Tag: editorial

Financially and health-wise, students would benefit from extended metro times

On March 6, Montreal media announced that Mayor Denis Coderre had proposed extending last call until 6 a.m. One of the reasons cited, was Coderre’s concern for the safety of drinkers, (CBC News, March 6, 2014).

For students and other budget-conscious individuals, longer bar hours would mean they would have the option of taking public transportation rather than a cab or their own car. It would also negate those instances where drinkers wander around aimlessly until the metro opens because they can’t afford a cab or are too drunk to drive.

It also stands to reason that  when people have time on their hands, are revved up on alcohol, while waiting to take the metro home, that they might engage in risky behaviour that could result in a trip to the emergency room.

If bars were open later, it would give drinkers a place to stay where there is less of a chance that they will do something that will get them hurt.

On the other hand, if bars are open later there is a greater chance that individuals will be encouraged to spend more money and thus save nothing by waiting for the metro to open.

Furthermore, there is a good chance that people will consume more than their usual amount of alcohol if bars are kept open later, which is both detrimental to their health and impacts their decision making capabilities which may get them in trouble.

Instead, what would help keep intoxicated trouble makers and cash-strapped individuals off the street at 3 a.m. is for the metro to stay open later.

At the moment, the metro stops running at most stations shortly after midnight on weekdays and shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturdays. Buses sometimes run a little longer but it depends where you are in the city. For example, the 24 which accesses downtown and NDG stops running around 2 a.m.This is problematic because it is around these times that most people begin their night. There is an all-night service but it is only in select areas and not as accessible to bar-goers as the metro. It therefore makes more sense to extend the hours of the metro and some buses to accommodate drinkers rather than keep the bars open late.

If safety is an issue as Coderre says, than safe transportation available for longer periods of time should be the priority and not longer bar hours.

This is also a proposition the CSU and the university administration should consider undertaking. It would be beneficial for students, not only for those who are drinking, but also for those students who take advantage of the library’s 24 hour service, for public transportation to be available all night. Rather than encourage a proposal that would see students staying up late, drinking more and spending more money, the university and the CSU should advocate for a safer, financially smart alternative to Coderre’s plan.

It’s not laziness, standing on the shuttle bus is painful

If you’ve ever ridden the shuttle bus then you know that it can get pretty crowded and if you’ve ever been unlucky enough to have to stand throughout the 25 minute ride, you know how terrible it can be.

Unlike riding with the STM, the Concordia shuttle bus doesn’t make any stops. Because it doesn’t make any stops there is no opportunities for people to get off and for seats to open up. As a result anyone boarding the shuttle when all the seats are full must stand.

This isn’t so bad when there’s only a few other people standing, but it’s murder when the bus is full.Chances are you’ll be pushed up against a post or holding on for dear life to a bar above your head as the bus makes sharp turns and sudden stops. And if you’re on the shorter side holding on to that bar can feel like you’re on a medieval torture rack.

Throw in backpacks, lunch bags, purses and bulky winter coats and the walls are not only closing in but they’re pungent and clammy. This does not make for a pleasant experience.

Shuttle buses are often crammed because students need to make it to their classes and they can’t afford to wait for the next bus to arrive. Not only do students have to wait the 20 to 25 minutes for the next bus to arrive but there’s also the 25 minute ride itself, which adds up to 50 minutes. This makes students desperate to get on the first shuttle bus.

Therefore the university either needs to double the number of buses leaving at the same time or else decrease wait times so that if one shuttle bus is full the next one will be along in five minutes, leave in five minutes and allow students to make it to class without being made into the equivalent of a sardine in a can.

Is this a first world problem? Is this needless griping over being uncomfortable? Perhaps, but it’s not just about personal comfort, it’s also about safety.

Although as far as we are aware there have been no accidents on board the shuttle bus, passengers are likely to suffer bruises, strained arms and legs and are at risk for a number of potentially more serious injuries.

Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean some unfortunate student won’t lose their balance on a sharp turn and either knock into other students or be thrown into a post or onto the floor. This could result in their being stepped on, banging their head, twisting an ankle or a wrist, spraining a knee, or worse.

Also, what’s wrong with wanting to be comfortable? If students are paying for the shuttle bus service, shouldn’t it be an experience they enjoy?

The live mapping screens that show where the bus is are not really useful. Who cares where the bus is? If it’s not at the bus stop to pick you up, then it doesn’t matter that it’s on Sherbrooke, you’re downtown, that’s not going to help you. What would help you is if there was another bus you could get on that wasn’t full to bursting that would get you to class on time. Why wasn’t money spent on more buses instead of flashy-but-useless screens?

On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s day. The event is meant to celebrate the achievements of the Women’s Movement as well as to discuss ways in which women can continue to move towards complete equality in every part of the world and in every part of society.

Although many people feel the war for equality has been won, the reality is that there are still many battles to be fought.

For instance, there are women in many parts of the world who are still subjected to the rules of patriarchy, violence against women is still a widespread and growing issue, and in social, cultural and business contexts many women continue to be judged by their gender and not their skills.

Despite these hurdles, women have come a long way since the Women’s Movement first began in the early 1900s.

In Western society, women are considered equal to men, legally, they have the same rights and freedoms as men and are allowed to participate in all the same endeavors. Socially, however certain stigmas and preconceived notions still exist.

For example, the definition of femininity limits a woman by confining her to the attributes, careers and appearances that are deemed socially acceptable for females. Although many females are breaking boundaries, engaging in jobs once considered strictly for males, there remains the prejudice that they are women doing men’s work.

In the West,  women have access to the same educational opportunities as men, but not so in many other parts of the world. Malala Yousafzai is a famous example of girls being banned from going to school.

However, in part due to Yousafzai’s story, the world is waking up to this inequality and attempting to help girls in these parts get an education. Therefore, as a society, we are progressing towards complete equality on an international level by acknowledging that inequality exists in other parts of the world and attempting to fix it.

It is important to recognize the many achievements of women across the world, as well as the barriers that still need to be crossed. International Women’s Day celebrates the accomplishments of women, congratulates them on how far they have come and directs the eye toward the future where further strides in equality can be made.

From Feb. 17 to Feb.21, classes at Concordia are suspended for a recess called ‘reading week.’ At some institutions reading week is known as spring break, a time when students get a break from their hectic schedules. Here, at Concordia, however, we want no confusion: reading week is not a vacation.

The purpose of reading week is inherent in the title, it’s time to read, or in other words, study, write essays, and watch Americans go topless on TV, while you recite the periodic table. The expectation is that students will use this week off from classes to do coursework and assignments, not go on vacation.

Admittedly, you have more time to do these things without having to go to class, but why are we given this time to study in the spring but not in the fall?

At Queen’s University, for example, they have a ‘fall term pre-examination study period’ that usually takes place from the end of November to early December. At Ottawa University, they have a fall reading week at the end of October.

Which begs the question, what is the point of reading week? If the university thinks we need more study time then why not give us a fall reading week? If the university thinks students need a chance to recuperate before tackling the second part of the winter semester then why do teachers assign work that is to be handed in when classes resume? Why do most midterms follow closely on the heels of reading week?

It seems completely illogical to have a reading week in the winter but not in the fall when both semester are the same length. Furthermore, why can’t students at Concordia have a spring break? Other schools do it, how else would you explain the overcrowded Florida beaches? Those fraternity boys are definitely holding beer cans, not textbooks.

If Concordia wants to give students a break from classes so they can catch up on coursework and assignments then they need to be consistent and give students a reading week in the fall as well. If, however, Concordia wants to give its students a much-deserved break, then they need to instruct professors to push back assignment due dates and midterms until at least a week after reading week.

There’s nothing quite like the screech of a chair being slid across the floor in the library building cafeteria. The metal chair leg connecting with the concrete tile is a sound that can be likened to fingernails on a chalkboard, only infinitely louder because of the close confines in which diners find themselves.

The cafeteria in the library building is one of the least welcoming places to eat. The dining area is small, the tables are wobbly, the chairs not only screech when moved but are hard and uncomfortable to sit on. Furthermore, the proximity of diners to the bathrooms is less than appetizing.

In the Hall building there are more options for places to eat, but they aren’t anymore welcoming. Java-U requires that you buy one of its over-priced sandwiches or beverages to sit in its comfortable dining area. The Zest Dining Hall on the seventh floor of the Hall building also requires you to buy from them if you want to eat in its dining space.

If you brought your food from home you can sit in the cafe on the fourth floor of the Hall building, where the tables are small and seating is cramped. You could try to get a seat in one of the booths, also on the fourth floor, but they are usually taken.

If you want, the seventh floor offers plenty of tables, chairs and couches from which to eat on. Unfortunately, if you can’t grab a proper table and chair you will be forced to eat from either your lap while sitting on a couch or armchair, or else by bending over the low tables that resemble the ones found in living rooms.

The Loyola campus provides even less comfortable dining space. If you’re not in the cafeteria, where it’s noisy and the chairs are plastic, you have to go searching for a random and sparingly placed table or chair, although you can’t always find both together. There is usually a cluster of tables and chairs around the cafés, but seating is limited and again not very comfortable.

The best place to eat at either campus is arguably the G-lounge which provides plenty of tables and chairs and a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy one’s food. Furthermore, said food doesn’t have to have been purchased from the G-lounge in order to dine there.

Other than the G-lounge, most of the dining areas provided by Concordia invite scarfing down one’s food as quickly as possible, rather than taking a much needed break and enjoying one’s food.

A typical student has a jam-packed day and good nutrition is an important part of being able to keep up with a busy schedule. Better, more comfortable dining spaces would provide students with the opportunity to pause, relax and enjoy their food, rather than rushing to eat because seating is limited, it’s crowded and they’re sitting somewhere unpleasant.

In light of the fact that the CSU and Concordia are both looking to overhaul the food offered on campus, they should also consider overhauling the dining areas.

If you’re a born and bred Canadian then you should be no stranger to trying winter weather conditions. However, in light of the extreme cold and snow that Canada and the rest of North America has been experiencing, even tried and true Canadians will be struggling.

During bouts of severe inclement weather, traveling can be considerably hazardous and as many of Concordia’s students, faculty and staff commute to school each day, this winter season may see many of them staying home. Missing school or work is not a desirable option, but nothing is worth risking one’s life. If the roads are too slippery or the snow is too thick people are usually advised to stay home. However, university students are on a very strict learning schedule and cannot afford to miss too many classes or have too many of their classes canceled.

Taking into consideration that winter 2014 is already off to an extreme start, Concordia should advise its teachers to prepare class material that students can access from home in case they or their professor can’t make the commute.

Concordia’s Moodle service provides an excellent way to give students learning material, however not all classes have a Moodle account, nor do all instructors know how to use Moodle. Email is a viable option for communicating lessons and it would allow for students to respond directly to their professors with any queries. Furthermore, teachers should be lenient with attendance and responsive to students who may live farther away from campus and may need to miss more classes than their fellows because of commuting concerns.

This isn’t to say that students should use the weather as an excuse to miss class, but the university should take into consideration the health of its students, staff and faculty.

Not only should this be done as a courtesy but also because students pay a lot of money for classes and they should be able to access the classes they pay for when circumstances prohibit them from traveling to campus.

Moreover, the university should also consider establishing procedures for stranded Concordia members. If public transit were to stop running or if conditions made it impossible to drive, members of the Concordia community would be unable to get home. The university should have a plan in place to accommodate those who may become marooned on campus.

If the university does have these sort of accommodations already in place, then that information should be made readily accessible. We don’t want to have to weigh the consequences of missing class versus the potential consequences of commuting in inclement weather.

Companies want experience. University teaches you what you need to know for your career, but most companies want you to come to the job with career-related work experience already under your belt. One of the most popular ways to do this is to work as an intern in your field of interest. But is it worth it?

On Nov. 22, CBC reported that Moritz Erhardt, an intern at the Bank of America in London, had died after working for 72 hours straight for the company. Earlier this yes, CBC also reported that Andy Ferguson, an intern for Astral Media, fatally crashed his car after working a 16-hour shift.

These reports suggest a dangerous trend in career training. However, the question begging to be asked is: Why not just say no?

Easier said than done. An internship can provide a vital stepping stone for attaining one’s career goals, especially if you are interning at a company at which you one day wish to be paid. Furthermore, the competition for jobs, especially in certain fields, means that an intern is easily replaceable. There is always the risk that the company will find someone else who is willing to put in the hours and do as they ask. In the case of Ferguson, his girlfriend reports that he told his boss he didn’t want to work an overnight shift and she responded by threatening to deny him his credit if he refused.

In sum, many interns are at the mercy of their supervisors.They need more from the company than the company needs from them and that puts them at a disadvantage. And so what is a student to do?

The Canadian Intern Association website states that “there are few laws in Canada defining or regulating internships directly.  Each province has its own employment standards legislation, regulations and/or guidelines that may apply to interns.”

In Quebec, the Association states that, “ A person is considered an “employee” if these criteria are met: 1.the person performs work that is defined by an employee 2.the person’s tasks are clearly defined 3.the person receives renumeration.Therefore, an unpaid intern (commonly called an Stagiaire in Quebec) are generally not considered employees, but this can be evaluated on a case by case basis.”

It would seem that that there are no specific regulations for treating an intern in Quebec. If you want the credit or the work experience, you have to do what is asked of you. As reported by CBC, Nov. 12, Liberal MP Scott Brison is advocating for Statistics Canada to start keeping track of unpaid internships and Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Yasir Naqvi, is working to have interns covered under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Nonetheless, being under the protection of a labour act will not prevent interns from feeling like they need to do whatever it takes to make their boss happy.

According to a report by Statistics Canada’s The Daily, March 20, 2013, in Quebec there are 6.1 unemployed people for every job vacancy. This implies intense competition for job openings. For a student, fresh out of university, every advantage in the job market is needed. If working 72 hours straight will ensure that you will have a steady paycheque when you graduate, who would turn that down?

The problem therefore is three-fold: there are not enough jobs for university graduates, the work experience required of graduates may ultimately kill them and there is no one looking out for the well-being of unpaid interns.

http://www.internassociation.ca/what-is-the-law/

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130320/dq130320a-eng.htm

“I was dropping out because I couldn’t afford to continue. Tuition for the year was $15,000 and the government’s cap on student loans for me was $12,000. I was denied a line of credit by five commercial banks because I had a low credit score and no one to co-sign. I had no one to co-sign because my mother made $19,000 last year,” wrote Eric C. Girard, in a daily personal piece for The Globe and Mail, on Nov. 17.

This may sound familiar for many students, especially here in Quebec where students fought so hard for a tuition-freeze last year. However, while some groups fought for a tuition-freeze, others fought for free-education. No loans, no bursaries, free education for all. And yet, the money to fund free education has to come from somewhere.

As a socialist society, Canadian taxes go towards many social programs such as health care, old-age security, daycare and so on. If we want free education, it will need to become a social service to which Canadians contribute through their taxes. Which ultimately means higher taxes.

If Canadians start paying higher taxes in order to accommodate free education, it will mean less money for other things. For example, one of the things Canadians might have to give up or spend less on is luxury merchandise.

The holiday season is the time of year that sees the highest consumer spending. Last year, according to the The Wall Street Journal, individual Canadians spent an average of $1,181.80.  According to Concordia’s Tuition Fee Calculator, Quebec residents in an undergraduate program in Arts and Science, can get four classes in the fall semester for approximately $1,437.93. What the average individual Canadian paid in holiday gifts last year would be able to pay for a large portion of a student’s tuition for one semester.

Therefore, the question is, are we willing to give up luxuries such as the newest gaming system or tablet to fund education for all Canadians? Can we give up getting and receiving gifts at holiday time?

Nothing in this world is free, but as any student on a budget knows you can get what you need by prioritizing your spending. This is not to say that Canadians have to give up holiday gift giving to fund free education, but if free education is a priority for Canadians than in order to be able to afford it, something has to give.

It might mean keeping that iPad for another year or simply spending less in general. What it comes down to is Canadians who can afford to spend money on holiday gifts can afford to fund free education if they are willing to prioritize their spending.