has run away with this year’s Rookie of the Year award. While his teammate Kenta Maeda was phenomenal on the mound, nobody came close to touching Seager this season. The NL hasn’t seen a rookie with this much talent since Buster Posey won the award in 2010. Frankly, he was so good that he should take home the MVP award, too.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda, Los Angeles Dodgers, Aledmys Diaz St. Louis Cardinals

Manager of the Year: Dave Roberts (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dave Roberts has masterminded his way to a fourth consecutive NL West title. He showed no fear, continually finding ways to win games despite managing a team with a record 28 players on the disabled list. While Joe Maddon led the Cubs to their first 100 win season since 1935, Roberts led a team of misfits to the postseason while dealing with constant Yasiel Puig drama. The Dodgers might not have been the NL’s best, but Roberts was certainly the top manager.

Runners-up: Joe Maddon, Chciago Cubs; Terry Collins New York Mets

Know Your Athlete, Men's Varsity, Sports

Know Your Athlete: Spencer Bromley

by Wasif Husain on

More in Know Your Athlete:

When you think of McGill Lacrosse, you think of a program that has dominated the CUFLA for the last five years. Many fantastic players have come through the program during that time, but none have had the honour of being drafted into the National Lacrosse League (NLL). That changed on Sept. 26 in Toronto. Fourth-year forward Spencer Bromley became the first McGill player selected in the draft when he was taken 48th overall in the fifth round by the two-time NLL defending champion, the Saskatchewan Rush. 

Bromley never thought about the possibility the he would be drafted. He did not even attend the NLL combine, where teams interview and work out draft-eligible players, as it clashed with a McGill game.

“I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t have an idea at all,” Bromley said. 

Even with Saskatchewan being a deep team on the wing, Bromley believes that he is talented enough to go to camp and make the team.

“It’s up to them,” Bromley said. “The ideal situation would be for me to take a crack at the team and hopefully make it.” 

In addition to being an accomplished lacrosse player, Bromley is also focused on his academics: He was named to the Principal’s Student-Athlete Honour Roll in 2016. He plans to go to graduate school alongside playing in the NLL, a situation for which he is well-prepared. 

“Playing lacrosse at [McGill] prepared me with a work ethic to balance my school and athletic life,” Bromley said. “It taught me a competitive attitude. We’ve lost very few games in my time on the team.”

However, McGill wasn’t the only offer Bromley had when he graduated in 2013 from Earl Marriott Secondary High School in Surrey, British Columbia. He chose to attend McGill over several scholarship offers from NCAA lacrosse programs. 

“I felt that McGill was the perfect combo of good lacrosse and good school,” Bromley said. “I figured if I put the time in high school to get good grades, I would have the opportunity to come to a great school.”

Growing up in Surrey, Bromley played for the Semiahmoo Rock and Richmond RoadRunner lacrosse clubs. His run of excellent play earned him a spot on the Delta Islanders, a Junior A box lacrosse team, where he still plays during the summer. He has thrived with the team, scoring 61 points in 21 games this past summer and winning a provincial Junior A title. He attributes a lot of his success to the coaches and teammates he has played with.

“My biggest influence has been my coaching staff,” Bromley said. “The Delta coaching staff starting with Greg Rennie, Logan Schuss, Bruce Davidson, my minor lacrosse coach, and Brent Hoskins, my field lacrosse travelling team coach who helped me get into McGill.” 

Having the privilege to play with so many great players has helped Bromley to evolve into a more complete athlete, giving him the chance to play at the professional level. 

“It’s a huge honour to play here,” Bromley said. “A lot of great players have come through here who should’ve been drafted. It had a lot to do with luck and timing. Playing in the Minto Cup, [the trophy awarded annually to the best men’s Junior lacrosse team in Canada,] this year gave me the platform to get scouted.”

With all his recent success, he remains humble and focused. Bromley  wants to repeat as a national championship winner and end his McGill career in style. Whichever path he chooses, wheteher it be the NLL, graduate school, or both, he is primed to make an immediate impact.

Student Life

The case of the disappearing myCourses class list

by Liz Willcock on

More in Student Life:

On the first day of school this Fall, there was a noticeable sense of unease as students filed into their classrooms. Professors watched students walk through lecture hall doors, eyes darting nervously around the classroom, desperately searching for a familiar face. The lucky ones would breathe a sigh of relief as they recognized their usual faculty crew sitting across the room. The not-so-lucky ones would shuffle to a seat near the fringes and strategically consider how to make friends for notes. Gone were the days when a mass email to the class would suffice. The classlist is now gone, and the room has been reduced to a contest of survival of the fittest. 

In the life of every student, whether in U0 to U4, undergraduate or graduate, there comes a time in which the myCourses classlist feature has been a lifesaver. The infamous classlist used to provide McGill students with the names, emails, and—for those particularly keen users—the icon images of their classmates, professors, and teaching assistants. Whether students sought  notes in a class where they had no friends, partners for a project, or were just logging in before the first day of school to creep their future classmates—the classlist function had their back. Until suddenly, it didn’t. 

At the beginning of the Fall 2016 term, this tab was noticeably absent on the myCourses home page. In its wake lies a simple instant message button, devoid of any contacts. Although the new instant message function is still in its developing stages, students left without their classmates’ information have asked themselves who will answer their message into the abyss—God? The ether? Suzanne Fortier?

“The basic reason for the removal of class lists is that there are in Quebec strong laws concerning confidentiality of student information,” Anna Walsh, associate registrar at Enrolment Services, said. “[This] would cover the information available on class lists. Unfortunately, there were also cases in which there were concerns that class lists, including email addresses, were at risk of being forwarded to commercial parties for inappropriate use.”

The Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information, implemented in 1982, holds all Quebec universities responsible for keeping student information confidential. When word reached the Enrolment Services that students emails were being distributed for profit, they were forced to consider the lawfulness of the classlist function.  

“I think there was an awareness that someone was making these lists available to off-campus users, but as with a lot of things at McGill, the reporting came to us from a lot of different people, and students have an absolute right to confidentiality about their academic records,” Walsh said. “The laws in Quebec state that no one should be aware of what [students] are registered in, unless it’s necessary—for example their advisors—and, in the case of the class lists, the responsibility came on to the university to prove why someone would need to know a student’s registration.” 

Some students feel the lack of class lists not only prevents them from accessing notes and academic collaboration, but creates an unwelcoming classroom environment in that it  discourages students from getting to know their peers. 

“Part of the whole university learning experience is that the classroom is a community, and you can’t foster that if everyone is anonymous,” Kimberly Richter, U3 Psychology, said. “We learn as much from each other as we do from the professors, especially in the Arts undergraduate community where so many of our classes are discussion-based.”

Richter believes that the class lists were essential for students trying to connect with each other, particularly at McGill, where large classes often leave students feeling isolated from their peers. 

“In my case, all of my psychology classes are, like, 400 people, so methodologically you can’t really know everyone,” Richter said. “You need the class lists to set yourself up with study buddies or forge a support system.” 

Both university administration and enrolment services are very aware of the effect that  confidentiality laws have on the classroom environment. However, when it becomes a matter of Quebec legislation, McGill administration’s hands are tied. 

“I understand the frustration that some students must be facing in losing the convenience of having access to the class lists and email addresses in myCourses,” Walsh said. “[However,] it is McGill’s responsibility to ensure that student information is confidential. Not only are we governed by this law, but we recognize how important it is to protect the privacy and security of all students.”

The onus of connecting with classmates thus falls back on students. Gone are the days of mass emails sent the night before an exam, begging for notes due to a suspiciously ill-timed computer failure, and never again will an entire introductory class receive a message from a first-year student asking if anyone has seen the coffee mug they left in Leacock  132. Rather,  students will be forced to meet their classmates, learn their names, and connect with them in real life before they do so virtually. Is this inconvenient? Yes, but if the case of the disappearing classlist function can be said to have a silver-lining, it is that students will be forced to interact face-to-face in order to get those coveted Friday morning lecture notes. Although this may seem like a daunting task to those students who have enjoyed the comfortable safety net of the class lists, maybe losing a little bit of our virtual connectedness is not an entirely bad thing.

Opinion

The dangers of the endless scroll: Social media use as a mental health indicator

by Jackie Houston on

More in Opinion:

The internet has a dark side. A recent McMaster University study is the latest to confirm the adverse effects of too much screen time: The connection between internet use and mental illness is even stronger than previously thought. The survey of 254 McMaster University students, using the Young Internet Addiction Test as well as a new survey of the researcher’s own design, revealed that 42 per cent of subjects faced mental health issues as a result of excessive internet use, and 48 per cent of the total sample couldn't control their use of social media. If communities such as McGill—where students make up a majority of the population—are committed to combatting mental illness among young people, this connection demands further attention.

The internet, and more specifically social media, is a pervasive aspect of student life. Students must take it upon themselves to be more conscientious of how their social media use is a mental health indicator. Additionally, mental health care providers on campus should adjust their resources to address this new connection.

According to the McMaster study, internet addiction is correlated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms, as well as issues with planning, time management, and impulsiveness. Yet these results do not describe the full story. The Internet Addiction Test that the researchers used, comprised of 20 ‘how often’ questions, was developed in 1998; young people’s relationship with the internet has changed since then. Some of the questions based on external measures—for example, "How often do others complain about your internet use?"—don't account for how normal excessive internet use has become. Moreover, the questions don’t differentiate kinds of internet usage. This eclipses the diversity of the modern internet landscape and, importantly, the distinct and profound impact of social media on one’s mental state.

If methods of mental health diagnosis are to be accurate and clinically useful, they must account for the environment of their subjects. As such, more effort needs to be devoted to understanding the relationship between social media, the web, and their effects upon mental health—both at the broader clinical level and here at McGill. Internet addiction is not included in the latest American Psychological Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, never mind the more specific correlation between mental illness and social media. Mental health initiatives on campus, such as Healthy McGill and the McGill Mental Health Hub, should implement measures of social media use into their self-diagnosis surveys.

A 2014 study conducted by Facebook further demonstrates the need to account for social media use in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health. In the study, Facebook manipulated the content of its users' news feeds to evaluate the effect of social media on mood. Unsurprisingly, people were likely to mirror the emotional state of the posts they saw. A more targeted research report released in the same year found that using Facebook specifically—not just general Internet use—decreased users’ moods. Of even more concern, a study conducted earlier this year revealed a connection between social media use and depression. Participants that used social media frequently were 2.7 times more likely to be depressed. More than a quarter of all participants who reported using social media an average of 61 minutes a day showed high indicators of depression.

These results become more worrying when one considers the susceptibility to mental illness that young people already face. As of 2015, the 20-30 age demographic has the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and the lowest levels of happiness, satisfaction, and well-being compared to other age groups. Millennials have been coined "the anxious generation."

Without reducing this downturn in youth mental health to the internet alone, it is a factor that should be taken into account, especially given the high rates of internet usage among young people today. Steps should be taken to raise awareness of social media use as a mental health indicator and to encourage students to be conscientious of their scrolling time. As recent studies indicate, the unique effects of social media on mental health cannot be ignored. Mental health initiatives at McGill must acknowledge the reality of today’s youth—a reality that features 20 new Snapchat filters and endlessly scrolling newsfeeds.

1 … 721 722 723 724 725 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue