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a, Sports

Sports briefs

by Mayaz Alam & Remi Lu on

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Redmen Baseball 

Vs Concordia

The Redmen baseball team took to the diamond Wednesday against the Concordia Stingers for their third meeting of the season. After tying up the season series earlier this month, McGill lost to the Stingers to the tune of an 8-1 blowout. Concordia dominated the hitting differential 9-4, capitalizing on a porous Redmen defense to convert eight out of nine hits into points.

Vs Carleton

The Redmen took on the Carleton Ravens at George Springate Park in a Sunday afternoon double-header. McGill kept the first game close, losing 4-3 to the Ravens as Charlie Crabb tossed a complete three-hitter game. However, the Redmen surged back in the second game to blitz the Ravens 15-7 for their third win of the season. Adam Gordon sparked the victory for McGill as he hit a three-run homer to left field in the fifth inning. It was a complete team effort as McGill tied its overall record at 3-3. The Redmen will face cross-town rivals Concordia once more this Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Gary Carter Field.

 

Redmen Football 

The McGill Redmen (2-1) thoroughly dominated the Mount Allison Mounties (0-2) in a 48-17 victory in Sackville, New Brunswick this Saturday. The victory marked the second season in a row that McGill has blown out the maritimers. Quarterback Jonathan Collin was instrumental in the outcome of the tilt as he threw for 367 yards while also totalling three touchdowns— two passing and one rushing. Sophomore running back Luis Guimont-Mota ran for 141 yards for his third straight week topping the century mark. The Redmen defence pitched a shutout in the second half by stifling the Mounties’ rushing attack and forcing the opposing quarterback into bad passes. McGill now faces Sherbrooke at Molson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 20 in a pivotal game that may have playoff implications.

 

Redmen Rugby 

McGill’s rugby programs travelled to the other side of Mount Royal in consecutive matchups against the Montreal Carabins. The Redmen (2-0) showed resiliency in a 10-6 victory in another tough test to start the season. Senior Joshua Blair and sophomore Estello Nap-Hill provided the offence to help lead the team to its seventh consecutive win, dating back to last season.

In the other match of the day, the Martlets (2-0) once again dominated their opposition by a score of 35-12. Star fly-half Brianna Miller led the effort for McGill with 15 points, 10 of which came from her 5-5 performance on conversions. Miller, the game’s MVP, had ample help as four other Martlets scored tries in a well-rounded team effort. The Redmen and the Martlets have the opportunity to extend their winning streaks at Molson Stadium in the home opener for both squads as the Martlets kick off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, while the Redmen will play at 4:00 p.m.

 

Redmen Soccer

Redmen soccer earned four points out of a possible six over the weekend. In the first match against UQTR(1-1-2), McGill (1-2-1) opened the scoring in the first half as defender Dominic Bell, who had previously been injured, slotted home a pass from fellow freshman Valentin Radevich. However, the story of the game was undoubtedly the sending off of sophomore goalkeeper Max Leblond in the 59th minute. The penalty that resulted from the captain’s dismissal led to the Patriote goal. The final score was a disappointment, given that the Redmen had the upper hand for most of the match. McGill followed up the loss by defeating the Concordia Stingers (1-2), 4-2, for the squad’s first win of the regular season. Freshman forward Massimo De Ioia was a force of nature as a hapless Stingers backline was unable to stop him from scoring all four of McGill’s goals. The Redmen will now make the short trip to UQAM (2-1) to take on the Montreal Citadins on Sunday, Sept. 22.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

McGill alumnus Mary Alouette explores gypsy jazz on a lark

by Max Bledstein on

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What would gypsy jazz and electronic music sound like together? Singer-songwriter Mary Alouette provides the answer on her latest EP, The Lark.

“I love both genres of music, and their styles complement each other well,” Alouette says.  “The combination is a way for me to realize musical interests that I have and to see them all.  I feel a little bit cheated if I’m only doing one—why not do everything that you enjoy?”

Her casual approach undersells the remarkable cohesion that she finds between the two styles in her music.

Alouette’s fusion of the genres was part of the natural progression of her career.  She found gypsy jazz by answering a Craigslist ad, after which it became a constant source of fascination for her.  “It’s funny how Craigslist can change your life,” she says with a laugh.

Alouette had always been interested in  making electronic music, but until working in a New York City recording studio, she hadn’t learned how to do it properly.  She took a job doing mixing and sound engineering, which led to her aquiring the necessary tools to create  her own electronic music.

A Maryland native and McGill alumnus, Alouette graduated in 2008 with a major in vocal performance and a minor in drama and theatre.  During her time at McGill, Alouette went by her birth name of Mary Kavalauskas, and later adopted Alouette as a stage name.

Currently, she lives in New York, where she can usually be found performing, recording, or composing.  Alouette sees a sharp contrast between life in Montreal and her life now.

“Montreal’s francophone culture has had a profound influence on me, almost to the point where I feel like I’m from Montreal more than from where I [actually] grew up.”

“It’s much more business-minded here in New York,” she continues.  “In Montreal there’s much more time to be creative.  There’s more governmental support of the arts and rent’s less expensive.  In New York, money is a major factor, and people are all about making it.  I feel like you have to push harder to make ideas come to you and be creative here.”

Still, Alouette has also benefitted quite a bit from her current home.

“I thrive on the energy of New York.  It’s always moving, and it suits me well.  It’s big—there are so many cultures that are brought together here.  A lot of young artists are established here, and it’s great because there’s a huge network of artists.  Most of my friends are artistically involved, so we all collaborate and work on projects together to build our own portfolios.  Ideally I’d spend half a year in Montreal creating, then come back to New York and promote the material the other half of the year.  I love them both dearly.”

a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Blue Jasmine : a riches to rags story

by Max Berger on

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Jasmine French—the character that Cate Blanchett is already generating serious Oscar buzz for portraying in Blue Jasmine—behaves like she could have been plucked right off the set of another Oscar-caliber film: Titanic. Jasmine is an obnoxious, narcissistic social climber who, like the Titanic itself, is sinking dramatically throughout the movie.

In Woody Allen’s new release, Blanchett’s magnificent performance is the main attraction in Blue Jasmine, but there’s plenty more to like about the film. She is flanked by a strong cast that includes Alec Baldwin and Peter Sarsgaard; also in the mix are comedians Louis C.K. and Andrew Dice Clay. Though some of its plot intricacies seem slightly far-fetched––notably in the romance between Blanchett and Sarsagaard’s characters––Woody Allen delivers an engaging story that oscillates between light comedic phases and disturbingly heavy ones.

In keeping with the Titanic analogy, Jasmine’s iceberg is the arrest and imprisonment of her extravagantly wealthy husband Hal (Baldwin), who is exposed for being a Bernie Madoff-esque scammer. The meteoric fall from pampered New York trophy wife to menial laughingstock takes a serious toll on Jasmine: she has a nervous breakdown and develops a tendency to publicly talk to herself, in the persona of her former social identity.  With few assets left, Jasmine flies to San Francisco to move in with her adopted sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins).

Despite having no other safety net, Jasmine brings her snobbish ways across the coast, and continues to act like she is above the lifestyle of her working-class sibling. Ironically, one of the film’s many flashbacks reveals that Jasmine actually prevented Ginger and ex-husband Augie (Dice Clay) from being moderately wealthy when she convinced him out of pity to invest some modest lottery winnings in one of Hal’s projects rather than starting a business. Now it is Jasmine’s turn to be pitied, as Ginger finds her a receptionist job and tries to transition her back into life without luxury.

Blanchett’s greatest triumph is allowing us sympathize with the insufferable Jasmine—the flashbacks reveal past circumstances that somewhat explain her current instability. Her husband has long been having affairs with many of the women Jasmine socialized with, in addition to his noticeably shady business deals. But Jasmine’s biggest character flaw is her willful blindness towards anything that could threaten the lavish identity she had cultivated for herself. Even as things implode around her and she must confront reality, Jasmine never fully grasps that there is no returning to the illusion of her idyllic life. Blanchett adeptly depicts these inner struggles and exposes an acute sensitivity in an unlikable, self-absorbed woman who is afraid of losing her elite status.

Jasmine’s continuing struggle to regain social composure creates a dramatic feel in Blue Jasmine, but Allen leaves room for comedy in the script as well. Juxtaposing Jasmine with Ginger’s blue-collar crowd often makes for amusing back-and-forth quips between them. The cast’s two comics take advantage of limited screen time to make an impact. Dice Clay’s forceful personality is perfect for unleashing the animosity for Jasmine that Augie still harbors as a bitter victim of Hal’s scheme.  C.K. makes a more humorous and subtle impression as a goofy but savvy rich man that woos Ginger at a party Jasmine is invited to.

Allen is quick to raise the stakes—even when things start to seem a little implausible. For instance, Jasmine stumbles upon a widowed diplomat (Sarsgaard) at the party who takes an immediate liking to her, and never bothers to verify any of the substantial lies she feeds him before their relationship gets serious. He also fails to probe her very much after noticing the Xanax she has been taking in his presence—a bit of a red flag for a guy with federal government aspirations. When the movie reaches its harsh climax, marked by another unlikely plot twist, these such developments are a regular occurrence.

It is a classic adage to say that rich people have problems too, but Blue Jasmine finds a way to freshen up that tired idea by unraveling the complicated threads of its unstable protagonist’s story. We may not like Jasmine, but Blanchett still has us rooting for this troubled character to vanquish her inner demons, which periodically bubble to the surface in dazzlingly painful moments. Unrealistic as some of Allen’s plotlines are, the film’s rising action and climax make our acceptance of them well worth it.

Blue Jasmine is playing at Cinema du Parc (3575 Ave. du Parc) until Sept. 19. Student admission is $8.50.

a, News

Principal Suzanne Fortier discusses research funding, rankings, and her first week on the job

by Emma Windfeld on

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Dr. Suzanne Fortier became McGill’s 17th principal and the second woman to hold the position on Sept. 5, when she started her five-year term. In an interview with the Tribune on Wednesday, Fortier discussed her approach to research, the value of a degree from McGill, and how being a McGill alum has influenced her life.

McGill Tribune: You have been principal for nearly a week now—what aspects have you found most challenging? The most enjoyable?

Suzanne Fortier: The most enjoyable is to see the life on the campus, the students returning, ‘le feu de la rentree,’ I call it. Everyone here has such a strong commitment to students, and of course we’ve been through a difficult period in the recent months, having to take some [budget] cuts, and that’s the most challenging because people don’t want to see any diminishing of the quality of the environment for students.

MT: You have said in the past that you specialize in building business-academic relationships. What is your approach to funding basic and applied research at McGill?

SF:  It is absolutely crucial to support basic research. It’s what we often call curiosity-driven research; it’s research done simply because we want to advance our knowledge. At the same time, we live in a society and an economy that is increasingly knowledge-based. Those who are at the centre of the learning and the advancement of knowledge need to share that knowledge with whoever it is that can take advantage of the knowledge for the benefit of society. We set up all these dichotomies, and these don’t work very well in the 21st century. The only difference [between basic and applied research] is that applied research is purpose-driven research. Then everything we do, for instance in environmental research, could be viewed as purpose-driven and therefore applied. The important thing for me has always been that whatever we do, we must meet very high standards of quality.

MT: In the QS ranking released yesterday, McGill’s position has fallen. Do you have plans to address any shortcomings that caused this slip?

SF: Does a move from 18 to 21 matter? I don’t think it is a significant drop. However, we must watch to see whether this is a trend or a blip. And more importantly, we must look carefully at the data these rankings will provide us, and take advantage of these to see where we can put our efforts, particularly where it aligns with the goals of our university.

MT: What do you think a degree from McGill is worth now?

SF: A degree from McGill right now is worth a lot, because the reputation of McGill worldwide is strong. It’s strong because of the many, many people before us who have built the reputation of this university, and I’m certainly going to work to make sure it continues to be worth as much as it is now. I’ve been amazed throughout my life as to the visibility of McGill and what it’s worth. When I left McGill, I went on to work with a person who I thought was the best in his field. I was shy and thought, how am I going to approach this person to ask him if I can come do post-doctoral work with him? But just saying McGill was enough. If you continue to try to do your best, that combined with a McGill degree is pretty important – it opens doors [and] it makes people pay attention. Everywhere you go, people recognize McGill.

MT: How will being a McGill alum affect your performance as principal?

SF: I’ve drawn from my experience in terms of the things I want us to preserve and that I want us to build on. I was impressed as a student by the degree of attention I got from my professors. I was not a number – I was an individual and they paid attention and they nurtured my interest in learning. One thing I had not expected coming to McGill – because I was pretty ignorant, there was no one who went to university before me in my family – was that I’d be surrounded by the best people in their field in the world. It’s inspiring. You’re a young person, you know very little about this world, and these giants – people whose names you read in your textbooks – being there and talking to you. They were people who allowed me to think I could do that, too.

MT: The Quebec Charter is attempting to impose religious dress code regulations on government employees, but universities can choose to opt out. Will McGill choose to opt out of these requirements?

SF: One of my personal values is that it is important, when you are part of a community, to allow that community to express itself, particularly when it comes to values and principles. It is difficult for me, having this value myself, to declare, 5 days into the job, what this university will do. However, I know the university has done quite a bit of work in the past on diversity and inclusiveness, and that’s what we need to refer to as a community.

MT: What are the most important issues you see at McGill that require your attention first?

SF: I’m still learning, and I’m still looking at what we need to do. Biggest issues? One is that I’m keenly aware of the importance of human talent. That means we must try to offer people opportunities for doing their best, for developing their potential. The challenge for all universities around the world is to think about what it means to be a learning community in this century, how can we do it best. That’s to me the biggest challenge of all universities, because it’s a transformation that we have to be looking at.

—This interview has been conducted, condensed, and edited by Emma Windfeld.

a, Editorial, Opinion

PQ overstepping its bounds with ban on religious symbols

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Last Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Parti Québécois (PQ) marked its one-year anniversary of minority governance. Over the past year the government has had various troubles, including, most prominently for this editorial board, the party’s complete duplicity on university tuition, first freezing tuition increases and then enacting harsh budget cuts. However, it seems as if the PQ has found itself a distraction from the year’s  political missteps.

In late August, news was leaked that the PQ government was considering enacting what it called a “Charter of Quebec Values.” Chief among the provisions is a set of restrictions on provincial government employees wearing various religious symbols while at work. Much of the early coverage framed the provision as a means of capitalizing on the “integration” wedge issue, already awakened by the debate earlier in the summer over an attempt by the Quebec Soccer Federation to ban the wearing of Sikh headwear during matches in the province. That attempt was quickly abandoned after receiving justified repudiation from all quarters, including an official statement from FIFA that torpedoed the provision’s rather dubious justification of player safety.


“Restricting religious freedom is a losing proposition not just for immigrants but also for Quebec itself.”

It might be just as well that the PQ wants to drive these wedges back into the electorate. Polling shows that the actual issue of sovereignty—ostensibly the PQ’s raison d’etre—is at best a politically dormant proposition. These attempts to assert control over religious and cultural minorities, which have the added side benefit of stirring up federal-provincial friction, do well in polls with significant parts of the Quebec electorate, even in the face of opposition from quarters normally supportive of sovereignty.

Despite the popular support it enjoys in some quarters, the current Charter of Quebec Values is a decidedly ill-considered project. Forcing government workers to choose between their jobs and their religion, particularly in situations where observing a religion presents little, if any, disruption to the work environment, is the kind of pernicious intrusion on individual rights that has no place in a free society. This restriction, which would function as a de facto bar from employment for individuals of certain religious groups, raises serious questions on the Charter.

On a more practical level, restricting religious freedom—in a manner that will inevitably have a disparate impact on mostly nonwhite, non-Christian religious practitioners, is a losing proposition not just for immigrants to the province but also for Quebec itself. The province has long been losing population to the rest of Canada, and with relatively low birth rates, immigrants have long been counted on to stem the province’s population decline.

By instituting such a policy, Quebec risks losing valuable contributors to society. For example, increases in hospital wait times are being threatened if Sikh and Muslim doctors are driven out of practicing while observing their religions.

This editorial board believes that to create such an environment of hostility to outsiders—be it based on language, ethnicity, or religion—will only make this province less appealing to newcomers, including McGill students. From the board’s vantage point, multiculturalism is not, as Premier Marois seems to view it, a failed social policy precipitating violence, but rather, one of the guiding values not only of this institution and its student body, but also of this nation. We hope that Marois will stop pandering to baser instincts of provincial public opinion and instead look at the bigger picture.

a, Sports

McGill shut out as season starts with disappointment

by Remi Lu on

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The McGill Martlets (0-0-2) began their RSEQ season in front of a crowd of over 500 at Molson Stadium. They faced off against the sixth-ranked Montreal Carabins (2-0-0) for the first of two meetings this season after going 1-1 last year against the squad from Outremont.

The Martlets started by immediately controlling the ball and setting the pace of the game. The match marked the home debut of Head Coach Jose-Luis Valdes, and it was clear from the outset that McGill’s game plan revolved around keeping the Carabins on their heels. However, their aggressive gameplay translated into a quick offside call just 48 seconds into the match, as well as a number of fouls a few minutes in. McGill forward Sarah Bourque was key to the offensive attack as she looked to create opportunities early on.

The Martlets’ frontline shared the ball with precision and composure during the first half. Yet it was clear that standout Carabins goalie Martine Julien would pose a problem for the Martlets as she managed to deny all four shots in the first half.

“We kept possession of the ball very well and moved it around with composure,” noted sophomore defender Zoe Fasoulakis. “However, we didn’t really threaten their goal enough, and should have finished the chances [that] we got.”

The second half began with a lacklustre effort by both teams. Following the first-half total of 8-6 shots-on-net differential between McGill and Montreal respectively, the game finished with a mere three additional shots by the Martlets and only two by the Carabins.

Despite the low shot total, Montreal forward Chloe Malette managed to convert in the 64th minute, firing a rocket past McGill goalie Victoria Muccilli. Malette’s goal clinched the game for the Carabins, 1-0. The match then turned into a messy affair, with two Martlet players penalized with yellow cards in the dying minutes of the game.

Despite the loss, there was a clear bright point for McGill as the Martlet defenders were quick to their positions and eager to pressure the Montreal attack. The hosts managed to disrupt the Carabins offence every time they ventured into McGill’s defensive zone, forcing numerous shots wide of the net.

It is clear that Valdes has secured a relaxed and comfortable environment for his players, which will be key as the team hopes to integrate a good mix of new and old players alike. Furthermore, he has succeeded in getting his players to buy into his system since the departure of Marc Mounicot, now head coach of the Redmen.

“We always have a game plan specific to each match. In the changing room we always keep a relaxed atmosphere…our playlist is super important,” said second-year forward Kristina Pearkes.

Fousalakis added that the team makes sure “to relax and get pumped up for the game. Also, we focus on some game strategies that our coach has told us previously [about our] opponent.”

The team may still have a bright season ahead, despite this loss to the nationally ranked Carabins. A stout defence should anchor McGill during the transition period, as Valdes hopes to bring together a talented squad. The Martlets will be a very tough team to beat once they begin to make the most of their numerous attacking moves.

McGill continues its pursuit of Nationals this Friday, Sept 13th as they play host to the UQTR Patriotes (0-0-2) in what will be a critical match in turning around their young season.

a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the week: Brendan Edge

by Jennifer Moh on

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McGill Tribune: What are some clubs that you’re in on campus? 

Brendan Edge: I’m the Vice President of the Beta Omega Chapter— McGill Chapter— of Delta Lambda Phi, which is a fraternity at McGill. It’s a fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men [….]  We’re Canada’s first gay fraternity. We just participated in Pride [Week] this past summer, which we’re pretty proud of, and we’re starting our Fall rush coming up. Over the past two years, I’ve [also] participated in a number of theatre productions. I was in Sweeney Todd my first year —I was Tobey, the little kid— [….] The past two years, I was in the [McGill University Rowing Club (MURC)].

 

MT: Can you tell me a little more about the Montreal Pride event?  

BT: This is the first time our chapter has participated [in] representing the fraternity in the Pride celebrations. We participated in two portions of [the week-long event]. We [also] did

Community Day where we set up a booth in the Gay Village on Sainte Catherine Street. We ended up meeting some alumni from other chapters in the States who graduated a long time ago, but hadn’t known that we were going to be up here. Four of our brothers, myself included, marched in the Pride parade.

 

MT: Is being in a fraternity similar to how it’s depicted in the movies?

BT: Some of the fraternities have frat houses, other sororities and fraternities don’t [….] There are some very special bonds. You really become brothers, or for sororities, sisters. You reach that level of a family. And you don’t have to love every single member of your family; you can have that cousin that annoys you.

 

MT: Any advice you have for first-years?

BT:  Get out and do a lot. I joined the rowing team in my first year, which is something I’d never done before. I tried something new; I made tons of new friends, had such a great experience, and I took so much away from it. It really helped shape my life now. Don’t get overwhelmed by the workload, [because] it’ll all work out in the end [….] Try something new, try something that you might worry that you are not going to be good at, but give it a shot.

 

MT: Where do you picture yourself in 10 years? 

BT:  If I get into law school […] I will be practicing law, and hopefully will be on my way to getting a seat in the House of Commons. If I don’t get into law school, then I’m doing my masters and my doctorate in either Canadian Studies or History. So 10 years from now I’ll still be in school, more than likely!

 

MT: What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow? 

BT: Hopefully it would be a lot of money. I would make sure that I had enough money set aside for undergraduate and then whatever I do afterwards. I would make sure my family’s debts were all paid off and that my brother and sister have enough money as well for their education. I would buy a large house in Montreal, and fix it up and potentially donate it to the frat. I would also like to give money to organizations that have helped shape me—back home, in high school, in Montreal— and to some general goodwill organizations, stuff like animal shelters [and] Red Cross.

 

MT: What’s your favorite place in the world? 

BT: Georgian Bay, Ontario [….] It’s sometimes called the sixth Great Lake, it’s huge and beautiful, and right on the Canadian Shield. So you [have] those igneous rocks that are just beautifully designed, and these white pines that are bent to the wind [….] When you’re surrounded by forest, it’s got a level of peace that’s just so calming [….] It’s paradise for me.

 

MT: If you were stranded on an island and could only have one thing with you, what would you ask for?  

BT: I would ask for a fully loaded Kindle, with every book in the English language on it.  As long as I can read, I’m good. I can build a charger out of coconuts!

 

Nominate a student of the week! Email us at [email protected]

a, News

Renovations at McLennan-Redpath Library continue

by Samiha Sharif on

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Construction at the McLennan-Redpath Library­—initially planned to conclude on Nov. 15—is now scheduled to continue until the first week of December. The project, which includes resurfacing the terrace and restructuring the support walls of the library complex, prevents students from accessing the building via the Redpath entrance.

According to the McGill website, a complete overhaul of the main Redpath entrance is planned, including the removal of the interior staircase leading down to the food court and improvements to the alternate staircase, which is adjacent to the group study area on the ground floor of Redpath Library.

The pedestrian terrace that is currently under construction was built in 1952. According to Dan Doran, Project Manager in University Services, the aging terrace has been sinking over the past 61 years into the occupied spaces below, including the newly renovated Cyberthèque study area.

“Smaller projects had been undertaken to attempt to fix these leaks, but it was conclusively determined in 2007 that a complete renovation of the terrace was required to prevent further degradation and permanently resolve the water infiltration problems in the library,” he said.

Doran said that the project was scheduled in three phases, each of which was planned for the summers and falls of 2011, 2012, and 2013. During construction, library access has only been available through the McLennan Library Building entrance. The completion date was pushed back by three weeks due to a two-week long construction worker strike in June, and an additional week due to the re-mobilization and coordination of construction workers following the strike.

The renovations have affected McGill students in various ways, although the Redpath Cafeteria remains open. Arts students face particular inconveniences as a result of the construction, since McLennan-Redpath is the main social sciences and humanities library.

“The biggest impacts that the renovations have on me are the restricted access to McTavish—which can be fixed by walking up the stairs by Leacock—and the fact that I do not particularly like […] that a giant hole has been made over there just weeks before parents’ weekend,” Irina Silver Frankel, U2 arts, said. “It would be nice if the construction could be done by then so that my parents [could] see a beautiful campus and not [one that is] torn-apart.”

In addition to construction this semester, more renovations are planned for Redpath in 2014.

“Once this phase is completed, McGill will explore additional repairs required on the façade of the Redpath library that include windows and some masonry elements,” Doran said. “While no firm date has been set for these future repairs, we are hoping to have this project’s construction underway in the summer of 2014.”

Some students have also expressed concern that the budget cuts and a lack of resources make renovations impractical.

“The renovations seem a little extravagant when McGill has been compromising student learning by cutting back on courses and professors,” Nicholle Savoie, U3 arts, said.

“I think it’s good that McGill is constantly being modernized and improved,” Frankel said. “However, with all the budget cuts that McGill is facing, I’m not sure that students care as much about these renovations when McGill could not even afford to keep the libraries open as much as they did last year.”

a, News

Two McGill libraries face closure and restructuring

by Genevieve Fried on

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Library collections previously located in the Life Sciences Library and the Education Library & Curriculum Resources Centre are in the process of being relocated, with the intention of redesigning the empty libraries into new student study spaces. The relocation project is the result of a $1.8 million cut to the McGill Library’s budget, following the Quebec Government’s announcement last December that McGill’s operating budget would be reduced by $38.3 million.

The plan to restructure these libraries was announced last April, and involves merging the Life Sciences Library’s collections with that of Schulich Library for Sciences and Engineering. The Education Library & Curriculum Resources Centre’s main education collection is being moved to the second floor of the McLennan Library.

The decision to close down the Life Sciences Library was proposed by Dean of Libraries Colleen Cook, who said that action had to be taken quickly due to the university’s financial situation.

“As research libraries change in the digital age, we must continuously consider how best we steward the public funds invested in libraries,” she said. (Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

Merika Ramundo, McGill Library’s Officer of Communications, explained that the decision to close the libraries was influenced by their low rate of use.

“Attendance at the Life Sciences Library has dropped 31 per cent in the last five years [and] loans of print materials […] have dropped 45 per cent,” Ramundo said. “Loans of print materials from the Education Library & Curriculum Resources Centre have dropped 61 per cent since 2005. This trend is expected to continue as the library continues to expand its extensive digital holdings.”

Consultation reports from sessions completed in May detailed the need for “more access to space for study and group work; more online resources; and continued access to reserve collections.” However, some people have criticized the way McGill decided to relocate its library collections, especially because the Life Sciences Library was the first and largest medical library in Canada.

Angella Lambrou, a librarian at the Life Sciences Library, started a Facebook page in April titled “Save the McGill Life Sciences Library from closure.” Lambrou claims the consultation sessions held last May to discuss solutions to McGill’s library budget were not held out of consideration for students, but as a response to media attention.

“Make no mistake about it, [if] the media had not picked up the story, the consultation process would not have taken place,” Lambrou said. “Nothing happened because of the consultation, and I knew that nothing would happen. The decision had been made.”

Lambrou expressed doubt that repurposing the libraries would benefit students.

“Overcrowding is already a problem for libraries around the McGill campus, and the closure of the Life Sciences Library will not remedy that,” she said.

However, Dean of Medicine David Eidelman said the move allows the library to put the spaces to use in ways that will benefit students.(Wendy Chen / McGill Tribune)

“A preliminary redesign of the library space is being prepared by the Faculty of Medicine to better meet the needs expressed by students, residents, faculty and staff during the consultation last spring,” Eidelman said. “For example, [there will be] more space for study, learning, and research.”

One student from the Faculty of Education, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed frustration that libraries now face reduced budgets, and suggested that students who protested against raising tuition fees for Quebec students in 2012 may not have taken outcomes such as these into consideration.

“I [pay] Quebec tuition, and I think that with all of the fuss that everybody put up over a […] relatively small increase over three years […] it has a lot of other side effects that maybe they didn’t really anticipate coming out of their own educational balance,” the student said.

Other students said they were concerned about the library closure’s effects on their own research and education.

“I took books from the library, and it was great to have it right here because […] I only had snippets of time in between experiments,” Mark Jacunski, a first-year Masters student in physiology, said. “Having it there is not only a convenience, but in a certain sense a necessity for students in these high requirement programs.”

The relocation of the collections is slated to be finished around mid to late September. Staff from the Life Sciences Library are currently at McLennan and Schulich to help ease the transition, and to provide students access to the collections being moved.

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