The Eyeopener - November 17, 2009

  • Uploaded by: The Eyeopener
  • 0
  • 0
  • June 2020
  • PDF

This document was uploaded by user and they confirmed that they have the permission to share it. If you are author or own the copyright of this book, please report to us by using this DMCA report form. Report DMCA


Overview

Download & View The Eyeopener - November 17, 2009 as PDF for free.

More details

  • Words: 10,992
  • Pages: 15
EAT THE RED ONES LAST

BEAT THE BREAKFAST 10-11 11 CEREAL SYSTEMpages ON PAGE

Volume 43, Issue 11 • theeyeopener.com — Ryerson’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1967 • Wednesday, November 18, 2009

photo: chris dale

AD

2 • The Eyeopener

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Classifeyeds ([SORULQJ\RXU SRVWVHFRQGDU\ RSWLRQV"

Include $8WRR

Supported by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, the Ryerson Catholic Chaplaincy Centre responds to the pastoral needs of students, staff and faculty at Ryerson. See our website www.ryercath.ca for upcoming events. Bring your questions about faith to “Coffee, Donuts and God” on October 15, 11:00-12:30, Credit Union Lounge Feta & Olives at Atrium on Bay is proud to be servicing the staff and faculty of Ryerson. Feta & Olives offers fresh and healthy menu options whether it be our sizzling souvlaki’s or falafels, our products are both delicious and nutritious. Visit us at Atrium on Bay or www.fetaolivesgrill.com

AU student Sarah in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

0DNH\RXUDFDGHPLFIXWXUHPRUHÁH[LEOHZLWK$WKDEDVFD8QLYHUVLW\ At Athabasca University, our large selection of courses and programs So be sure to keep us in mind can be a big plus to your academic career. like Sarah did. Sarah is attending university full-time in Calgary, Alberta. But in order to maximize her schedule, she needed to take some courses that weren’t available during the times she wanted. The solution? Sarah is taking some AU courses and will transfer the credits over towards her degree. AU offers over 700 courses and 90 undergraduate and JUDGXDWH GHJUHH GLSORPD DQG FHUWLÀFDWH SURJUDPV WR VHOHFW IURP If you’re 16 or older, and are eager to learn, you can study at AU. Academic choice. Another reason why AU stands out as a global leader in distance learning excellence.

www.athabascau.ca/standout 1-800-788-9041

Half-Price Sundays. Enjoy Commensal’s delicious healthy buffet half price on Sundays. Dine in only. A special promo to Ryerson, please show your student or staff ID. Commensal Vegetarian Restaurant, 655 Bay Street, entrance on Elm St. Just steps away from campus. 416596-9364, www.commensal.ca FOOD DELIVERY DRIVERS WANTED Evenings/Weekends. $40-$70 per evening. Central Toronto. 416-932-3999 x 251 [email protected] We are a professional consultation service providing research, editing, proofreading and tutoring services for students at all levels who need help completing assignments.

Whatever your needs, we have the experts to help you complete a successful writing project, speech or presentation. Email us at [email protected] today! For your chance to WIN a $100 gift certificate, text 135 to 22333 and VOTE for STEPHANIE in the Yorkdale is Me contest! It’s free! To place your unlimited votes online, visit www.yorkdaleisme.com and look for the LADY in RED!!! STEPHANIE is Undeniably Yorkdale and Ryerson! Let Ryerson represent!

Teach English Abroad TESOL/TESL Teacher Training Certification Courses • Intensive 60-Hour Program • Classroom Management Techniques • Detailed Lesson Planning • ESL Skills Development • Comprehensive Teaching Materials • Interactive Teaching Practicum • Internationally Recognized Certificate • Teacher Placement Service • Money-Back Guarantee Included • Thousands of Satisfied Students

GET PAID TO LOSE WEIGHT! An industry leading Sports Nutrition Company is looking for healthy/motivated MEN+WOMEN (18-27yrs) who want to lose weight and get in shape. Participants could receive OXFORD SEMINARS $5,000 for a National campaign, 416-924-3240/1-800-269-6719 professional consultation and www.oxfordseminars.ca training advice and supply of diet products for a minimum 10-week transformation program. Interested? research@ jigsawcasting.com Car for sale - black *97 Cavalier, 2-door coupe. Great on gas, in great condition, 193,000 km. With ABS, a/c, air bags, new brakes, new exhaust system, regular and winter tires. $1500 o.b.o. Call Shirley at 416-797-8969 or e-mail [email protected]. go to theeyeopener.com for more!

• find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr

The University of Ottawa:

among Canada’s Top 10 research universities.*

Collaborating with some of the country’s top minds in the heart of the nation’s capital.

It starts here » www.grad.uOttawa.ca *Source : RE$EARCH Infosource Inc.

NEWS

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Eyeopener • 3

Students pad transcripts at private credit mills By Vanessa Greco News Editor

Just beyond a quiet alcove in the heart of Yorkville, Sophie Nation spends two hours a week shopping for an A-plus grade. For about $1,000, the high school senior enrolled in an English course at Blyth Academy, a Toronto-based private school — even though she can earn the same credit at the public school she already attends full-time. “It’s definitely a lot easier,” said Nation, who plans on applying to Ryerson for theatre or film. With looming university application deadlines, the 16-year-old adds that she can’t afford to have a bad mark on her transcript. Credit shopping, or the practice of paying for a better grade, is a red-flag issue for educators and a last resort for university hopefuls. The Eyeopener filed a freedom of information request (FOI) and obtained inspection, complaint and general records for four Toronto private schools. The package of about 100 pages and revealed that over 60 per cent of students enrolled at each private school were taking Grade 12 credits. “Every year there are more and more students aware of it, talking about it and taking the credits,” said Joan Timmings, former president of the Peel District School Board’s Guidance Heads Association who has spoken out against credit shopping. Starting this fall, when a student registered at a publicly-funded school earns a credit in private school a capital “P” will appear beside the grade

on their Ontario Student Transcript (OST). According to Steve Robinson, Ministry of Education spokesperson, the “P” notation is meant to increase transparency. He said the Ministry is aware of credit shopping allegations at private schools, but doesn’t consider it an issue. However, July 2008 inspection records reveal that Toronto Collegiate Institute didn’t meet provincial curriculum expectations when assessing students. As well, the school failed to correctly maintain student transcripts. A year earlier, the school failed to enforce attendance standards and the minimum 110 hours for course completion. Ministry records describe the school as “a secondary school that offers credits mostly to students attending publicly funded schools.” In May 2008, over 88 per cent of their student population was taking Grade 12 credits. The school’s website advertises reasons to attend. One of them is, “Earn your grades and enter your favourite university/college.” The Ministry of Education hasn’t had to revoke a private school’s credit-granting ability in the last three years, according to Robinson. There are over 900 private schools in Ontario. While only some credit-granting private schools are accused of selling grades, none are exempt from the “P” notation. This includes Hassan Mirzai, principal and owner of FutureSkills High School. He drafted a letter to the Ministry opposing the new notation. “The public will assume that it is a warning

Hassan Mirzai, principal of FutureSkills High School. PHOTO: chris dale — similar to the ones placed on restaurants,” he wrote, adding that the capital “P” might eventually put some schools out of business. Instead, Mirzai recommended more frequent inspections to weed out irresponsible schools. In May 2006, an inspector found that students at FutureSkills weren’t being assessed consistently by teachers. At the time, out of the 92 students en-

rolled, 80 were taking Grade 12 credit courses. Ryerson’s registrar Keith Alnwick, who oversees admissions, believes the university won’t treat transcripts with a “P” notation differently. “We’ve always said we’re going to take every grade at face value,” he said. “On what basis can we argue that a grade is not valid?” — With files from Carys Mills

Ryerson co-op student dies after car crash able to make us happy. That’s just the type of guy he was.” Ryerson student Ankit Chhibber died on Nov. 7 According to Satkunananthan, Chhibber was from complications resulting from a car accident. enjoying his co-op placement and hoped to purThe accident took place at the intersection of sue a career in information technology. Keele Street and Steeles Avenue West on Oct. 31 at about 9 a.m, according to Toronto police. Chhibber was admitted to Sunnybrook Hospi- It was a hard loss to take. He was the tal where he passed away a week later. He was 19 happiest guy you could ever meet. years old. — Aynka Satkunananthan, The third-year information technology manthird-year business student agement student was in the midst of a co-op placement with Environment Canada. Those within the school faculty are mourning “It’s a hard loss to take,” said friend Aynka Sat- the loss as well. kunananthan, who has known Chhibber since “Ankit will be greatly missed,” said Tony Conte, Grade 10. “He was the happiest guy you could ever director, vice provost, students. Last year, Chhibmeet.” ber worked for Conte as a peer advisor. Satkunananthan, a third-year business student “If someone asked him for directions he at Ryerson, said that Chhibber was stubborn but wouldn’t just tell them where it was, he would knew how to lift everyone’s spirits. walk them there to make sure they found it,” said “I remember when we went to Detroit last Conte. “He always went the extra mile.” Thanksgiving and even though we were running The President’s office sent a letter of condolate Ankit made us stop at the University of Wind- lence to the family on behalf of Ryerson. sor just so that he could play foosball with his As well, Heather Lane Vetere, vice provost stucousin,” he said. dents, attended the visitation on Nov. 12 to offer “Even though we were so mad at him he was personal condolences. By Michael Deruyter

Contrary to the desk sign, this man is Adam Giambrone.

PHOTO: CHRIS DALE

Victory for TTC student fare By Shirley Lin Associate News Editor

Ryerson students will have an extra $12 in their pockets after the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) voted to increase students’ monthly Metropass by only $3 at the meeting on Nov. 17. Officials supported a motion to give college and university students a break, granting them the same Metropass discount that high school students will receive at $99. The meeting was to decide on the proposed fare hike amidst a budget shortfall of $106 million. “This is historic,” said Toby Whitfield, Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) vice-president finance services. “This is the first time that students are being recognized by the TTC as students.” Currently, Ryerson students pay $96 for their monthly Metropass under the VIP plan through the RSU. Students will only have to shell out an extra $3, instead of paying the proposed $111. The decision also includes part-time students in

post-secondary. The discounted pass is not transferable, so students will have to show identification to use it. Adult riders will now have to pay an extra quarter to use the transit after the TTC voted in favour of the hike. A regular Metropass will now cost $121, an 11 per cent increase. “Quite frankly, the students need a break,” said Joe Mihevc, TTC vice-chair. “We have been trying for several years to try and figure out a way to lower prices for students; recognizing that they are a community in need. So we found a way.” The RSU, alongside other Toronto student unions lobbied the TTC to extend high school students’ Metropass discount to post-secondary students. Citing youth unemployment and high tuition fees, student union leaders said students can’t afford to pay more. “Students have had enough and can’t stomach another fare hike,” said Hamid Osman from the Canadian Federation of Students.

Ankit Chhibber died on Nov. 7. PHOTO Courtesy of Aynka Satkunananthan

EDITORIAL

4 • The Eyeopener

• Masthead

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amit “MORGENTALER” Shilton NEWS Vanessa “NASA” Greco Carys “SLEEPY SKYPE” Mills

Airwave solutions for CKLN

BIZ & TECH Lauren “COLOUR, PLZ?” Strapagiel ARTS & LIFE Aleysha “TAKE ME TO INDIA” Haniff Amanda “BLACKBERRY” Cupido SPORTS Anthony “REALLY?” Lopopolo PHOTO Matt “TI-CATS SUCK” Llewellyn Chris “I <3 NY” Dale FUN Leif “TRUCKER” Parker ONLINE GURUS Kerry “ANTI” Wall John “ViRUS” Shmuel GENERAL MANAGER Liane “G.B. FAIL” McLarty ADVERTISING MANAGER Chris “LUGNUT” Roberts DESIGN DIRECTOR Ryan “MCDONALDS” Price INTERN ARMY Michael “YEARBOOK” Stuckless Ryan “THE EDITOR” Hanson Brian “COUNTER” Capitao Johnny “JOB!” Vouyioukas Avie “SURPRISE” Engler David “TEACHER” Goncalves Imman “VISIT” Musa VOLUNTEERS Vincent “BAYWATCH” McDermott Emma “PROTESTASTIC” Prestwich Alexandra “NEXT WEEK” Macaulay Abdelwahab Agata “THIS WEEK” Zieba Michael “PHOTO SAVE” Deruyter Lee “GREEN ROOFIE” Richardson Cory “TWO TIMER” Wright Jen “BOTTLED” Chae Nick “SCREEN CAP” Lypaczewski Max “BABYSITTER’S CLUB” Mertens Alexandra “OBASAN” Yeboah Codi “TECHNO VIKING” Wilson Matt “LEST WE FORGET” Demers Harbi “NOT A BURGER” Natt Allyssia “ALL” Alleyne Imran “PHOTO KING” King Hilary “BOO YOU” Hagerman Kats “BRAINIAC” Quinto Zach “MURKY” Murphy Kevin “GREENBOY” Zaworski Suraj “BALRAM” Singh Playing the role of the Annoying Talking Coffee Mug this week... Lady Gaga. Fucking Lady Gaga. The Eyeopener is Ryerson’s largest and independent student newspaper. It is owned and operated by Rye Eye Publishing Inc., a non-profit corporation owned by the students of Ryerson. Our offices are on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre and you can reach us at 416-979-5262 or www.theeyeopener.com.

THERE IS A NEW PaPa ON THE BLOCK!!!!

PastaPaPa.ca pasta

by evan wynn Kosiner

& panini bar

4.99 Daily Lunch Specials — inluding drink

$

ASSOCIATE NEWS Shirley “SHITTING ON TTC” Lin FEATURES Rodney “BRONZE FTW!!!!” Barnes

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I had the pleasure of attending part of CKLN’s annual meeting recently. For anyone not in the loop, CKLN is a Toronto radio station funded with hundreds of thousands of dollars taken from your fees to the RSU. Let’s get this straight. The RSU is doing a great job trying to keep things in line, but it’s hard to get a lot of unprofessional people to run a company professionally. The annual general meeting was more of a circus than anything else. My numbers might be slightly off, but this year CKLN has seen three different boards of directors, aired a two-week audio loop for six months while the station was closed, caused its creditors (indirectly us students) to spend additional funds on hiring police to babysit them and kind of forgot they had to account for their money like the rest of us. Oh, did I mention about $150,000 in taxes that, as far as I know, still aren’t up to date? To me, this is a circus. Community radio is no doubt important, but not when you have a bunch of students funding a radio station that isn’t for its community. With my background in radio, I have some suggestions for CKLN. The RSU and Palin Foundation should request the CRTC to shift the license to them as their creditors. Then, be polite and fire everyone. Pay for podcasting equipment so all the current personalities can podcast from home, be trained for that and create an “online CKLN.” Have students play music to suit our community. Use voice-tracking software like the rest of the radio stations out there so it doesn’t interfere with class schedules. Go more mainstream like Western’s community station (which is excellent by the way). Sell all the advertising space to one of the big boys doing radio advertising. Subscribe to Neilson BBM so advertisers know what they’re getting. Rebrand that station. I think CKLN is the only station left using its call letters. Cut the studio space in half and rent it out as office space to provide the RSU with additional revenue. Account for what is spent. And most importantly, let us students who are underrepresented have a voice. SpiritLive (radio and television arts’ online station) took what used to be the old Jazz FM studios and put in stateof-the-art equipment. They have talent that doesn’t cause a ruckus. Let’s create something amazing for the school. When nobody phones in for CKLN call-in shows, it makes you wonder if paying hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for people from outside the Ryerson community to talk to themselves is really worth it. I would like to reinvent CKLN to be the top radio station in Toronto.

SAY NO TO FASTFOODIFICATION! Specializing in italian sandwiches, personal pizzas gourmet pastas and salads 76 GERRARD EAST @ CHURCH Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. TEL 416-599-PAPA (7272) EAT-IN & TAKE-AWAY

MEHRAN RESTAURANT HALAL 398 CHURCH ST 416-596-6434

HALAL

STUDENT SPECIAL

CHICKEN BIRYANI 4.99 +TAX TANDORI DISHES BUTTER CHICKEN We look forward to seeing you Show your Ryerson student card get a FREE can of pop.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

NEWS

The Eyeopener • 5

RSU gets the green light from students Every motion passed at the Nov. 11 semi-annual general meeting of the Ryerson Student’s Union – eventually.

PHOTO: CHRIS DALE

Pass: new vice-president in 2010 by shirley lin associate news editor

Students will soon have a new vice-president equity in the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) after a surprise re-vote passed the controversial motion at the semi-annual general meeting (SAGM) on Nov. 11. The decision was overturned after a member, Marina Sevastianov, changed her mind and called to reconsider the motion due to an offensive comment made earlier in the meeting. David Fourney, a hearing impaired student, had called for recess to give the sign-language interpreters a break. That’s when Mark Single, a former RSU presidential candidate, said he would offer his services and yell into Fourney’s ear, drawing gasps from the crowd of about 200. Single later apologized.

I think it’s time for a VP equity. — Toby Whitfield, VP finance and services “That’s why we need a VP of equity,” yelled one student. But some members denounced the voting process, calling it undemocratic and unfair. After the initial vote failed to pass, some students left the meeting during a recess. Shortly after everyone reconvened, a second vote was cast. Mitch Reiss, who is on the RSU equity commit-

Sound bites

tee and against a vice-president equity, said this vote was unfair. “If someone wanted to overturn the decision, it should have been done right after the decision was initially made… The only reason I stayed is because I heard people from the RSU planning to get the decision overturned.” Anesh Maharaj, part of the RSU’s student group committee, also called it undemocratic. “A lot of people [who] voted ‘no’ had to leave early due to personal reasons. After they left, a lot of new people joined the meeting who didn’t hear the arguments before… They know what they came to vote for.” The last time the students’ union created a new position was in 1984 for vice-president finance. A new executive now will come at a price tag of $27,000. “And [in] 2009, we’re twice the size of 24,000 students… twice the budget,” said Toby Whitfield, vice-president finance and services. “So I think it’s time for a VP of equity.” Rodney Diverlus, RSU’s equity commissioner, said a full-time staff person is needed to deal with issues such as homophobia and racism. “I’m angry that people can sit here and tell me that these issues don’t deserve a vice-president,” he charged. But others still say that it’s too much power for one person and the union needs to give more control to the equity commissioner and officer. Naeem Hassen, leader of the “Drop Lies” campaign, is not deterred by defeat. He said the campaign’s goal was to create awareness.

Pass: lobby to ban water bottles A motion to petition for the banning of water bottle sales on campus passed at the meeting last week. The Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) will also lobby to increase the number of water fountains. Bottled water is already banned at RSU events. The union argues bottled water privitizes water, which should be a public service. The RSU will have to work with the university to ban bottled water sales. “By saying bottled water is bad for you, I’m going to take it away and I’m going to give you a water fountain, that’s sort of treating you like a child,” said President Sheldon Levy. First-year student Robin Tarnowetzki thinks banning bottled water will result in students purchasing unhealthy products. “If you’re going to ban plastic bottles, why not ban the unhealthy ones?” Tarnowetzki asked.

— Jen Chae

Pass: Skinner bursary The Christopher Skinner Memorial Bursary will be established in memory of the Ryerson graduate murdered on Adelaide Street last month. The motion passed at the meeting with no opposition. The grant, formerly the Queer Bursary, is a scholarship for self-identified gay or transgendered students displaying commitment to community through education or social change, according to RyePRIDE coordinator Victoria Pinhorn.

“I think that anything in his memory is a wonderful tribute to the beautiful person that he was,” said childhood friend, Mandi Trotter Daignault. Another motion passed for a permanent memorial on campus. According to RSU president Jermaine Bagnall, there are no designs or sites set. Skinner, 27, graduated in 2006 from graphic communications management. He was beaten and run over by an SUV blocks away from Ryerson.

— Nick Lypaczewski

Free RSU legal services showed up by U of T

from the RSU semi-annual general meeting by agata zieba

I would like to offer my services to [Mr. Fourney] and yell into his ear. ­— Mark Single, former RSU president candidate

I refuse to apologize for something I believe in. ­— Marina Sevastianov, Ryerson student

I am ashamed for making this undignified remark as it does not reflect my true character. — Mark Single, in an apology letter sent to the Eyeopener

The Ryerson Student’s Union (RSU) offers free legal advice but other universities take the services further. “I don’t formally represent students or make attendances, I’d be everywhere,” said William Reid, the lawyer who provides legal services to students through the RSU. “It’d be a whole other level of service and a lot more money for students.” But the University of Toronto’s Downtown Legal Services provides all their students with legal advice and representation in court, with over 100 lawyers working at the firm. “We get some funding from different clubs and unions, but most of it comes from

Legal Aid Ontario. Students don’t pay much, probably a few dollars per student,” said Martha, an administrator at U of T’s Downtown Legal Services who refused to give her last name. Ryerson’s legal aid costs the student body $30,000 per year. It provides legal advice on criminal law, tenant, debt and immigration issues, as well as help with court paper work and legalities. Whether the RSU’s legal advice is known around campus is also in question. “I’m available to the student body, but awareness of all RSU services aren’t made that knowledgeable despite our best attempts,” said Reid, who provides the same services to York University, George Brown and Mohawk

The RSU’s free legal advice is covered by Bill Reid. photo: courtesy bill reid College. Toby Whitfield, RSU vicepresident finance and services, said the resource is well used but there could be more student awareness. “We have some posters

and it’s in the service information of the handbook, but we could definitely get the message out better,” said Whitfield. Already in his fourth year at Ryerson, Constantina Kal-

satos never knew about the legal resources. “I think a lot more students would get use out of it if it was more advertised,” said Kalsatos.

NEWS

6 • The Eyeopener

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

H1N1 reaches Ryerson’s Early Learning Centre by max mertens

A child attending the Ryerson Early Learning Centre is healthy again after being diagnosed with H1N1 last week. “The child was fine and received the first half of the immunization on Friday,” said Sally Kotsopoulos, the manager of Ryerson’s Early Learning Centre. A doctor diagnosed the case as H1N1 and the family was asked to keep the child at home for a week. Kotsopoulos couldn’t give the name or gender of the pre-schooler for confidentiality reasons. Over 60 children between the ages of two-and-a-half to four attend the daycare, which is attached to Kerr Hall. Some of Ryerson’s Early Childhood Education students complete placements at the daycare. Children under five years old are a priority group because of their developing immune systems, according to

physician Andrew Pinto, who works with Toronto Public Health. He doesn’t think Ryerson students should be worried despite the high-risk group being housed within the university. “There shouldn’t be any anxiety about having a daycare in the area,” said Pinto. “Those kids are just at higher risk of getting really sick.” Precautions at the daycare include posting warning signs on the doors and nearby hallways, making sure the playground equipment is disinfected with a strong bleach solution and vigilant hand-washing. “Everyone is being really conscientious in calling in if anyone is sick,” said Kotsopoulous. “Doctors have been quick to diagnose any flu as swine flu,” she said. “But we make sure that the tests have been run first. We don’t want to be fearmongering.”

Medical responses double on campus

Medical responses are on the increase on Ryerson campus.FILE PHOTO By cory wright

Medical responses at Ryerson have doubled in the past four years. In 2004, the number was 140 responses, before ballooning up to 294 last year. The trend continues this year. September concluded with 63 responses, roughly two a day. The high numbers in September have been attributed to several reasons. “Orientation and kids living away from home are big factors,” said Imre Juurlink, crime analysis and communication specialist. “And the study load is less.” Juurlink notes that orientation has become rowdier the last few years, as new orientation games such as tackle duck-duck-goose have been introduced. “When we noticed the increase, we wrote a proposal to start a medical unit and get additional medical training,” said Juurlink. She said the school responded with more funding and supplies. Julia Lewis, director of the centre for environmental health, safety and security, has a different take.

While alcohol and tackling may account for a number of medical calls. Lewis believes that the increased awareness of the medical team is a reason for the increase. “With greater awareness of a medical response team, I would expect more people to call,” said Lewis.

With greater awareness of a medical response team, I would expect more people to call. – Julia Lewis, CEHSSM director Lewis added that many recent calls have also been about concerns over flulike symptoms during this time of pandemic hysteria. “There’s concern, but we have an amazing team and are fully equipped to deal with anything,” said Lewis. Students may feel more secure knowing that an able medical team is in close proximity. “With all the students and faculty at Ryerson, it just makes a lot of sense,” said second-year geography student Iain Anderson.

The Early Learning Centre has had at least one confirmed case of H1N1. PHOTO: CHRIS DALE

Briefs &

Groaners

A birthday to remember Over the weekend, 20 to 30 people played soccer on the fourth floor of the library. Security found a birthday cake with lit candles in a rented study room as well. According to security, the group was well behaved. Hopefully the birthday person wished on the cake’s candles for a bit more of an exciting venue next year.

Beware of alleged fraud On Nov. 12, police received a call from the Yonge Street Mission, leading to a fraud investigation. The group allegedly received information that a group was planning to raise donations for the Christian Community Centre. The centre hadn’t sanctioned the campaign. The group canvasses for donations by mail, not in person.

A good deed on campus! On Nov. 11, someone turned in a wallet containing $200 cash and over $1,100 in cheques. The wallet was found on the second floor of the library and also contained various identification. The belongings were left on a computer desk. According to security, the female owner was so happy when her wallet was returned that she cried.

news

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Eyeopener • 7

Companies get green-eyed over Rye’s roofs cent of all buildings are pretty much already set up,” said Jonathan Nash of Kerr Hall’s rooftop is being scouted as Glenbarra Energy, a design and instalprime real-estate for solar panel power lation company. generation. Some students think the university “We’ve been approached by groups could take sustainability further. that want to take advantage of the roofs of the university for installing solar power,” said Ryerson President Sheldon If you look down you’ll see a Levy. lot of flat roofs and they’re Kerr Hall is one building being con- ideal for solar panels. sidered. — Sheldon Levy, Ryerson’s “If you look down you’ll see a lot of president flat roofs and they’re ideal for solar panels,” said Levy. “The first step is a sustainability ofThe university is receiving propos- fice,” said third-year urban and regionals for green products and services on al planning student Denis Agar, who campus, which include the solar roof thinks an office would coordinate susproject. tainibility initiatives. Agar is involved Levy said he doesn’t know the profit with the Ryerson Greens, the Green Ryerson could generate from the pan- Party of Canada’s Ryerson representaels. The project’s cost, which will change tives. according to the repairs needed before He thinks Ryerson should be careful. installation, is also unknown. “Ryerson could end up spending a “There’s a whole series of events that huge amount of money, then maybe have to happen in order to determine not ending up getting their bang for whether it’s feasible or not, but 95 per their buck,” said Agar. By Lee Richardson

Imagine solar panels installed on Kerr Hall’s flat rooftop. Photo: Chris Dale

Fashion students locked out over mess By Alexandra Yeboah

Fashion students are forced to find another place for late-night working after losing after hours privileges in two of their labs. The second-year fashion lab and “overflow” lab in Kerr Hall are temporarily closed due to untidy conditions and evidence that food and drinks had been consumed in the work spaces. Some students say the lockout prevents them from finishing projects. “It’s affected everyone’s schedules, Ryerson-AODT_event_bw.pdf everyone’s crammed,” said Tee Lee, a

second-year fashion student. Lee and her classmates are required to design a dress from plaid fabric and fit it onto a mannequin. She said she needs materials in the labs. None are allowed to be taken outside of the room. The assignment is due on Nov. 19 — the day the lab reopens. While Robert Ott, chair of the fashion department, wants to see student spaces respected he believes students shouldn’t be punished by limiting their access to the lab materials. think AM we could do better 1 “Honestly, 04/11/09 I 10:55 things than to try and catch students

doing something that they’re not supposed to do,” he said. “It takes resources away from the actions of just a few people, and that’s what I regret.” Aliza Rizvi, a second-year fashion student, can’t wait for the labs to reopen. “There’s over a hundred of us,” she said. “It’s very unfortunate that two kids decided to drink and the rest of us have to suffer.” Rizvi hasn’t pinpointed the blame on any one, but is still frustrated about the closure. “Everything requires extra time outside of class,” she said.

SPECIAL EVENT!

MEET FASHION INSTRUCTORS AND RECENT GRADUATES FROM THE ACADEMY OF DESIGN.

NOVEMBER 23. 5 P.M.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

SHARING THEIR

PASSION FASHION DESIGN. FASHION MARKETING & MERCHANDISING. Hear about their careers, the excitement, the glamour, the reality.

1835 Yonge Street at Davisville subway

DON’T MISS THIS EXCITING EVENT. Call 416 929-0121 or RSVP Kathy Marques: [email protected]

features

8 • The Eyeopener

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

features

The Eyeopener • 9

Letting the numbers lie 95.9 employment rate percentage at Ryerson

94.1 employment rate percentage of all Ontario graduates

77.2 per cent of graduates left out of survey

Truth comes second for cash-strapped universities trying to draw potential students desperate for a degree. Codi Wilson looks at the sleight-of-hand turning influential statistics into hot air

U

niversities have begun their push to lure graduating high school students. Last week, over 2,500 eager adolescents and their parents swarmed Ryerson’s campus. Two months ago, students crowded the Metro Convention Centre for the Ontario Universities Fair. Getting a degree is more important than ever, and universities, looking for a financial boost, are taking advantage of this to bait prospective students. Promotional material puts graduate employment rates at over 90 per cent — which would be great if this number wasn’t inflated. In a corner of the Convention Centre Matt Day sits surrounded by pamphlets and brochures. The London, Ont. local is looking to save some money by going to the University of Western Ontario but has not made up his mind just yet. Finances aren’t his only consideration — employment rates are a factor as well. “Employment rates are like a tiebreaker situation between universities that are even in the other categories,” says Day. “If one university has a higher employment rate, naturally it makes me sway toward the higher one.” Inside the exhibition room, Brock’s bright-red display is the centerpiece. It looks more like a spaceship pod than an information booth. Brock recruitment officers scan the crowd looking to lock eyes with anyone who seems curious. Melissa Coleman, leader of the Brock booth, tells students that Brock graduates have high employment rates. “I think around 97 per cent based on the most recent statistical evidence.” The Brock website claims that theirgraduates enjoy one of the highest employment rates of all Ontario universities at 97.5 per cent. What it doesn’t tell you is that this number only represents 22.8 per cent of its graduates. The success of a survey is largely based on the number of respondents. The higher the response rate, the more accurate the survey. But Brock isn’t the only culprit passing off flimsy stats as

fact; these flawed survey results can be found all across Ontario. Ryerson boasts an employment rate in the mid 90s but of 3,747 graduates, only 741 actually responded to the survey. That’s less than 20 per cent. These numbers originate from a survey that was conducted on all Ontario university graduates in 2006 and the correlating employment and earning rates. The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) says that after six months, graduates at Ontario universities have an employment rate of 94.1 per cent and an average earning rate of $41,669. The COU states that this survey proves “Graduates of undergraduate programs at Ontario universities consistently experience high employment and earning rates,” despite evidence that these findings exclude almost 80 per cent of grads. For universities attempting to court prospective students, misleading them may not be the smartest move. Promotional material already shows a very select perspective of the school; employing false statistics can only further skew expectations and possibly damage the university’s reputation — consequently tarnishing the hard-earned degrees of graduates.

S

urveys with small selection pools aren’t necessarily bad but, there is a formula that must be followed.

Photo Matt Llewellyn

Mike Evans, a statistics professor at the University of Toronto, says, “If it were a random sampling of 20 per cent where they selected graduates and could track them down and get each one to respond, the survey would be accurate.” Evans calls this the selection effect. When you randomly sample 20 per cent of the class and get a response rate of 100 per cent, the survey will produce accurate, unbiased results. But if you select 100 per cent of the class and only 20 per cent respond, the survey yields flawed results. The failure is twofold. First, the survey is missing a large portion of the graduating class and second, the survey is guilty of what is known as a sampling bias. Jeff Rybak, author of What’s Wrong With University: And How To Make It Work For You Anyway, says, “While there’s probably little to no distortion in terms of willful misrepresentation, there is a huge sampling bias. Those with nothing positive to say and brag about, or in particular those who are dissatisfied with their institution or disassociated from it, are simply not going to reply.” The people who likely responded are those who felt inclined to report their success. And forget employment in related fields; people who work at Wal-Mart or Starbucks are included in the number. It only reports the number of grads employed in any field. Universities possess statistics on employment in related fields but choose to use the higher number instead. Ryerson would rather say that 95.9 per cent of grads are employed than admit that only 67.5 per cent reported being employed in a related field. The Ministry of Training requests that universities make this information available to the public but doesn’t instruct schools to mislead students for marketing purposes. The University of Western Ontario has an employment rate of 97.8 per cent. But instead of listing this stat on their website under “About Us” or “Quick Facts,” the number is absent from promotional material. The same is true for U of T, Carlton and Queen’s. These universities don’t gloat

about their inflated employment rates. False advertisement isn’t uncharted territory. Ryerson is just following what private corporations have done for years. But universities are public institutions and should adhere to higher ethical standards. They’re institutions that promote education and learning. Deceiving students damages their credibility. The majority of universities don’t even comply with ethical survey practices. They don’t include response rates on the survey results. The Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO) says that survey results must contain response rates upon release to the public. Under CASRO’s Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research it states: “A Research Organization’s report to a Client or the Public should contain: A description of results of sample implementation including (a) a total number of sample elements contacted, (b) the number not reached, (c) the number of refusals, (d) the number of terminations, (e) the number of non-eligibles, (f) the number of completed interviews.” Stephen Onyskay, a senior research associate for university planning at Ryerson, defended the school by saying that the Ministry of Training requires post-secondary institutions to disclose the survey to the public. When questioned about whether it is required to use these inflated numbers in promotional material, Onyskay replied, “No, it is certainly not required.” Onyskay also said that these employment stats determine whether or not Ryerson receives performance-based funding. Performance-based funding is money that the Ministry of Training gives to universities in exchange for meeting certain targets. If the survey results indicate low employment rates, Ryerson misses out on the funding. Choosing the right post-secondary institution is difficult enough without universities misleading you. Consider employment rates one less thing on your checklist.

97.5 employment rate percentage at Brock

67.5 per cent of Ryerson graduates employed in a field related to their degree

41,669 average earnings (in dollars) of Ontario graduates

10 • The Eyeopener

ARTS & LIFE

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Rye grad butters up Hollywood Hilary Hagerman talks to actor Daniel De Santo, who’s come a long way from scaring us silly on TV

Golly, isn’t he dreamy? photo: paul gregory

You probably know Daniel De Santo as one of two things: 1) The guy who freaked you out as a kid on Are You Afraid of the Dark, or as 2) Gretchen Wiener’s douchebag sort-of boyfriend in Mean Girls (“Is your muffin buttered? Would you like us to assign someone to butter your muffin?”). But with a new movie role under his belt as the villain Crew Cut in Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day, Ryerson film grad De Santo is breaking out of typecast. “Usually I’m the smartass or I have a couple little zingers or some girl is mad at me cause I’m not calling or something,” said the Toronto native. “This is totally different.” In the follow-up to the 1999 cult classic, De Santo trained with a plethora of weapons, worked out with a personal trainer and had a dialect coach to help him perfect his character’s Sicilian dialect. “I’m not going to say it’s better or worse, it’s just different,” he said. “It’s definitely rewarding playing a different character.” De Santo has always been a fan of

• Complete 30-Hour Seminars • Convenient Weekend Schedule • Proven Test-Taking Strategies • Experienced Course Instructors • Comprehensive Study Materials • Simulated Practice Exams • Limited Class Size • Free Repeat Policy • Personal Tutoring Available • Thousands of Satisfied Students

OXFORD SEMINARS 416-924-3240 1-800-269-6719 www.oxfordseminars.ca

He joked that he’s glad Are You Afraid of the Dark isn’t on the air anymore, but said it was a great experience. “It was cool to grow up on that show and with that show,” he said. “But I’m glad that I started taking acting classes and working with my teachers after that

Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day hit theatres Friday, Nov. 13. For more info about the film, check out: http://bit.ly/ZEAe

“Ama-ail-late” That’s right, amaretto, Baileys and hot chocolate makes this week’s must-try drink. With winter getting ready to tackle the city, you should try to keep yourself warm with more than just a jacket.

PHOTO: CHRIS DALE

Update! Ryerson’s production Serious Money has moved on to Theatre Passe Muraille as part of the 4x4 Festival presented by Nightwood Theatre. The snarky satire, performed by fourth-year Ryerson acting students, runs from Nov. 20 - Nov. 22. For more information, check out: www.nightwoodtheatre.net

Preparation Seminars

— Daniel De Santo, Ryerson film alumni

Brought to you by the Arts and Life editors. Drinking legally since 2008.

Ryerson’s Alternate Spring Break group (ASB) needs your help to do charity work in Peru this February. Come out to their Dirty Bingo fundraising event at the Hard Rock Cafe on Nov. 26. Doors open 9:30 p.m.

LSAT MCAT GMAT GRE

You really need to sort of be the CEO of your own company. No one’s going to hand you roles or hand you anything.

because I think I needed to.” Eventually, he decided to take a few years off from acting to study film at Ryerson. “I really wanted to round myself out as an actor,” he said. “I wanted to see things from the other side of the camera.” After he graduated from Ryerson he got his next big role alongside Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls, and things have been escalating since. However, De Santo says success doesn’t come easily. “You really need to sort of be the CEO of your own company. No one’s going to hand you roles or hand you anything,” he said. “So if this is what you want to do... you’ve got to work your ass off at it.”

Drink of the week

CHECK IT!

Arteries is a group which helps students publish their essays. They welcome essays submitted by any student registered in any undergraduate program at Ryerson. Any current Ryerson undergraduate student is eligible to submit a paper. Visit: http://arteries.wordpress.com/ or contact [email protected] for more information.

the spotlight. He remembers his uncle handing him a $2 bill at family weddings to dance to songs from Michael Jackson’s Thriller. “From a very young age I think I learned that you can make money by sort of making an ass of yourself,” he said. He really got his big break as Tucker on Are You Afraid of the Dark after doing work on commercials and hanging out with Ms. Frizzle while voicing Carlos’s character in The Magic School Bus.

INGREDIENTS 3 parts hot chocolate 1 part amaretto 1 part Baileys Add some whipped cream or marshmallows to give it an extra twist if your heart desires. Raise your glasses and cheers to winter!

ARTS & LIFE

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Eyeopener • 11

Why pay for food when white lies are free? BY MATT LLEWELLYN PHOTO EDITOR

Al Capone was a criminal kingpin, Bernard Madoff swindled millions, but Sam Orwell saw the green in a bag of red loops. You’ve likely never heard of the last person, probably because he doesn’t exist. But customer service representatives from some of North America’s largest food companies have heard him complain for the last couple of weeks. I am Sam Orwell. A university student in the current economic climate, I was curious to see if food companies would respond to a complaint about their product by sending a replacement. In other words, what if telling some white lies would score some free swag — even if I presented them with outlandish stories or little proof. *** At Kellogg, an entire box of red Froot Loops is apparently a spectacular sight. So spectacular, in fact, that it doesn’t really exist. The Kellogg customer service representative claimed it was “nearly impossible,” and offered to pick up this holy grail of sugary cereal at my convenience. But since I lied about that mystical box of all-red loops, I agreed to expedite the box using a corporate Purolator account. Calculating that it would take approximately 1,500 loops to fill a 580 gram box, I purchased three 925-gram boxes from Cosco and a smaller 580-gram box from Metro. Although I have no scientific proof, it seems there are significantly fewer red loops than any other colour. Kellogg’s website boasts they have a highly efficient facility that uses computer-automated machines to do everything from “mixing the grains to packing the boxes in cartons.”

Though I didn’t have an automated computer system at my disposal, I did have something far more accurate: Ryan, one of the Eyeopener’s high school intern. Tirelessly sorting the loops for what seemed like hours, the bag was finally full and so were our stomachs. It took just over 12 hours for Kellogg to receive the package and respond via phone. Kellogg guaranteed that the box was safe to eat and that the box of red loops was an “isolated and rare” incident. For years companies have placed their contact information on the packaging of food, mainly because it’s the law. Health Canada requires all food packaged for distribution to include a contact for the company. But these companies also want to know when their manufacturing process goes loopy. Dialing the first 1-800 number feels strangely comparable to losing your virginity. Quickly your heart begins to race and you feel a little bit naughty. But then, when you’re done the deed, you experience a great of surge of satisfaction. Along with Kellogg, I created a variety of scenarios to companies such as Pepsico (nothing in the sealed can), General Mills (Nature Valley chewy bars were as hard as patio stones) and Bellisio Food (Michelina’s’s dinner had too much pepper). But none were as elaborate as the one told to Kellogg. Still, all of the companies “Orwell” spoke to agreed to send out replacements, with several of the companies sending additional products. So far I have received seven vouchers worth $30 in free food. They also sent me letters reassuring that the information was past along to ensure the problems never happen again.

Matt Llewellyn lost his toll-free virginity getting free food. PHOTO: CHRIS DALE

T:4”

Maximizing your free stuff potential

“Non-stop Awesome” —Fearless Fred, 102.1 The Edge

“Those who loved EVIL DEAD—The Musical will go nuts for The Toxic Avenger.”

Harbi Natt Free cosmetics

—PROUD-FM



— Toronto Star



T:7.5”

“Screamingly Funny”

—eye weekly

Original Toronto Cast. Photo by Paula Wilson. Photo: Evan Alexander Smith

Allyssia Alleyne Free drinks

GET 2 OF THE BEST SEATS FOR THE PRICE OF 1! *

YOU PAY $41.50

ToxicAvengerToronto.com/FERD241 (416) 644 3665 and quote code: FERD241 *Offer valid for performances now through December 13, 2009. Must book by November 22, 2009. Some conditions apply. See ToxicAvengerToronto.com/FERD241 for full details.

Follow Toxic Avenger at: TWITTER.com/TOToxicAvenger

Imran Khan Free food

4(%-53)#(!,,s147 Danforth Avenue (at Broadview Avenue, steps from the subway)

DAN_09225_Toxic_CampusPlusv6_Ad_Nov_5.indd 1

11/5/09 4:55:02 PM

We’ve all blown money on a beauty product that just didn’t do what we wanted it to. But do you toss it out or call in a complaint? Having to deal with automated operators may not be everyone’s favourite pastime, but your patience can pay off. The customer service representatives on the other end have to do whatever it takes to make sure you buy a product from the company again. This is especially true of big companies such as L’Oreal and Covergirl. Everyone I talked to seemed happy to replace damaged products and mail coupons. But if you’re like me and you delve out big bucks for high-end beauty products from M.A.C. and Smashbox, you might be unpleasantly surprised. When it comes to customer service, they suddenly seem as cheap as a first date at McDonald’s. • Companies called: 16, including Revlon, Marcelle and Benefit • Number of successes: 4 • Coolest free shit: A $25 gift certificate for any L’Oreal Paris product • Weirdest complaint: Deodorant gave me a ridiculous infectious rash of boils If I’d known that quenching my thirst could be this easy, I would have done this a long time ago. Most companies handled my spirited complaints with passive politeness. Even when I failed to recall the name of the store where I’d bought their products or couldn’t provide the barcode on their defective merchandise, they seemed unfazed. I could have told them that I’d found a ball of plutonium in my can and they would probably have responded in the same generic tone. Some, like the woman at Danone, seemed genuinely concerned and apologetic for the alleged errors, which made me feel a bit guilty for taking advantage of these poor multinational corporations. But then I remembered that these companies have been fattening us up and robbing us blind for years, and my mind was set at ease. • Companies called: 4, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Co and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group • Number of successes: 4 • Coolest free shit: A Tropicana promotional toy for her “son” • Weirdest complaint: I found a rock in my John Paul Gaultier Evian water bottle! I ran through a gamut of reasons to justify my actions and rid myself of any guilt prior to starting this project. My reasons ranged from “these companies make millions a year” to “as long as they know I’m consuming their product, they could care less”. The mean age of the customer service representatives ranged from 50-65 years. They all talked softly and felt truly sympathetic to whatever lie I was spewing. Generally, they would end each sentence with “I’m sorry to hear that son/dear”. I could go on and on about how almost every lie was believed. I was really looking forward to gloating, as I pictured myself sitting on a pile of free food, laughing hysterically. However, when lying to the elderly was added to the equation, it left a sour taste in my mouth. • Companies called: 6, including Kraft Canada, Quaker and Nestlé Canada • Number of successes: 5 • Coolest free shit: A rep called the manager of my nearest store to set up a freebie • Weirdest complaint: My girlfriend disliked some discoloured chocolate chip cookies

12 • The Eyeopener

biz & tech

Rye student makes a splash by vincent mcdermott

Parents planning children’s pool parties this summer might be able to breathe easier thanks to first-year journalism student Nicole Siena. Siena’s proposed business, Watch Out Lifeguarding Service, placed in the top-10 for southern Ontario at the Ontario Secondary School Business Plan Competition on Nov. 7. “My plan is to provide supervision and act as a lifeguard at private parties, events, home pools and other pools where you don’t usually find lifeguards,” she said. The business plan was originally a project for a Grade 11 business class at St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton. Her teacher took the five highestmarked projects and submitted them to the competition for judging. Siena went on to win the provincials in June 2008. After the project, Siena became a certified lifeguard and saw she could actually start her business. She revised her proposal in Grade 12 and resubmitted her entry, leading to her top-10 placement. “I still want to get my business model started this summer,” said Siena. Her business model estimated she would need $1500 to get started, but she discovered that insurance would cost $3000 to $5000. “I hope to get seasonal insurance for this summer,” she says. “It’s cheaper than a yearly insurance and the summer is when my business would see any money.”

Siena shows off her winnings. photo: chris dale

A brand new you Startup 101 by evan wynn Kosiner

@STARFOX89

apparently the #ryerson sewing lab is closed because 1st years were getting drunk in there. god DAMNIT too much to sew for tomorrow

@bilkanawati

At the Ryerson Open Mic, but can’t play. Apparently, it’s “architecture only” open mic night. What the hell, Ryerson?

@greerbrabazon

In AGM @ Ryerson.. Gotta love ppl who like to hear their own voice..

@kordanh

I wonder if Ryerson realizes there’s a 24 hour strip club right next to the site of their new student learning center.

@tbekolay

“Ryerson women’s volleyball spiked by suspension” ... really Eyeopener? Your headline pun sucks balls. Volleyballs. (PS: you got served)

@chrisgruggen

Just saw a Mouse in the ImageArts Lounge in the Vic building. Fantastic! #ryerson

@HauteHomicide

The ryerson library has proven to be the love of my life. Ryerson library, I think I might love you.

@simfz

The Ryerson library has really bad breath. Smells like hot dogs.

Young start-ups never spend enough time (or money) on their brand. For me, 12 pt. Times New Roman for your logo doesn’t cut it. Branding is an essential element that takes time and energy to maintain. With that said, it is one of the greatest experiences of operating a business. You’re literally creating something from nothing. An identity for a business. A persona and a way of being for your company. What’s in a brand? A brand is something that can be created not by you, but by the people who interact with your company. That’s where the power in the brand is: seeing it from their view. They’re paying for it, they’re using it and they create its success. When I launched my printing company, I was all about branding. I became friends with a brand genius and got a great web team together to build the site. I was quoted $4,000 for the site and $16,000 later it was up and running. In the midst of it, I blew my marketing budget. My printing company is all about being eco-friendly. I was amazed at how eco-friendly printing can get. One hundred per cent post-consumer recycled paper, soy based inks that are resludged if there’s excess. And all shipped by Purolator with hybrid vehicles. Plus we plant a tree and purchase wind power credits, which has the added bonus of attracting regular press coverage. Three years later with my favourite brand under my belt, I have what my customers currently want. From 12 product types, we’re narrowing down to three: business cards, postcards and flyers. Quantities of those three product types will be more compact. The site has been revamped with new features. A new shipping partner, more information and a custom made, brand new payment system — all things that make my clients happy. Plus we just purchased a press in Burbank to serve them better. The brand starts with your logo but continues with how you work with your customers, or better said, how your customers work with you. Make their lives easy and suit their needs. It’ll make them feel more at home. And why work with someone that you wouldn’t go for beers with? Share your brand like a two-four after moving in. No homework for this week, it’s essay time. Cheers! If you have any questions about running your own business or have feedback for Evan, send an email to ekosiner@ ryerson.ca

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

biz & tech

The Eyeopener • 1 3

Dirty accusations at biz event by Emma Prestwich

Canadian manufacturing is not dead and members of the Ryerson community are noticing — some louder than others. Two groups of protesters stormed the afternoon panel of the Revitalizing Canadian Manufacturing Conference, held Nov. 10 at the Ted Rogers school. Carrying signs reading “50 Billion in Dirty Oil = RBC” and “Environmental Rights Abuse,” they accused speaker Gordon Nixon, president and CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), of investing in non-sustainable companies in the Alberta tar sands. Several audience members called for the removal of the protesters, who were escorted out of the auditorium by security. Nixon dismissed the claims of “abuse”and “dirty oil.” “I’m not sure that the people in the beginning of the meeting, although passionate, are reasonable,” he said. “We do have to find a balance between production, industry and environment.” A Ryerson business student, who identified herself only as Taylor, asked

Nixon to give her examples of RBC’s environmental initiatives. She said she saw RBC as being a company that is trying to be environmental, even if activity in the tar sands can’t stop. “Virtually every person in this room is an investor in the oil industry. It’s hard not to be,” said Nixon. The event aimed to discuss Canada’s manufacturing sector during the recession, but many of the speakers dismissed statements that the industry is struggling. “The theory that we should be giving up on this sector because it’s driven by low-cost labour as opposed to innovation and technology, I think, is incorrect,” said Nixon. “This is not about smokestack industry and Atari video games,” said Jim DeWilde, executive in residence at the Rogers school and keynote speaker for the conference. He stressed there are major changes going on globally with manufacturing infrastructure and design. He said “Canadians have no competitive disadvantage.” DeWilde also applauded Ryerson as a “critical part of new Ontario.” “Ryerson has a reputation as people

who are innovative, entrepreneurial and collaborate with each other,” said DeWilde, emphasizing that manufacturing isn’t separate from design and the more the school’s programs can do with this kind of thinking, the better. But he also condemned the industry for not providing enough opportunities for new graduates. “That’s where we’re letting you down. These are the key years.” Around 200 people registered for the whole-day event, including the president of the Ryerson Commerce Society, Naeem Hassan, and Muzzamil Ahmed, a 2008 business management graduate. Ahmed applauded the choice of speakers, which he said would provide “more knowledge from different sources.” Buzz Hargrove, past president of the Canadian Auto Workers Union and distinguished professor in residence at the Rogers School, moderated the conference along with Ken Jones, dean of the Rogers school. He said he hopes the dialogue will continue among students after the conference is over. “It’s their future we’re talking about,” Hargrove said.

Top: A group protesting RBC’s involvement with the Alberta tar sands crash the conference. Above: Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sandra Pupatello, Nixon and John Galt, president and CEO of Husky Injection Molding. photos: matt llewellyn

sports

14 • The Eyeopener

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Ryerson Ram cracks all-Canadian roster Cory Wright chats with Alex Braletic after his selection as a Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian

photo: Matt Llewellyn

Alex Braletic strikes a shot on goal against Nipissing at BMO Field.

A Ryerson Ram has finally made the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-Canadian soccer team. Alex Braletic, a midfielder for the men’s soccer team, has been named to the CIS second team after a stellar season that saw him help the Rams to a winning record for the first time in 20 years. Aside from the team’s success, which was cut short in an shootout playoff loss to Laurentian, Braletic holds many individual achievements. Braletic is the reigning MVP in the OUA East, as well as an OUA first-team all-star. He’s the first Ryerson soccer player to be an all-Canadian and one of six from the OUA. Braletic netted a team-leading three goals in the regular season and added another in the playoffs. “He’s clearly the best player in the league (OUA) in my opinion,” said Rams head coach Ivan Joseph in a press release. “Alex has a nice sense of what it takes to be a good soccer player. He’s a good lead-by-example player. I think he could be the nucleus of what could be a nationally ranked soccer team.” Braletic is pleased to hear these words from his coach and the CIS, but remains modest. “I think it’s kind of cool that some people recognize my skill,” said Braletic. “And coach Joseph is a man who knows a lot and I have a lot of respect for him. Those words mean a lot to me.” By making the CIS second team, Braletic is ranked within the top 22 men’s soccer players in Canada. This comes after spending his second

year in the OUA and first with the Ryerson Rams. Braletic spent a lot of time accompanying the team last year on road trips, but was ineligible to play. His presence and work off the field was not lost on the rest of the team. Markus Molder, a second-year defender, said that Braletic is a great leader off the field because of his commitment to the team, and that the culture of the team improved with the addition of Braletic. Molder also praised Braletic as “the best technical player” he has hit the field with. Other schools, especially U.S. colleges, were interested in him, but Braletic insisted on staying in Canada and even played a year of professional soccer. “The level of soccer wasn’t good enough, and the schooling wouldn’t be adequate,” said Braletic of the US schools. “Ryerson had a good program school-wise, and some of my friends were on the team.” The Rams are looking to build on last season and work towards being a ranked soccer team in Canada. Braletic is excited about being the core component to rebuilding this team. “The program wasn’t great when I came in,” said Braletic. “I want to help it get on the rise.” Joseph adds that having a player of Braletic’s calibre will help recruiting and show the OUA that Ryerson is developing a serious soccer program. “It definitely says that we have quality players and talent that wants to be here,” said Joseph.

6iiZci^dcJcYZg\gVYjViZHijYZcih

>BEDGI6CII>B:I67A:CDI>8: BVg`Ndjg8VaZcYVgh ;g^YVn!CdkZbWZg', AVhibZZi^c\d[;g^YVnXaVhhZh

;g^YVn!9ZXZbWZg) BdcYVnXaVhhZhl^aabZZi[dgi]Z aVhii^bZdci]^hYVn

BdcYVn!9ZXZbWZg,id HVijgYVn!9ZXZbWZg&. ;^cVaZmVbh I]^hi^bZiVWaZX]Vc\ZYdZhcdiV[[ZXiXdjghZh d[[ZgZYWni]ZHX]ddad[
;dgfjZhi^dch!XdciVXigZ\^higV5gnZghdc#XV dgXVaa)&+".,."*&%%#

sports

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Eyeopener • 1 5

Parents granted VIP access to games by cory wright

Ryerson has implemented a new parent pass to alleviate the cost of attending Rams games for parents of athletes. Introduced this fall, the idea behind the passes is to increase attendance at home games, which will give the athletes more support and hopefully translate into more wins. “The way I see it is that home-ice should be an advantage,” said athletic director Ivan Joseph. It’s no secret that the Rams have trouble attracting fans, as competing against the Toronto nightlife is no easy battle. The fact that most games are played within a Friday to Saturday bracket puts games in competition with night clubs. But having parents attend pumps up some athletes. “I love having my parents there,” said Haley Wolfenden, a second-year women’s volleyball player. “Maybe they’ll come to more games now.” Cathy Saar, mother of Leah Saar, a second-year volleyball player, notes that the girls play better with more fans in the stands, and that she thinks it’s a good initiative. “They need a good support system,” said Saar. “I think this will create good school spirit and more athletes will want to come to the school.” It is also an effort to give back to the parents who are already paying tuition and other expenses. “Parents are picking up a large tab already,” said Joseph. “It’s tough on an urban campus as the parents have to pay for things like parking. By the time mom and dad drive down, pay for parking and tickets, it’s almost a $50 night.”

There was a misconception that the passes were going to pay for parents’ hotel stays and even transportation, which Joseph said is not true. “Whatever we do is to benefit students. Us covering the parents’ hotel would not help the students,” said Joseph. Ryerson isn’t the only school to give out the passes. Brett Penrose, a firstyear volleyball player, said that his parents have passes for his brother’s hockey team at York University. The passes cover all reuglar-season home games, but won’t extend to the OUA playoffs, as the OUA controls their own ticket prices. The women’s volleyball team lost its last two games after serving a twogame suspension for drinking in the photo: Chris dale dressing room. Their next game is Nov. Cathy Saar thinks parental support 20 at RMC. more success to Ryerson athletics.

Athletes of the Week • The men’s hockey team

won against the Windsor Lancers 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday. The win moves the Rams into possession of fifth place in the OUA East. A free fan bus will be available for their game against the Brock Badgers on Thursday. The bus is departing from Gould Street at 6 p.m.

• The women’s basketball

team snapped a threegame winning streak last Saturday, losing 7648 against McMaster. However, the Rams still retained their first-place position atop the OUA East. Their next game is away to Guelph on Friday and will look to extend their two-point margin over second-place UofT.

Coffee, Donuts and God! Join students for a discussion on campus with guest Fr. Damian MacPherson S.A., Director for Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 11:00am-12:30pm STUDENT CREDIT UNION LOUNGE (Second floor of Podium, across from Alterna) Come out, ask your questions, get some enlightening conversation and, you guessed it, FREE coffee and Timbits! 416-351-0365

can bolster team play for Ryerson home games and could bring

64 Mc.Gill St.

www.ryercath.ca (For map and details)

MASS: Monday and Friday at 12:15 at the Chaplaincy Centre

Leah saar

Greg mcdonald

Women’s volleyball

men’s volleyball

16 • The Eyeopener

FUN

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Related Documents


More Documents from "The Eyeopener"