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Diction: Readings by Gay Men
Arts & Entertainment, Books, Theatre

From the Viewpoint: Diction: Readings by Gay Men

by Alfie Crooks on

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I entered Stock Bar, one of the premier male strip clubs in the Gay Village, just after 7 p.m. to see Diction: Readings by Gay Men Jazz music played throughout the bar, which was lit by soft red-and-pink lights. The centerpiece of the establishment was the stage about three feet off the ground, boasting a runway and a shining pole at its centre. When I first took my seat, I felt a level of discomfort that began to turn into a feeling of intrusion. As a heterosexual man, this event wasn’t directed at me, and I felt as if my presence there was an attempt at immersion into a culture that I could never truly understand.

Despite this, the kind of statements that the stories made and the images they painted were hypnotic. From the tongue-in-cheek humour of Brian O’Neill’s fictional tale of an awkward threesome in Paris, to the candidly analytical nature with which Vincent Doyle spoke about dealing with a reviled homophobe, the readings consistently impressed. The vastness of the varied styles, perspectives, and subject matters in the relatively sparse number of only five readers made for for a fulfilling range and depth of readings. 

The ability of the readings to be implicitly political was also markedly impressive. Puelo Deir’s reading of “Old, Fat & Fucked! Now What?”—a one man play that details the strains of aging—explored the nature of his sexuality as an aging homosexual man, with the aid of dark humour and a buff male stripper story. Deir notes the humiliation that follows the search for “cheap romance” as he is forced to pay part of his overdue credit card bill to the straight stripper who watches over his shoulder as he plucks $20 notes from the ATM. 

H. Nigel Thomas read from his book, No Safeguards, choosing an excerpt about two gay men who are caught having sex on the beach in St. Vincent and are put in jail. The concept and the subject matter were far cries from Deir’s reading that had come 10 minutes before, yet the profound ability to turn a politically-charged issue into a form of entertainment remained. Thomas and Deir’s statements on the positions of gay men in our contemporary society exemplified the range of the show as a whole. The inclusivity of gay voices and attention paid to a series of issues made the show a rich showcase of voices without being disjointed in any way. 

After all of the readers had finished I had a quick chat with the organizer of the event, Chris DiRaddo who was donned in mock sailor attire. 

“I wanted to do something outside of the box,” DiRaddo explained. “I wanted to attract people who might find traditional readings too stuffy. I wanted something in a bar where you can also get a drink and socialize a bit more. I wanted it in the Village, because I wanted to reach out to gay men and lesbians.”

Diction, for all of its literary brilliance, was an event that exceeds simply a reading. It  succeeded in promoting the hugely underappreciated gay and lesbian literature scene that thrives in this city. For a group of people that have been so disenfranchised, Diction feels like part of a movement that continues to strive for queer empowerment in the arts. 

Basketball, Men's Varsity, Sports

End of the Bench: The reality of redshirt players

by Arman Bery on

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Ego is an unavoidable character trait for any human. What differentiates cocky assholes from self-confident success stories is an ability to walk that tightrope between unbridled confidence and cockiness. In basketball, self-assurance is not only encouraged, it is also required for an athlete to be successful at the highest levels of competition. 

What happens, however, when you take high school stars, full of brash conviction for so many years, and tell them to sit on the sidelines and simply cheer on their teammates? Many cannot handle the ego-check of going from being a star in high school to riding the bench in college. What is interesting to note is that too much ego can get you in trouble when you’re on the end of the bench, but a dearth of ego can also spell your demise. This is because players must always have the confidence to believe in their skills and abilities so that when their time comes they’re ready to lay it all out on the court in their attempt to move from the bench to a starring role on the basketball team. This is especially significant for redshirting players, college athletes who are withdrawn from competition, and only practice with the team for one year in order to develop skills, and extend their period of playing eligibility by an additional year.

McGill Redmen basketball redshirt freshman Berk Genel acknowledged the difficulty of moving from high school to a top level collegiate varsity team. 

“I went from being the best player on my high school team to the exact opposite in terms of roles,” Genel said. “It’s sort of like starting all over again.” 

Proving yourself to a whole coaching staff and group of teammates is as taxing physically as it is mentally. This is especially true in college basketball, as players are still growing into adults, and finding themselves under the mental pressure that comes with developing their academic interests. The hope is that this will foster the development of greater mental toughness. 

Players who redshirt their freshman campaigns must possess self-awareness and humility. Since they arrived at McGill, these players have experienced an internal transition from a youthful outright love for basketball, to more of an appreciation of the few years they’ll have playing on a collegiate team. They have to be more realistic about their limited role on the team. For freshman guard Parker Joyce, self-perception can influence whether a player accepts their role.

“Depending on how you view yourself as a player, if you know you’re not as good as the other person, it’s easier to accept,” Joyce said. “If you know you’re better than the other person, then it can mess with your mindset, and you struggle with it because you know if it came down to the wire, you could do better.”

Experience is key to handling this situation, as Joyce explained, when speaking about a player who had learned to truly accept his role within the team.

“The older guys are consistent,” Joyce said. “For example [Sebastian Beckett], he accepted his role, he’s a third year, he was brought in, and worked his butt off and is still the hardest working guy. He bullies the bigs and centers that play, he knows his role, and [Head Coach David] DeAveiro has told him multiple times that he’s there to bully guys in practice. He’s consistent and a team guy.” 

The other side of this humble approach to varsity sports is the focus that players give towards their academics. As Joyce articulated, the schools in the NCAA that he considered, unless they were Ivy League, are not on par with McGill academically. 

“I’m realistic, in the sense that I’m not going to play pro basketball,” Joyce said. “My future goal has always been to be a lawyer, and I also just wanted to be closer to home.”

Playing CIS basketball is highly competitive, and demands a high level of commitment from its athletes, but the majority of its players don’t have a professional future in the sport. Therefore, players must  balance their basketball goals with academics, to prepare them for their long-term future. 

“The rookie experience on a varsity team in one word?” said Genel. “Grind, it’s just a grind. Just gotta remain positive.”

For players such as Genel and Joyce who are redshirting, the success the Redmen had this season was sweet, but also left a bitter after-taste in their mouths. It’s difficult to not dress for games, arguably be expected to  practice harder than anyone else, and then sit on the bench every game and observe. Genel stressed the increased value of practice for players, to not only gain confidence in themselves, but also assert oneself in front of the coaches and teammates.  

“It’s a process, you have to wait for your time because you can’t make an impact right away,” Genel said. “You look out on the court and see the players are mostly upper years. You just gotta gain the coaches trust.” 

Joyce said that parts of the year are brutal, especially when you are devoting hours of your time to basketball near mid-term and finals seasons, while knowing you are not going to be playing.

“My mindset wasn’t as much about playing a lot,” Joyce concurred. “I was just focused on keeping my head above water, school wise, basketball wise, health wise.” 

It was refreshing to hear Joyce discuss the relevance of academics to CIS athletes. 

“Everyone here at McGill knows that academics are important,” Joyce said. “Everyone knows, for the most part, that basketball is more or less not gonna sustain you till you retire.” 

Listening to a 19-year-old speak about approaching retirement  highlights that student-athletes often have to start making difficult decisions about their futures much faster than average university students. 

In many ways, the players discussed in this article are at the bottom of the top—the bottom of the team’s hierarchy in one of the top levels of athletic competition. However, to paraphrase rapper and Toronto deity Drake, you have to start from the bottom to get to where you want to be. Where that might be differs from player to player, but every athlete nonetheless desires to make the most of their time at McGill, both as a student, and as an athlete. 

SSMU McGill
McGill, News, SSMU

2015-2016 SSMU executive reviews

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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The McGill Tribune Editorial Board reviews the 2015-2016 SSMU executive on its performance.  Although these blurbs intend to review the executives' entire term not all information received regarding each executive was published due to space constraints in the paper.

The Tribune reached out to all SSMU councillors for anonymous feedback on the executives and received four responses from 30 councillors. Councillors were asked to give a score from 1-10 about how they perceive the executives have performed. The Editorial Board also gave each executive a score from 1-10 based on how we felt the executives performed. The grades are an average of the feedback from councillors and the Editorial Board's assessment of how each of the executives performed. The grades were converted from a percentage into a letter grade based on the McGill grading system. Under this grading scale a "C" is a passing grade that meets expectations, a "B" exceeds expectations, and an "A" refers to an outstanding performance. 

Click on one of the pictures to get started.

 
 
Kareem Ibrahim

 

 

 
Zacheriah Houston

 

 

 
Kimber Bialik

 

 

 
Chloe Rourke

 

 

 
Omar El-Sharway

 

 

 
Emily Boytinck

 

 

(McGill Tribune)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President, Kareem Ibrahim: 7.63/10 = B+
 

As President of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), Kareem Ibrahim has made great strides in behind-the-scenes work which assured that SSMU could function successfully, cohesively, and inclusively. He organized the largest General Assembly in the past 30 years, spearheaded an overhaul of the Constitution, re-established the First Year Undergraduate Network, contributed to the Executive Restructuring Project, as well as collaborated to draft both a Family Care Policy and a Human Resource policy.

Despite Ibrahim’s accomplishments, his performance suffered from his lack of visibility and student engagement throughout the year. Aside from #McGill24—a one-day challenge aimed to unite students, alumni, and staff—and Centraide he was generally absent from the public eye . This may be a reason that much of his accomplishments have gone unnoticed, and some students feel disconnected from SSMU.

On the other hand, Ibrahim can be commended for ensuring SSMU’s  sustainability and smooth sailing throughout the year despite many resignations. For example, Ibrahim managed the SSMU Daycare in the absence of its manager, oversaw the election for VP Internal in the second term, and developed a transition report for incoming SSMU presidents in order to ensure smooth integration into the position. SSMU did not fall apart this year and he should be commended for his leadSSMU stayed afloat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VP Finance and Operations, Zacheriah Houston: 8.50/10 = A

 

 

 

 

As the last VP Finance and Operations, Houston worked hard to increase the institutional memory of both his position  and numerous committees that his office oversaw. This included his management of the digitization of the Funding Committee’s application records as well as the revision of their by-laws. Houston also helped to create the Ad-Hoc Health and Dental Review Committee, which resulted in the approval of a referendum question adding  mental health coverage to the SSMU insurance plan. The committee, now a permanent part of council, will continue to be involved in consultative efforts with students in order to improve SSMU’s Health and Dental Plan. 

Houston excelled in the financial  part of his portfolio; he created a clear budget that was easily digestible and improved the overall transparency of SSMU by being readily available to answer students’ questions. However, the Operations side of Houston’s portfolio was noticeably neglected, evidenced by the fact that the Student-Run Café (SRC) remains unnamed. Instead, Houston took on the additional tasks of negotiating SSMU’s Memorandum of Agreement with McGill, an ongoing project that will be passed on to the next group of SSMU executives. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VP Clubs and Services, Kimber Bialik: 8.63/10 = A

 

 

 

 

This has been an extremely tumultuous academic year for SSMU, with multiple resignations and a myriad of organizational problems that came as a result of this instability. Despite this, Bialik has excelled in her role as VP Clubs and Services.

Following the resignation of the general manager in the Fall and the absence of the building director due to paternity leave, Bialik was forced to assume many extra duties. In many aspects she has gone above and beyond her portfolio. One of Bialik’s greatest accomplishments was the creation of a Club Fund Fee, which should create a more sustainable funding structure for SSMU’s clubs. Additionally, she was able to reevaluate the sustainability of the building and created an ad-hoc Space Committee to address issues surrounding the long-term vision of space within the Shatner University Centre. 

Bialik’s plan to reorganize club space on the fourth floor of the SSMU Building was met at the time with resistance, and some clubs have not yet moved out of their former offices spaces. Despite this, Bialik has maintained positive relationships with SSMU’s many clubs; however, her work on the Independent Student Groups section of her portfolio has been lacking. Overall, Bialik has had an extremely successful year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VP University Affairs, Chloe Rourke: 7.87/10 B+

 

 

 

 

Rourke has been a strong advocate for students at the university level. Unlike the other executive portfolios, the majority of the VP University Affairs position is involved in long-term policy changes for the entire university. As the sole link between SSMU and the upper administration, Rourke has made progress on various components of her portfolio, including sexual assault (although the new policy is not yet complete), mental health, and equity. She has consistently lobbied against the university’s position on tuition deregulation, made strides in working towards a Fall semester reading week, and was involved in the development of the SSMU Happy Lights Lending Program.

According to councillors, Rourke has done well in making headway with the Smoking on Campus Working Group and in her work as a representative on the Senate. Despite various hurdles faced by SSMU over this year, Rourke has moved forward in several policy areas. Her assistance in the review of the wellness strategy, as well as her work with Student Services, were particularly popular with councillors, as was her work in negotiating on mental health policy with McGill.

Although Rourke has done well to balance the various aspects of her portfolio, there were delays in improving the visibility of her portfolio. A website platform, which was begun during this year, will not be launched until Fall 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Omar El-Sharawy, VP Internal: 6.13/10 = C+

 

 

 

 

VP Internal Omar El-Sharawy came into the position in the middle of the year after the previous VP Internal resigned in October. With his late start, El-Sharawy did not have much of an opportunity to shake up the position but nonetheless made some improvements.

After taking input from students, El-Sharawy revamped the weekly SSMU listserv to make it less robotic and more visual. He added features such as a location of the week and a club spotlight. Since he started in January, El-Sharawy had to rush to plan Faculty Olympics, which this year had the highest number of participants in its history. He added more academic and athletic events and a trip to Beach Club, but reviews from participants were mixed. El-Sharawy has done a good job of adding more new non-drinking events, including an upcoming talk with US ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman.

Overall, El-Sharawy did an adequate job of keeping the position functional and taking care of the roles in his portfolio, admirable given his limited time in office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VP External, Emily Boytinck: 7.75/10 = B+

 

 

 

 

Boytinck has put in an impressive amount of work this year into the two new provincial student federations, Association pour la Voix Étudiante au Québec (AVEQ) and the Union Étudiante du Québec (UEQ). Although the motion to associate with AVEQ did not pass. Boytinck went to all of the student faculty association councils to advocate for joining student federations and was very committed to the motion’s passing. It was through issues misrepresented by the “No to AVEQ” committee that the motion did not pass and is through no fault of Boytinck herself.

Some aspects of her portfolio were neglected in comparision, such as Milton Parc community engagement and the Francophone Affairs Committee. Francophone Affairs were particularly overlooked by Boytinck. She put most of her energy into student federation-related work and has had little to say on the matter other than she has worked on improving her French language skills.

During her time as VP External she has straddled line between furthering her own beliefs and causes that she is mandated to support by SSMU Council. This has been apparrent on issues such as the Motion to Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) and divestment from fossil fuels.

By being so present and active, however, she has changed how the VP External position is viewed overall. Her consistent passion in addressing relevant social issues has made the position much more visible to students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


This article has been updated to add further detail to the grading process

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Peer Review: Franc-Jeu theatre company displays innovative spirit in Alter-Ego

by Julie Vanderperre on

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McGill’s francophone theatre company, Franc-Jeu, has come into its own since its creation two-and-a-half years ago. Its latest production, Alter-Ego, was a testament to the progress that it has achieved over time.

Dramatic, emotional, and humorous all at once, Alter-Ego reflected on themes relevant to students. The play explored subjects including modern love and relationships, self-discovery, greed, and the quest for power. It gave spectators the opportunity to question each of these topics as they related to their own personal lives. The troupe achieved this by weaving together three different contemporary plays, making a unique plot with storylines playing off of one another. The plays’  focus on relatable themes were chosen intentionally, in line with the vision that Franc-Jeu has had from its outset.

“At Franc-Jeu, what we’ve always wanted to do is appeal to students, in the sense that it speaks to them in some way or another,” said Max Bouchaud, the director of Alter-Ego.

The various scenes were tied together by the character of the presentator, played by Yoav Hougui, who came on stage periodically with witty quips and musings. Hougui performed with incredible dynamism, providing comic relief in between poignant scenes while also prompting the audience to question the events that were unfolding throughout the play in each of the parallel stories. Six members of the troupe worked together, writing and rewriting dialogue for this role in an attempt to tie the various themes together, while still leaving the interpretation up to the audience.

The entire cast brought energy and passion to their roles, often fueling dramatic exchanges. In one scene, the character of Leah, played by Clarisse Artoré, wielded a knife at her boyfriend Mark, played by Pierre Gugenheim, as strobelights flashed, making the whole theatre feel as though it was trembling along with the glinting dagger.

Creative use of lighting and music, and the addition of videos projected onto the wall of the theatre complemented the scenes well, while the minimalistic set design fit the mood of the play and kept the focus on the actors. These aspects, in addition to the contemporary nature of the play’s subject matter, provided a fresh take on student theatre.

“The role of the company is to rejuvenate the image of theatre on campus, and to open theatre to the largest portion of students possible,” Victor Gassman, founder of Franc-Jeu, said. “We’re obsessed with people who see theatre as boring or would never go see a play. We want to break down these stereotypes.”

This focus on changing outdated perceptions of theatre has been another aim of Franc-Jeu. While trying to come up with a logo for the company, Gassmann realized that many of his peers held antiquated ideas about acting and theatre. Alter-Ego seeks to inject innovation and enthusiasm into each of their plays. A key part of doing so is promoting collaboration among all participants. 

“What I like about Franc-Jeu and Alter-Ego, especially, […] is there is complete freedom [to do] whatever you want […], but also [being asked] what are your ideas about the show and to discuss about it,” said Enzo Constantin who played the role of Theo Jansen, an exuberant businessman and career coach. “Everyone was able to say something and really participate in it.”

Franc-Jeu also seeks to engage as many students as possible through bi-weekly workshops that are catered towards beginners.

“A lot of times people say, ‘I love theatre but I’m a beginner, so I wouldn’t do an audition,’” Gassman said. “Workshops are kind of the passage between the two. We give them confidence to do a real play.”

While attracting student interest is not an issue for Franc-Jeu, the group does struggle with certain logistical aspects of running a large-scale theatre company on campus—namely, securing a space to rehearse.

“There’s a lot of people that want to do theatre,” Bouchaud said. “If we could have access [to a room] for only one week a year, I’m sure so many francophones could enjoy this opportunity to express themselves.”

Currently, Franc-Jeu rehearses for their plays in rooms that they book in the SSMU Building, often at inconvenient hours.

“We can organize a play like this, but it’s not sustainable,” said Gassmann. “The idea for next year is, now that the company has [grown] since two and a half years, it’s to implant it in the university, keeping in mind our focus and desires.”

Student Life

Interior design ideas for your summer living space

by Jonathan Motha-Pollock on

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As Winter semester draws to a close and spring blossoms into full force, it’s time to say ‘out with the old’ to all of the junk that has piled up this year, and ‘in with the new.’ Spring cleaning isn’t just an excuse to declutter, it’s also a chance to do some creative redecorating. 

A great way to conceptualize any visual aesthetic when redesigning a living space is using themes; they help to achieve a particular vision, while maintaining consistency and harmony among the different visual elements of a room. Although designing a space according to a theme can sound a bit daunting, in reality it can be quite a straightforward, inexpensive, and even fun endeavour. Not to mention it helps to make a living space stand out among the banal apartments that are all too common among students. All it takes is selecting the correct theme.

Nautical stateroom

The nautical theme is great for summer, especially in rooms with a lot of natural light, since a seafaring aesthetic can feel relaxing and dream-like. White, gold, navy blue, and woods work for this theme because they are reminiscent of the colours and materials of a sailboat. For rugs, bedspreads, and curtains, go with blues and whites. Furniture and trimming can be golden or wooden.  Appropriate props and furnishings include porthole mirrors, ship-in-bottles, and anything anchor-related. The more boating materials, the better, so rope is key for this theme—use it to to tie back curtains or to make DIY spiral coasters.

Literary cottage

This homey theme makes staying in with a glass of wine feel cozy and comfortable. For the first half of this theme, books are important—the more, the better.  In fact, an overabundance of books completes this look (think stacks or piles). If you can come to terms with cutting up books, almost any arrangement of printed book pages on a wall makes for a cozy aesthetic. Just remember, novels have nicer pages than coursepacks. For the cottage element, wood is key. This can be incorporated using furniture, but also with wooden props; oars, frames, and animal figures are all good options. Those lucky enough to have a fireplace should always keep a log on hand since a roaring fire ties this theme together for visitors.

Monochrome minimalist

This classic theme is a fitting choice if you don’t want to do a lot of work, but still want friends to think you’re design connoisseur. Be warned though, a constantly clean room is necessary for this look to maintain its wow factor—a room can’t be minimalist if its floor is covered in clothes and dirty dishes. Black-and-white is a sophisticated and refined colour scheme that is very suitable for minimalism, however, the occasional pop of colour can contrast the shades and emphasize their sleekness. As the name suggests, there shouldn't be too much clutter in a minimalist room. To complete the look, lamps should be slender, beds should be low, and furnishings generally clean in look and functionality. Wall hangings are encouraged, but in moderation, and smaller pieces work to emphasize the expansiveness of the walls. Don’t be afraid of blankness or empty space—just imagine how good the room’s Qi flow will be

floorball
Hockey, Sports

Make Canada great again (at hockey) with floorball

by Joshua Shapiro and Erin Lieberman on

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I speed down the rink as fast as my legs can take me, stick in hand, and defenceman on my tail. With a few minutes left in a tie game, one goal away from furthering our playoff run, I see my teammate coming down the opposite wing. With a quick saucer pass and a one-timer, we’ve taken the lead.

I wasn’t playing hockey. In fact I was playing a sport that included no ice—floorball. This variation of floor hockey, developed in Sweden in the 1970s, is played in a gym with lightweight plastic balls and relatively short sticks. The fact that it is played indoors enables the sport to be played year-round, similar to futsal, an adapted, indoor version of soccer. Floorball is popular in many European countries but is only played at a grassroots level in Canada. 

Floorball-playing countries have become talent hotbeds for hockey, similar to Brazil for soccer. Sweden–winner of the last two World Floorball Championships–has produced more and more NHL stars over the years. Floorball’s effect on improving Swedish and Finnish goalie performance is especially evident, and some NHL goalies credit floorball for improving their agility and reaction time. Swedish goalie Henrik Lundqvist played floorball, ex-superstar NHLer Peter Forsberg is a strong advocate, and Toronto Maple Leafs legend Borje Salming has created a line of floorball equipment.

Floorball can improve hockey skills and ensure a legacy of Canadian hockey players. Floorball is similar to futsal which, according to New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle in The Talent Code, “places players inside the deep practice zone, making and correcting errors, constantly generating solutions to vivid problems.” This makes it perfect practice for ice hockey. 

The very design of floorball enhances hockey-specific skills. It is played in a small gym, resulting in more opportunities to touch the ball. The lighter stick allows for quicker hand motions, improving reaction time. Shorter sticks also mean the player is closer to the ground, giving them greater control of the ball. More important, perhaps, is that the ball is very light, giving enhanced responsiveness to touch. The ball has dimples like a golf ball to make it more aerodynamic; in fact, the ball flies faster than an ice hockey puck. Once again, increasing the speed increases the coordination required on the parts of players in all roles. Moves (dekes) can be easily created in floorball. Additionally greater control of the ball allows for more manoeuvrability and creativity, which can then be transferred to the hockey rink. The evidence suggests that floorball should be incorporated into off-ice training in Canada.

Most importantly, floorball is primarily practiced in Canada, which makes players feel comfortable taking risks and experimenting—an essential part of acquiring skills. Coyle has stated that “it makes absolutely perfect sense to me that [floorball] would be a wonderful way to spend time in the deep practice zone.”

Before the last Olympics, due to insurance risks, the Canadian men’s Olympic ice hockey team decided to run a ball hockey practice. While the players largely treated the activity as a joke, maybe the idea was a step in the right direction. Instituting floorball as a dry-land training for junior and professional hockey teams, promoting the sport among Canadian youth, and further developing leagues, camps, and other programs will help Canadian hockey grow.

Fight Band
Arts & Entertainment, Behind the Bench, Martlets, Men's Varsity, Music, Sports

Playing out of pride: The story of the McGill Fight Band

by Morgan Alexander on

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On a late night in 2006, Ted Smith and a few of his friends went out for drinks. The night led them to Bar des Pins, where they entered as buddies and emerged as a band—more specifically, the Fight Band—McGill Athletics’ leading pep squad.

The Fight Band is a staple at McGill sporting events, using crowd-pleasing songs, and organized rowdiness to pump up the crowd and get inside the heads of its opponents. Fast approaching its 10th anniversary, the band exists as a perfect balance of rabid sports fanaticism, and musical talent.

“I think a lot of people when they come to Fight Band, expect it to be a concert band like the one they were a part of in high school,” James “Hutch” Harris, trombonist and former brigade leader said. “They actually see what we’re about, and what we’re actually allowed to get away with at games, like the cheers we have and the rowdiness we bring.”

As brigade leader,  rowdiness was central to Harris’ role. Though the brigade leader isn’t the leader of the troop—that role would fall to President Cameron MacPherson, saxophonist—Harris is, in essence, the face of the institution. The Fight Band controls the chants, pumps up the crowd, and pays attention to the game play too, making sure not only to loudly support their team, but to also to get in the heads of the opposing team.

“Being a brigade leader, you definitely learn how to get under a player’s skin, without using any vulgar language,” Harris explained. “Although the gratitude from the home team is always the best part [of being on the Fight Band…] when the visiting team reacts—if I can just get under their skin a little bit—that’s a great feeling.”

Only rarely does the band perform at away games, generally staying in the safety of their own court or field, where they can easily transport their instruments. That’s something that the athletes likely appreciate, the lack of fans at McGill games in comparison to other universities. 

“I think when there’s no one in the stands we play even more for the athletes because we can be heard more and we are their only crowd a lot of the time,” MacPherson said, “I feel like that’s my main motivation for going to games, to make sure [the athletes] feel supported.”

That support doesn’t stop at the court. The band heavily emphasizes the social side of the group, and the friendship that holds it together.

“I came to the [McGill School of Continuing Studies] to take language courses,” explained Stefan Kammerlander, a tenor saxophonist from Germany. “I really didn’t speak English at all, but everyone was so nice to me, they helped me translate stuff. I think it’s a really really nice group [….] Most people stick around for the people here.”

 The family aspect of the group isn’t a new thing either. In a 2010 interview with the McGill Tribune, Taylor Stocks, who then served as the band’s premier, also emphasized the tight-knit community that is Fight Band.

“We’re a nice family,” she said. “They’re a group of people you can always count on for stuff, the right combination of nerd and love.”

The “nerd” aspect of the family also comes up a lot, given the background of most of the players. Think high school band geeks plus some accomplished musicians who didn’t want to go into the Faculty of Music, but still really wanted to perform.

“I was in serious concert bands, and I didn’t think I was good enough for the serious McGill stuff,” cornetist James Beecroft explained. “I saw this, and I thought ‘perfect I can keep it up,’ […] you play twice a week and you’re fine.”

The band is made up of students from multiple faculties, and while there are currently only undergraduates on the band, graduate students and professors are all welcome to join.

“As a call to Education students who want to conduct, we essentially act like a high school band,” French horn player Kaitlin Sundew Winter said. “I think [conducting us would be] good practice for them.”

While having some music experience is helpful for members to get started, there are no auditions to join Fight Band, and anyone is welcome.

“We play music of all levels, we only ask [that you] can play the instrument, not that you have mastered it,” Harris said.

“We’ll give you a cowbell if nothing else,” MacPherson added. “One of the founders didn’t play an instrument.”

The band’s original founder, Smith, is still spoken about with reverence and adoration. Smith, the “illustrious founder,” was an avid sports fan, who joined with a friend who played in his high school marching band.

“Ted was just really into supporting sports teams,” LeeAnn Ramsay, piccolo player, said. “I think they were just trying to recreate some of that excitement that you get in a football game in the United States.”

Inspired constantly by Smith, and driven by an urge to be a loud and proud support system within the McGill community, the band has begun moving beyond the scope of varsity performances. They’ve played for Management Undergraduate Society events, were featured at Open-Air Pub this past fall, have made appearances at Bar des Arts, Blues Pub, and Gert’s, and were featured on the Rick Mercer Report on CBC. This year, they’re working to get the McGill community more interested in coming to games through their new Song Contest, where students can suggest a song for the band to perform.

“The Song Contest is our way of trying to connect more with McGill’s sports fans and the athletes,” MacPherson explained. “We’re always trying to come up with new ways to support the teams, and if playing their requests in the stands helps us win, then we’re doing our job.”

At the end of the day, it all comes down to enjoying the music, and supporting the athletes.

“I think we’re always trying to improve our musical abilities, so it’s not strictly about the sports,” MacPherson said. “But, it’s not strictly about the music either, we’re really out there to support the athletes. That’s the fun part.”

Opinion

Information overload is an overblown fear

by Emma Whitehall on

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For the past few years, the term ‘information overload’ has saturated numerous media outlets, from reputable scholarly journals to more mainstream magazines offering solutions to an apparent epidemic sweeping the modern world. The argument contends that the accessibility of information online, from go-to search sites such as Google and Wikipedia, to social media outlets, are overwhelming our cognitive functions. Simple decisions are portrayed as burdens and procrastination is to blame for a generation lazier than ever before. These sorts of claims, however, are something that hard-working young students would undoubtedly take issue with. Fears of information overload are clearly overblown, particularly in the case of highly-educated students. Worries about too much information should not overshadow the agency of individuals in navigating online realms.

The other side of procrastination implicated in information overload is termed decision fatigue. Not only has technology increased the amount of information out there, it has increased the speed at which we handle it. Higher levels of productivity require more decisions every day for each individual. Professor Daniel Levitin suggests that we are in fact limited to the number of decisions we can make a day under sound mental judgment.

 

Too much information may be a potential source of additional stress, but it is is not the cause for reduced productivity.

In the day-to-day lives of students, it’s plain to see that there are more choices and decisions to make, ranging from food products to career paths. Levitin contends in his work The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload that the raw amount of data humanity has produced in the last 10 years is greater than the sum total we had created previously.

Greater availability of information—made obvious by the negative connotations of the word overload—actually has the potential to impair cognitive functions. There is undeniably more information for each one of us to parse through in our everyday lives, and as a result, procrastination has become a more prominent issue in modern society. The focus on procrastination has created an endless discussion and supply of articles that all claim to provide the step-by-step solution to conquering information overload. Yet despite this discourse, people are still productive. Too much information may be a potential source of additional stress, but it is is not the cause for reduced productivity.

Information overload may be what unconsciously leads students toward a ‘short’ Netflix break or a full-on downward spiral of procrastination; but most students emerge from said breaks to continue on with their responsibilities. Students are so aware of the danger posed by Facebook feeds filled with entertaining videos that they will temporarily turn their wireless connection off to get a paper written or even employ a friend to take away their cell phone until a particular task is completed. Students have adapted to the availability of distractions. The issue therefore resides not in the access to information, but how individuals manage their own responses to that information.

Procrastination and decision fatigue can clearly be problematic results of the pace at which we receive information today. That being said, students and professionals make use of coping techniques that fall in stride with Levitin’s suggestions featured in Forbes. People take breaks, write to-do lists, prioritize, and do their best to focus on one task at a time. As students paying for an education, productivity is still of a high enough importance to encourage adaptation to the challenges that accompany the ease of accessibility to a multitude of distractions.

 

Student Life

Taking advantage of Montreal’s summer season

by Emma Whitehall on

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Gone are the days when the image of summer school was a punishment to keep free-spirited kids away from their dreams of sweet summertime. In university, the reasons for choosing to enroll in summer classes can range from lightening the course load during the traditional school year, keeping up with a scheduled graduation date after setbacks, or even an attempt to fast-track one’s degree. Whatever the motivation may be, summer school at McGill is not to be dreaded, but cherished. 

The classes that McGill offers in the summer are almost all one month long, so class hours are significantly longer than they would be during a normal semester. Classes can actually become more enjoyable and engaging when you are able to allot them more time and attention.

The greater amount of daylight also makes waking up and getting to classes much less of a burden. These sunny days are also great for exploring new study spots that simply are not accessible during most of the year, most notably the Lower Field lawn. 

Summer in Montreal is not just for school. Although most students spend a large portion of the year in Montreal trying to avoid being outside for extended periods of time, the summer scene in Montreal offers some outdoor activities that will shed a whole new light on the city. A greater inclination to explore the city by foot or bike in the warmer weather provide numerous opportunities to find very cool areas that may otherwise have gone unexplored during your time at McGill. 

While the snow can be pretty, the view from Mont Royal is undeniably more beautiful with some foliage on the trees. Aside from Parc Mont-Royal, Montreal boasts some other beautiful parks slightly further outside the McGill bubble that are definitely worth the visit. Parc La Fontaine is still relatively close to campus, and is often the location of outdoor yoga classes in the summer. For a more extended day activity, rent a bike on the Canal Lachine and travel west to arrive at Parc René Lévesque, which juts out into the Saint-Lawrence River at the end of the canal—a far point of the city that few students get the chance to visit.  Although the Atwater and Jean-Talon markets are open year-round, they have a more lively vibe in the summer that makes market shopping a more enjoyable activity. 

Another noticeable difference in the summer is the chance to enjoy the patio experience of some of Montreal’s best restaurants or bars, because happy hour—or lunch hour—truly is much better on a patio. In terms of nightlife and entertainment, summer also tends to be the time of year that a lot of big concert tours travel through Montreal. This year’s big names include Tori Kelly, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, and Ellie Goulding—and these are just some of the shows that can be attended. Last minute tickets can be purchased on the website Vivid Seats. While there is no guarantee that tickets can be snagged, on the off chance they are purchased, the website can be a great, affordable option. 

While they can go unnoticed, a small feature that adds to the summer experience is the proliferation of beautiful gardens downtown. Last summer, a short stroll west on Rue Sherbrooke from McGill exposed passersby to rows upon rows of beautiful tulips. 

While most students often try to get away from McGill following their last Winter final, the summer months in Montreal are patiently waiting to display all they have to offer. From the very little changes that summer brings to the city’s energy, to the chance to enjoy a class on a deeper level and the opportunity to gain a more holistic view of Montreal, working in at least one summer month into your time studying at McGill is something every student should consider.

Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Advancement of McGill’s mission statement in conflict with corporatization of the university

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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It is difficult for students to comment on the McGill’s behemoth bureaucratic nature. Various administrative levels seem oceans apart from the day-to-day educational pursuits of the student body. As a line gets drawn between administrators on one side, and academics and students on the other, all members of the McGill community must ask themselves: “Who is a university for?” The answer to this question must be one that balances the practical needs of a public university facing austerity measures with the priorities of maintaining McGill’s place as an accessible research institution. But such a balance is not the reality of McGill’s situation.

The corporatization of the university is a nebulous concept, and is directly related to answering the question of “Who a university is for.” Ever since the 2008 financial crisis, universities across North America have had to clamber to find new sources of funding. The effects have been a particularly bitter pill to swallow in Quebec. Universities, in response to defunding, face higher competition to attract the best students and achieve top rankings, as well as greater competition for a more limited number of research grants. Students and faculty members have less influence on priorities because of the reduction in funding from non-corporate grants. Corporatization also refers to the influence of private sector actors who become more influential vis-à-vis traditional university stakeholders, as private financial backing becomes more essential to university research and operations.

Some of this distance may be accounted for by McGill’s frugality, which, to be fair, is not its fault; but a lot of it must also be boiled down to who McGill considers to be important stakeholders.

Oftentimes McGill’s priorities feel disingenuous and distant from the student experience. Some of this distance may be accounted for by McGill’s frugality, which, to be fair, is not its fault; but a lot of it must also be boiled down to who McGill considers to be important stakeholders. For example, the administration’s response to the Divest McGill campaign this past week shows that it prioritizes the viewpoint of certain alumni and potential donors over current students, faculty members, and the alumni who returned their diplomas in protest.

Professors are also increasingly disillusioned by the corporate university structure. Many feel the pressure of having to find funding for their research. Various studies in 2013 found that Quebec universities are underfunded compared their peers across Canada. Quebec’s share of federal research funding fell from 30.5 per cent in 2003-2004 to 25.4 per cent in 2008-2009; in 2014, Quebec university funding declined by 4.6 per cent while other universities in Canada saw increases. Acquiring funding is more competitive, earning a tenured position at McGill is more difficult, and class sizes are growing. McGill may provide support for research, but it must do so selectively. McGill therefore leans towards financial pragmatism; in so doing, it makes a value judgment as to which experiences are valuable and which are not.

Part of the answer to the question “Who is a university for?” is in the mission statement of McGill: “The mission of McGill University is the advancement of learning and the creation and dissemination of knowledge, by offering the best possible education, by carrying out research and scholarly activities judged to be excellent by the highest international standards, and by providing service to society.” As such, the corporatization of the university should be viewed as alarming; while McGill must make money somehow, internalizing the rationale and structure of a private corporation cannot mean losing sight of who a university is for—namely, society and its curious minds.

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