Sept. 2, 2014 Orientation

NN
niagara-news.com
Don’t listen to your prof
page 4
Caribana Festival
Knights Watch
page 6/7
page 10/11
Niagara News
Orien t a tion 2014
YOU’RE HERE, NOW WHAT?
Students look forward to a variety of orientation activities
Stephanie Farr, a second-year New Media Web Design student, enters the Welland campus building. PHOTO BY JOEL OPHARDT
By ZACH SALVERDA
Staff Writer
Orientation week can be
a hectic time, but there will
be plenty of fun time for
those who want to make the
most of their college experience.
Student Administrative
Council [SAC] covers most
of the events while the
Centre for Student Engagement and Leadership covers
the rest.
There are many different
events that occur during the
first couple of days.
Tuesday, Sept. 2 is the
first day of orientation.
From 8 a.m. until 11 p.m.,
there will be a MUCH video
dance at The Core, at the
Welland campus.
There will be busing from
the Niagara-on-Lake[NOTL]
campus.
Around 8:30 p.m., there
will be an outdoor movie
night located in the courtyard at the NOTL campus.
Participants are asked to
bring their own blankets
and/or lawn chairs and
enjoy the free cotton candy,
popcorn and snow cones
along with the movies.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3 at
noon there is a free barbecue along with shirts, which
students can paint and
bring to the glow party that
takes place later that night.
“Desserts in the Vineyard” takes place at 6:30
p.m., at the NOTL campus,
hosted by the Centre for
Student Engagement and
Leadership. It’ll be a quiet
evening where you can talk
with representatives of the
centre over desserts and
samplings of wine.
At 9 p.m. there is a Glow
Party that will be located
in The Core on the Welland
Campus. This party is for
ages 19 and up and will
have high-powered ultraviolet black lights along
with a DJ and loud music.
Students may sign up one
guest each and there will be
a mandatory $2 coat check.
On Thursday, Sept. 4,
there will be a Graduate
Programs’ Student
Reception located at the
Wine, Visitor + Education
Centre at the NOTL campus.
Students in post-graduate
programs will be able to
talk with the faculty, staff
and their peers while enjoying some wine.
At 7 p.m., the doors will
open on the Comedy Night
and Pasta Dinner, located in
The Armoury, at the NOTL
campus. Admission is $5.
Dinner will be served at
7:30 p.m. with Matt O’Brien
and Graham Kay leading the
comedy show at 8 p.m.
Niagara College Night
at the Food Festival, takes
place on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7
p.m. There will be food from
local restaurants and food
producers, celebrity chefs at
the Mobile Culinary Theatre
and live music. For more
information, please visit
http://www.niagaracollege.
ca/orientation.
Innovation
Centre
confirmed by
budget
By JOEL OPHARDT
Staff Writer
The $130-billion provincial budget confirms Ontario’s support for the new
Industry Innovation Centre
at Niagara College.
“What the students have
to gain through this is great
experiences working on
projects with companies,
and developing real projects
with real timelines, like in
real life,” said Marc Nantel,
associate vice-president of
Research & Innovation at
Niagara College.
The 18,000-square-foot
centre will be built alongside the existing Rankin
Technology Centre, offering
a more specialized facility
that will increase the opportunities to develop products
with local industry.
Nantel said the facility
will involve an incredibly
broad spectrum of disciplines in the design process, including Mechanical
Engineering Technology,
Environmental Technologies, Renewable Energies,
Construction, Automotive,
Photonics, Digital Media,
and Computers.
Construction is scheduled
to begin this fall. “We were
starting to get very tight in
the two labs we have here at
the Rankin Technology Centre, so we asked the government of Ontario if it would
be possible to actually get a
new addition,” said Nantel.
“The budget was reintroduced still with our
Industry Innovation Centre
building in there. It was
passed, and right now we
are doing the paperwork to
get our building funded.”
Though the project is
all but approved, Nantel
remained tightlipped about
the final cost of the project
because the final stages of
price negotiations are still
ongoing.
“There is a fairly well
known nominal number, but
until the government can
actually sign on the dotted line, I will have to keep
that to myself for now,” said
Nantel
The long-term benefits of
the project extend beyond
the production of competent students, Nantel said.
Continued on page 2
Page 2
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept, 2, 2014
NEWS
New associate dean brings leadership to job
By JULIET KADZVITI
Staff Writer
Linda Roote is the new
associate dean of Media
Studies.
The appointment was
effective Aug. 19, A posting
for the position was put up
internally and Roote was
the successful candidate.
Her term is one year
which can be renewed if it
suits her and the division.
“My main priority is
to help everybody in the
school of media do their
jobs well.”
“This position is really a
facilitator position,” said
Roote.
“It is very early days so
my first job is really to assess and have a look around
and see what it is that we
really need,” she added.
Misheck Mwaba, dean
of the School of Media
Studies, said Roote has the
attributes needed to fill the
position.
“Linda is suited for
this position because she
demonstrates leadership
capabilities. She knows the
schools very well, she is
respected by her colleagues,
and, most importantly, her
commitment to student success is excellent.”
Roote has a wealth of
experience, having worked
in marketing and sales at
Proctor and Gamble, as well
as a human resources and
operations manager at the
Hudson Bay Company, before moving to the London
Association of Disabled
Adults.
After her husband
transferred to Niagara,
she took Interactive
Roote said there will be a
few developments in some
programs that she oversees.
“We have a new program,
a joint program in game development with Brock that
is supposed to come on line
next fall, so that will be a big
priority. We are launching
an updated version of a 3D
Graphic Design program, so
there is all the curriculum
to developed for that.”
Roote said she will be
involved in Transform NC.
“Transform NC is a college-wide initiative where
we are really looking at the
quality of our programs and
making sure that we are
doing the best job that we
can,” Roote explained.
Roote said she has
received support from her
colleagues throughout her
transition to the associate
dean position.
“I’ve had an awful lot of
support from people like
the administrative assistants and the co-ordinators,
our business manager, our
dean. Their support has
been really helpful in getting started.”
Peter Vanscoy, a computer
programming professor at
Niagara, has been working
By JULIET KADZVITI
Staff Writer
health card information.
“It’s just the gathering of
background information
medically. It remains on
your file and of course I
can refer to it if I need to,”
McKee says.
The clinic provides services such as episodic care,
minor treatments, wound
dressings, blood pressure
monitoring, TB immunizations and skin testing
among other things.
McKee says that there can
be issues with the quantity
of appointments but that
every student is catered to
eventually. “They book up
very quickly. We try to leave
spaces for walk-ins, but the
clinics get phenomenally
booked.”
“We have three amazing
physicians and they are student health focused. They
never minimize student
complaints, keeping with
our Niagara College motto.
In order to achieve academic success, students have to
have health success first.”
McKee says that student
health services employees try to keep students
informed about the services
available to them.
“We try really, really hard
to make student’s aware
of our services. There is
always room for better
awareness all the time; so,
my role as a staff nurse
here is to do a lot of health
promotion.”
The student health services also supports initiatives within the college that
promote healthy lifestyles.
One such program is
Leave the Pack Behind
(LTPB), a program that
encourages students to
stop smoking. McKee says,
“It was developed for
students by students.
“It was a bunch of young
individuals that knew what
they needed and what they
wanted. It has such a positive message.”
Other initiatives such as
the Flu Clinic can be expected in early November at
the start of flu season.
Student health services
co-ordinates their services
with local health facilities,
in case students are not able
to contact their services
directly.
Linda Roote, above, is the new associate dean of the School of Media Studies. Multimedia at Niagara College. She said her experiences as a student at Niagara
College were different from
her previous educational
experiences. Roote has
a Bachelor of Commerce
from Queen’s University, in
Kingston.
“I had a wonderful time
at Niagara College as a
student. The change to a
more hands-on approach
to learning was terrific,
challenging in an entirely
different way.”
Roote went into web
development, which eventually lead to her teaching the
Artist’s rendering of the proposed building.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Construction set to begin
Continued from page 1
By nurturing an environment where local businesses can thrive, students can
look forward to employment within the community.
“This is a significant
investment in Niagara
that enhances our ability
to help local manufacturers innovate, compete and
ultimately create new jobs,”
Dan Patterson, president of
Niagara College, said in a
media release.
Rick Anderson, acting
vice-president of Student
Relations at Niagara College, called the commitment
“welcome news,” adding
he’s wary of the need to
course at Niagara College.
“I was co-ordinator for
many years of the New Media Web Design program.”
Roote has worked on
jobs that have allowed her
to interact with various
people, a skill she said she
believes is essential for her
new position.
“I have had a wide range
of experiences. The most
helpful thing when I look
back, is my 15 years of
teaching and co-ordinating
at Niagara College. I have
seen what some of the challenges are. I’ve seen what
works and what doesn’t.”
with Roote for many years.
He said his experiences
with her have been good.
“We started working
closely together when the
decision was made to take
multimedia from a postgrad to a regular post-secondary program and that’s
where New Media Web
Design was born.
“The way we were able to
get approval for that is by
developing a sort of common curriculum between
my programs and hers,” said
Vanscoy.
Vanscoy said Roote’s
relationships with her coworkers will serve her well
in her new position.
“The rapport she has with
the faculty and students,
she’s well liked and people
respect her,” he said.
“She has worked with all
of us as a co-ordinator. She
worked as an equal. She
understands what our life
is and what our role is and
what we have to do.”
Mwaba said the biggest
challenge for Roote is going
to be leaving the classroom,
because she enjoyed teaching so much. He said Roote
will have to interact differently with her co-workers.
“She is going to deal with
professors that were her
colleagues. Now she is going
to be their leader.”
For Roote, the new position will be challenging
because of the scope of the
job. She is looking forward
to the opportunities that lie
ahead.
“I’m excited and a little bit
anxious just to see how it’s
all going to work out, just
to see the other side of the
equation.”
balance the budget soon.
“There are also aspects,
such as the focus on provincial deficit reduction, which
may put fiscal pressure on
all sectors including postsecondary education.
“Having said that, the
2014 Ontario Budget
announced that capital
allocations for repairs and
maintenance at colleges and
universities will increase to
$40 million a year starting
in 2015-16, up from $26
million this year.”
Meanwhile, Nantel said
his department is excited
about the expansion.
“It’s going to be a great
place to be.”
PHOTO BY JULIET KADZVITI
Health-care options for students
Niagara College offers
healthcare services for
students throughout the
academic year at both the
Niagara-on-the-Lake and
Welland campuses.
Penny McKee, healthcare nurse at the Welland
campus, says the facility
functions like a clinic. “We
have an on-site medical
facility for the students that
is multifaceted in terms of
what services we provide.”
The confidential medical
services are staffed by two
registered nurses, as well
as three physicians who
come in at least three times
a week. There is also a psychiatrist available monthly
upon request.
“Students can pre-book
an appointment in advance
by calling our office or they
can come down to book the
appointments. That way I
get an opportunity to speak
to the students and determine what their needs are,”
says McKee, who interacts
with a lot of students in the
facility.
Once there students can
fill out a student health
card, and bring in their
Entrance to the Applied Health Institute. PHOTO BY JOHN BOUTILIER
NIAGARA NEWS •Sept. 2, 2014
Page 3
NEWS
Parking fees cause frustration
By JOEL OPHARDT
Staff Writer
The high cost of parking has drivers at Niagara
College thinking outside
the lot.
The price may come down
to less than $2 a day, but
many members of the Niagara College community are
frustrated with the financial
burden that accompanies
the already expensive habit
of driving to school.
“When you’re not making
$150,000 a year - when
you’re making minimum
wage, it all adds up,” said
Lynn Larson, who works
in the Welland Campus
cafeteria.
“I’ve got to pay around six
bucks a day if I don’t buy
the pass, so I just walk.”
Niagara College charges
$140 for one semester’s
parking pass, which is good
only for the vehicle it has
been registered with. If you
don’t have a pass you can
pay a higher rate at a pay
station for a daily or hourly
pass.
If that doesn’t suit you, a
$20 ticket awaits those who
are caught parking without
paying.
Tom Gu, a student at Niagara College, pays for parking at the Welland Campus parking lot.
PHOTO BY JOEL OPHARDT
These kinds of numbers
cause some student commuters to look for alternative solutions, such as park-
ing in some obscure area of
the parking lot where the
parking patrol might not be
keen to venture out to.
The safest option, however, is probably avoiding
campus altogether.
Whether it’s parking at
the mall for the day, or finding a nearby side road for
the vehicle, more than half
of the students interviewed
said they had parked off
campus at least once.
“I do it all the time, and I
usually choose a side road
off of First Avenue,” said
student Matt Barkovich.
“We’re paying around
$4,000 per semester, and
people that can use them get
a free bus pass, but those
of us who have to drive to
school still have to pay?”
Some students found the
concept of parking off campus and walking offensive.
“We pay so much money
to come here, we should
not have to drive and then
walk from the outside,” said
student Alex Hernandez.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Although the parking
department declined to
comment, there is hope that
the new provincial budget
will bring in lower parking
and tuition rates.
“There are countries in
Europe that let their kids
go to college for free and I
think we can do the same,”
said Larson. “At least for the
people from here, we could
do that for them.”
“They need to invest in
us,” said Hernandez. “The
government has the money,
but they just waste it.”
SAC president has big plans for year ahead Trade 360 does a 180
By ALEX HENDRY
Staff Writer
When it comes to student
politics, there’s never a boring day.
And balancing a schedule
of campus life and political
responsibility demands a
student be dedicated and
passionate about helping
others.
Shane Malcolm seems
poised to do just that.
Sitting on the board of
Niagara College’s Student
Administrative Council
[SAC], for a third year,
Malcolm is taking over as
the new SAC president and
student leader.
“I have been on student
council for three years, this
being my third year [201415],” said Malcolm.
“My involvement with Niagara College has definitely
grown a lot over the years
so it was just a natural fit
for me in terms of moving… into this role. Finish
off the step you start, start
a journey you want to see it
through.”
Enrolling as an international student in 2009,
Malcolm graduated with
honours from the Culinary
Management program and
recently finished his threeyear degree in Hospitality
Operations Management.
The position of SAC
president is a full-time job
restricted to graduates with
previous SAC experience.
Malcolm encourages students with SAC aspirations
to participate in campus
organizations.
“I always tell students
there’s a difference between
those who come to school
and get the same piece
of paper every year and
leave, and those who get
involved. The people who
get involved, that’s what
separates you from people
in your program,” said
Malcolm, who also participated as a peer mentor for
international students and
as an orientation leader for
new students.
Malcolm said student
council members hope to
utilize the talents of Niagara
College students in helping
with SAC events and ideas.
“I’m a big believer in
utilizing resources or
looking within. We have all
these programs that these
students are being taught…
Why don’t we use their
expertise and create opportunities?”
Malcolm’s proposed
Student Consultancy Mode,
a pilot program, would
see students in relevant
programs consulted for volunteer or freelance work.
“[It’s] an informal system
that SAC can tap into for
expertise and experience,”
said Malcolm.
Media program students
and those in marketing,
public relations and graphic
design could be consulted
to aid SAC in school rallies
and events. Students in
non-media programs could
also stand to benefit with
programs, such as police
foundations working at
campus events.
Malcolm said communication and transparency are
key to conveying informa-
Biogas plan stopped by community
By JOHN BOUTILIER
Staff Writer
SAC President Shane Malcolm sits down in front of
past SAC presidents. PHOTO BY ALEX HENDRY
tion to the student body.
“Any time I can get
out there and talk to the
students [and] get the SAC
perspective out there, I
jump at it.”
“One thing I’m very
passionate about is being transparent. I try to be
very transparent... We can’t
always hide behind the
curtain.”
He said public transit is a
critical issue that SAC has
discussed and intends to
improve upon.
“SAC makes all the arrangements with the bus
companies,” said Malcolm,
noting the difficulties
consulting with and paying into bus services from
seven regional municipalities throughout the Niagara
region.
“Transit isn’t the best, but
it’s definitely better than
when I started in 2009. That
being said, there’s always
room for improvement.” Malcolm said he is optimistic about the potential
for improved service.
“It’s about communicating
how vital a partnership between us and BUSU [Brock
University Student Union]
to say ‘hey listen’ we have
a huge stake in municipal
transit in the region. There
are roughly 30,000 students
between Brock and Niagara
College. That’s a significant
chunk of fares within the
region and it’s getting to
the point where we need to
start putting that concern
out there, because you don’t
want students leaving Niagara after graduation due
to transit.”
As students and staff prepare for another fall term of
classes, SAC’s president said
he plans to be flexible, yet
accountable.
“I’ll do my best to accommodate you. I’ve often been
met in the past with, ‘Oh, well
everybody has a story’ and I
don’t fully accept that kind of
mindset. I see myself in a position of offering service. I’m
here to serve the students.”
Toronto garbage won’t
be making its way into old
pickling vats in Vanessa,
Ont., following stiff local opposition to the plan.
A group known as Residents Against Biogas Energy
(RAGE) was instrumental
in blocking the conversion
of the plant by Trade 360, a
corporation based in Etobicoke, Ont.
Trade 360 had submitted
an offer to buy the plant.
The company’s intent was
to turn the massive vats
used to brine pickles into
storage for waste trucked in
from Toronto.
Tina Binder, leader of
RAGE, said the “reality
was scary.”
“The biggest difficulty is
that they actually owned
the property. With them
owning the property, they
could do what they wanted
with it. They owned the
property and didn’t live in
Norfolk County and they really didn’t care about what
they did and how it would
affect us,” said Binder.
Big Creek, which runs into
the Grand River, is located
behind the plant.
Opponents of the plan
were worried about bad
odours and contamination
seeping into Big Creek if
one or more of the nearly
30-year-old vats leaked.
A potential decline in residential property values was
cited as another concern
by Binder and members of
RAGE.
“Our property values
would have decreased. We
would have to worry about
rodents, the noise of the
trucks [and] the smell we
would have to endure. The
list of the negatives is endless.”
Opposition to the proposal was grassroots, said
Binder.
“We got our message out
by starting a petition, making signs, driving around
and putting information in
people’s mailboxes, calling
the radio station, calling
local newspapers, calling
and writing our local [and]
provincial politicians... We
did everything we could to
get the info out there that
this was a bad idea.”
With the help of residents
and Toby Barrett, Progressive Conservative MPP for
Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant,
they were able to stop the
sale of the property.
“Knowing that we were
successful was probably
one of the greatest achievements of my life thus far,”
said Binder.
“We worked so hard to
stop this. I took vacation
days to go across the province to talk about it, went to
council meetings, prepared
handouts, spent hours after
work researching, so to
know that it was over was
such a relief.”
Four months after the sale
was halted, another sale
surfaced. That sale has now
been confirmed and the
company is in the beginning
stages of extracting the vats
for shipment to Georgia.
Page 4
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014
EDITORIAL
Editor: Joel OpHardt
Associate Editor: Juliet Kadzviti
Photo Editor: Miranda Brumwell
Publisher: Linda Roote
Program Co-ordinator: Paul Dayboll
Managing Editor: John Robbins
Production Consultant: Robin Nisbet
Photography Consultant: J.T. Lewis
CANADIAN
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Don’t always listen to your prof
Every September students
across Canada will be told a
version of the most feared
sentence in student budgeting: “In order to pass this
course you will need to buy
the textbook.”
Nothing could be further
from the truth. I guarantee
it. Though many professors
have yet to accept the death
of physical text in the classroom, students from this
generation have embraced
the trend away from paper
and ink.
According to the Student
Public Interest Research
Group, the average student
in the U.S. spends $1,200
on textbooks. The Bureau
of Labor Statistics claims
this average represents an
864 per cent increase since
1978, compared to 257 per
cent for the consumer price
index, a barometer for the
price of commonly used
goods.
A 2010 survey of 5,396
UC Riverside students
showed the negative effects
of this price explosion in the
textbook market. According
to the survey, some 74 per
cent of students skipped
buying required textbooks
altogether, demonstrating
Buying textbooks is an expensive and avoidable exercise. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOEL OPHARDT
that at the current high level
of prices, many students
feel their only option is to
take their chances with
sources not provided by
their instructor.
Of course, a carefully
selected textbook can give
students the benefit of a
detailed and trustworthy
package of information
related to their course, but
it should serve a supplemental role.
Beyond the classroom,
most teachers already provide you with alternative
sources of e-material you
can access. From PowerPoint presentations to PDFs,
links to videos and websites, even a bad professor
will give you enough learning material to study, when
you haven’t purchased the
textbook.
It’s simple really - studying hard, attending your
classes, strong participation
and proper time management are the key elements
for college success. The
same tenants that have
worked in education since
the dawn of time still apply.
If your professor isn’t
academic year.
This figure is more than
triple the amount domestic
students currently pay each
year - $5,772.
The disparity between
these two figures is concerning.
So, what is the reason for
this staggering amount?
Well, it boils down to
money. According to a
report in Study Magazine,
“international students
brought $8 billion to the
Canadian economy in 2010.”
The federal government
is expected to increase the
number of international
students in Canada over
the next couple of years,
which in turn will increase
revenue. The report also
says the high cost of tuition
is due to the amount of
money put into recruiting
international students by
the government.
However true this may
be, international students
still pay too much money
in comparison to domestic
students.
Tuition fees for the 20132014 academic year have
risen by almost 6.8 per cent
for international students,
according to Statistics Canada. This amount is double
that of domestic students.
These increases are not in
line with national inflation,
which currently sits at 2.4
per cent.
International students
(under certain conditions)
are now eligible to work off
campus without a permit,
which means they can start
to earn money towards
their tuition. Unfortunately,
they can only work for 20
hours weekly, making it difficult to earn enough money
to start covering any of
their debts.
The students who are
lucky enough to have
enough money to come
to Canada still face many
issues.
They are not eligible to
receive the benefits of programs such as OSAP and
financial aid to the same
level as domestic students.
They are expected to get
their own health insurance,
or use health insurance
that is recommended by
their school.
Some students take on
large debts in their home
countries in order to come
to Canada, hoping they can
pay it off by working here.
This behaviour can affect
academic efficiency.
Many schools offer scholarships to international
students, but they are not
well advertised. International students sometimes
finish their programs without any knowledge of these
opportunities.
Is there a solution to
this problem? Not at the
moment it seems. The
federal government makes
too much money off international students to change
these fees. Also, the international student community is
not vocal enough about the
issue of high tuition. Perhaps if they complained or
protested, the tuition would
posting other material, it’s
still to be found somewhere
on the web, and it’s usually
free.
With web content
constantly expanding, you
should be able to find at
least one geek on YouTube that wants to share
what they know about the
topic you’re studying. If that
doesn’t bring you any luck,
good old Google Scholar will
happily fill whatever academic gap is left over with
quality academic papers.
If all the free online
resources on the web aren’t
enough, make sure to check
for an e-book online, even
if you have to pay for it.
Sourcing your textbooks
electronically will likely
save you hundreds of dollars and maybe even a
couple of trees.
The only way using alternative sources might not
be ideal is if the professor
deliberately takes questions straight from the class
textbook and leaves no
clues about what topics to
research.
In my experience, this is
an extremely rare conundrum; however, these types
of questions comprise an
extremely small segment
of marks and rarely have a
tangible effect on your term
mark.
If this really becomes a
problem as the semester
goes on, take a look for the
book in the college library,
or politely ask a peer if you
can borrow a book for a day.
Most of the time there will
be a way to accommodate
your frugality.
The reality is that every
one of your professors
wants to see their students
have the best shot at passing their courses. I’m not
implying they are being
disingenuous when they
advise you to buy a book for
the class. They speak from
years of teaching experience and the advice they
give is usually the safest
path to success for that
course. The only problem is
that they won’t have to live
with that big fat minus symbol in your bank account.
Saving your money and
passing your courses is a
realistic goal. If you think
the risk is too high, spend
your money. You can lend
me your book when you’re
done not reading it.
JOEL OPHARDT
Education in Canada- is it worth it?
Many students from all
over the world dream of
coming to Canada to study.
They are attracted
by, among other things,
Canada’s strong economy,
multiculturalism, and, most
significantly, its world-class
education.
Unfortunately for some,
the cost of coming to study
in Canada is too high.
In fact, it’s so high that the
education itself may not be
worth the money it costs to
study.
According to a Statistics
Canada report, international students currently pay an
average of $19,514 for an
An international student uses the facilities at the Segal
International Centre, Welland Campus. PHOTO BY JULIET KADZVITI
AVERAGE TUITION
International Student
$19,514
Domestic Student
$5,722
*Statistics from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130912/dq130912b-eng.htm
decrease.
However, some students
feel that their opportunity
to come to study in Canada
would be compromised by a
decrease in tuition because
there would be an influx of
applications, so they prefer
not to complain.
The issue then becomes
a question of worth. Is it
worth it to pay such steep
prices? This question is
tricky to answer.
The opportunities in
Canada are abundant for international students but the
cost of coming to Canada is
financially risky.
The government should
decrease fees – even if it
takes a few years– or at
least provide tangible financial aid for international
students.
JULIET KADZVITI
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014 Page 5
OPINION
Cut the cord on closing time
Mourning the Lac
Megantic disaster
By ALEX HENDRY
Columnist
on residence or in student
housing, with rooms that
have TVs and roommates
that can be loud and annoying, need a place to study
free from distractions.
The library should be that
place. The problem is that
the library is not available
24 hours when exams roll
around.
Therefore, students are
forced to find somewhere
else to study. A 24-hour
library would offer a quiet
place to study and prepare
for exams.
Many students stay up
much later than usual
when exam week comes.
Students stay up to get in
as much time as they can to
get ready for their exams.
No other place is better for
a student to do that than a
library. Plus, having a 24hour library during exams
would put Niagara College
on par with universities
across Ontario when it
comes to library access.
Although not a makeor-break issue for future
students, when it comes
to student satisfaction
surveys, a 24-hour library
could improve the college’s
satisfaction rate.
One solution would be to
offer students opportunities to work at the library
for pay.
Because many students
stay up late already, this
would offer students a
chance to make some extra
cash while keeping the
library open for the other
students.
Even though many students across Ontario have
access to large databases
throughout their school’s
library, it seems Niagara
College does not.
The ability to find articles,
research papers, e-books
and much more through
databases allows students
to find information quickly
and easily.
Not having these databases requires students to take
more money out of pocket
in order to find information
that should be readily available to them.
Sure, Niagara College is a
college and not a university,
but that does not mean
students should have to live
with a sub-par library.
Students should expect a
library that rivals university
level libraries.
In size, the libraries are
not comparable, but that
does not mean that libraries
should not be comparable
in technology, quality and
level of services provided.
The community of Lac
Megantic, Que. continues
to mourn and recover following the infamous train
derailment, which killed 47
people.
July 6, 2014 marked the
one-year anniversary of
the tragic evening in Lac
Megantic, one of Canada’s
worst disasters. In the
aftermath, questions and
concerns remain, not
only in Quebec but across
Canada. Can such tragedies
be avoided in the future?
The demand for crude
oil and transportation of
crude oil by train will only
increase in the future. More
than 127,000 shipments
were transported in 2013.
Four years earlier, only 144
train cars of crude oil were
shipped by rail.
The proposed Keystone
pipeline could, potentially,
reduce the volume of crude
oil shipped by rail in Western Canada, but Canada’s
economic future is tied to
railway. In response to the
Lac Megantic disaster, federal policies regarding rail
shipments and railway lines
have been scrutinized and
altered for improved safety
standards.
It has not been enough,
though. A perceived lack
of transparency has left
activists, citizens and smalltown politicians in the dark
regarding rail-car contents.
Making access of information difficult for the
public only complicates an
emotional subject, where
residents, community leaders and emergency services
workers are left uninformed, feeding fears that
another catastrophe is just
around the corner.
Federal Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt
implemented the policy
of Canadian-operated rail
companies turning over
historical records and data
regarding the transport of
hazardous materials. Companies will be required to
inform communities every
three months. This is a positive step forward. Shocking-
make it easier for you to focus on school and not have
to worry about finances, but
sometimes it does the opposite. The biggest problem
you’ll have with OSAP is
when it actually comes in.
Here’s the way it’s supposed to work. You go
online, check your release
date and your funds should
appear in your bank account four to 10 business
days later.
For many students this
happens, which is great. But
when it doesn’t, it can be
pretty frustrating.
Waiting four to 10 busi-
ness days is already a long
enough time. If it takes longer that 10 business days,
you could be waiting up to
four months.
Believe me when I say I
understand how important
it is that OSAP comes on
time. You have to pay rent,
buy food and purchase
textbooks and you depend
on your OSAP to take care of
all that and more.
If it does come late, don’t
panic. The problem can
likely be dealt with if the
proper steps are taken.
The biggest thing you
have to remember is you
have to be proactive when
dealing with this issue.
Visit your financial aid
office daily if need be and
ask them what’s going
on, whether there are any
problems and whether you
can do anything to speed up
the process.
You’ll start to hear “it
should come in in the next
few days.” If you are still
left waiting, you have other
options.
You can call the National
Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) at 1-888-8154514. They will try to tell
you if you’re in Ontario you
can’t talk to them, and you
have to go to your financial
aid office. Explain to them
you’ve already done that
and it hasn’t helped, you
just want to know what the
problem is and if you can do
anything to fix it. They will
work with you eventually.
If you are waiting on the
Ontario Tuition Grant portion of your OSAP, you can
call 1- 888-449-4478. If the
missing tax information is
the problem, you may have
to send in your parents’ tax
information again, which
will take them four-to-six
weeks to process. The
John Sprague, Lauren Turcotte, Rebecca Romyn-Tersigni study in the Lewis Library. PHOTO BY JOHN BOUTILIER
Niagara College’s library is the best place to quietly
study, but the hours leave much to be desired
By THAKURJIT SAGGU
Columnist
The Welland campus
library needs improvement.
Although the library does
have many helpful options
for students, its computers and hours of operation
leave much to be desired.
The computers usually lag
and freeze up when trying
to open more than a few
windows on an internet
browser.
Considering many programs require students to
use computers to take tests,
do homework, write papers
and watch videos, the computers require an upgrade
so they are suitable for the
requirements of college life.
When exam time comes,
students need a library that
is open 24 hours.
Many students, who live
ly, this information will be
guarded and only sworn-in
public officials will have access to the information.
Emergency service workers will be informed as
response training will need
to be adapted to the now
known dangers.
How will preventive
measures be monitored
and enforced? Records of
train accidents and crude
oil shipments are collected
by Statistics Canada and
the Transportation Safety
Board, though obtaining a
response from offices can
be delayed.
Jennifer Winter, a researcher at the University of
Calgary, spoke to the Toronto Star about her research
into rail safety records and
practices. “Raitt and Transport Canada have committed to making Canadian rail
transportation safer, but
right now it’s really difficult
to evaluate whether or not
transportation is safe,” said
Winter.
Investigations into government released
statistics reveal an imbalance in reported accidents.
Referred to as “occurrences,” the Transportation
Safety Board and Transport
Canada show inconsistent
figures in rail-car accidents,
even though 300 confirmed
cases have taken place in
the GTA during the last five
years.
If government agencies
fail to agree on defining
what constitutes a rail
accident, how can federal
politicians and rail company
executives agree on educated safety improvements?
I’ll be there for you (In 4 to 10 business days)
By JOSH THOMAS
Columnist
Thousands of students
will be counting on OSAP
this year, but can it be depended upon?
Whether you are coming from a different city or
country or you are from
right here in the Niagara
region, college can be financially trying, especially if
you are on your own for the
first time.
OSAP is in place to help
remove money as an obstacle to higher education.
The loan is supposed to
quicker you figure out what
the problem is, the quicker
you will get your money.
Nobody is going to call
you if there is a problem.
It’s unfortunate, but that’s
how it works. If you want
your money you have to be
persistent and keep yourself informed.
Know that you aren’t
alone in this and know that
you will get your money
eventually. As long as you
are proactive it won’t be
long before you can focus
on your studying without
having to worry about
OSAP.
Page 6
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014
2014
Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival
Page 7
Caribbean festival captures Canadian hearts
By JOHNNY ASANTE
Staff writer
Festival attendees celebrate the Scotiabank
Toronto Caribbean Carnival. PHOTOS BY JULIET
KADZVITI, MIRANDA BRUMWELL, THAKURJIT
SAGGU AND JOHNNY ASANTE
“I love Caribana no matter what,
but I preferred when Scotiabank
wasn’t running it,” said Jonathon
Persaud, who has been a participant of the festival for four years. Caribana, which is now The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival, is an exciting cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine,
and performing arts. It has become a major international event
and the largest cultural festival of
its kind in North America.
The majority of the festival took
place on the first weekend of
August at The Exhibition Place on
Lakeshore Boulevard West.
Scotia Bank, since taking over
last year, has introduced VIP
seating in designated, controlled
areas, which includes upgraded
seating, tents, and a marketplace.
You can’t enter these areas with
the general admission ticket anymore.
Additional fencing has been put
up around the event, much to the
dismay of some attendees. “The
parade was so packed I could
barely move,” said Chenez Power,
one of the masqueraders present
at the Carnival.
“The fences didn’t even stop people. So many people just hopped
the fence or broke parts of it to get
in, which made it super cramped,”
Power said.
Though there were some minor
setbacks due to the vast number
of people, the parade carried on as
it has every year.
“Caribana is the liveliest event in
Toronto. Like nothing tops this,”
said Dija Sanchez, who purchased
a VIP ticket for herself and friends.
Even though the name changed
it’s still Caribana and I’m still
gonna show up each year.”
Page 8
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014
Around Campus
Seven ways to succeed in college
By NIRESHA FALLS
Columnist
Making the decision to
attend college, whether you
are fresh out of high school,
returning after five years or
looking to learn something
new, can be a stimulating
pathway to your future.
Like everything else in life,
there are certain guidelines
to follow in order to be
successful. With all of the
mental, physical, and financial stress that comes along
with college, here is a list of
steps to make things run a
bit more smoothly.
Choose the right
program
It’s no surprise that the
first step would be to make
sure you’re going in the
right direction. Picking a
program can be a difficult
process, because you want
to make sure you pick the
best program that will fit
your ultimate career path.
Many people spend countless dollars and precious
time trying to figure out
what they should do. It’s
much more beneficial to
Get to know staff
consider your program
before applying. Consider
the program outcomes and
have a clear path in mind.
Life is about taking chances
and learning new things,
but having a set vision will
keep you on the right path.
Become comfortable with
your professors by getting
to know them on a professional level. Building a
relationship keeps you connected and aware of what’s
happening around you. Get
to know the dean of your
department and develop
a professional relationship with the right people.
Getting to know your staff
will help you make the right
connections that could benefit you in the future.
Keep an eye on finances
Education can be quite
costly, but nevertheless
rewarding.
The most important
thing is to create a budget
plan and know exactly how
you’re going to survive.
Whether you’re applying for
OSAP, working part time, or
depending on your parents,
it’s important to know exactly how to organize your
funds. Making budgets and
creating a steady plan will
not leave you stress free,
but it will make things just a
bit better.
Don’t miss classes
Find a place to live
Where you should live all
depends on your budget,
the distance from school
and the type of experience
you’re looking for.
If you live out of town, it
might be best to find a place
in residence or off campus
housing. Living in residence
can be quite expensive, but
if you’re the type of person
Don’t pay for a gym membership
With your tuition you get
a membership for the oncampus gym.
If you do feel you need
to buy a gym membership or you have already
purchased one, many gyms
offer student rates. Speak
with the gym you frequent
and ask about discounts.
Use coupons
They help you save money
on everyday things that you
need. Coupon websites allow you to print coupons as
you need them.
If clipping coupons isn’t
your thing, there’s an app
available for Apple and Android called Checkout 51.
It provides you with
a new list of items every
week, giving each item a different dollar amount.
With each of the items
you buy from the list, simply take a picture of your
receipt with the app and
they give you money back.
When you’ve banked at
least $20, you can continue to save or request a
cheque to be sent to you.
Checkout 51 basically pays
you to shop for things
you would normally buy.
Buy textbooks online
The Niagara College
bookstore allows for a
couple different options. To
save money on textbooks,
you can rent them from
the bookstore with a credit
card. You can use the ones
in the library and sign them
out for a couple hours, but
you can’t take them home.
Online stores, such as
Amazon.com, allow you to
buy textbooks at a cheaper
price. Go to bookstores,
such as Chapters, where you
can sometimes order them
for less than at the college.
Be smart about credit
If you have a credit card,
use it wisely or in cases of
emergencies only.
Make sure you have the
cash on hand to be able to
pay off the balance so you
don’t incur large interest
charges.
Some credit card companies provide cards
specifically designed for
students. BMO teamed up
with MasterCard to create the Student Price Card
(SPC) credit card, which
can get you discounts with
fast food or clothing stores.
Get a free chequing and
savings account
Some banks, including
TD, offer no-fee checking
and savings accounts for
students. Some only require
you prove you are a student.
They do give you a limit
on the number of transactions you can make
on your card, but if you
don’t use your card a lot
you may benefit from a
no-fee account and save
yourself $14.95 a month.
Never grocery shop when
you’re hungry
This rule generally applies to everyone who ever
grocery shops.
When you shop when
hungry, you can end up
with a bunch of stuff you
don’t need or will never eat,
thereby increasing your grocery bill and wasting food.
No matter how you try to
stay frugal in college, don’t
forget to have fun. Make
friends, pass your classes
and stay frugal at Niagara
College.
Photo illustration of a student studying. Photo By Miranda Brumwell
who is always running late,
it might be best for you to
live as close to school as
possible.
I’m not talking about
missing a class if you are
sick or have a doctor’s appointment, but the most
important part of being successful is making sure your
attendance is good.
Being in class is a basic
guarantee that you won’t
miss out on assignments,
information or critical
learning aspects.
Being in class keeps you
aware of what’s going on
and it ensures you have all
the information when that
next test or assignment
come up.
Network, network,
network
The people in your class
more than likely share
similar interests with you
and have some interesting ideas. Get to know the
people around you and utilize your relationships with
your classmates. Engage
with each other and utilize
the opportunity to study
together and help each
other through assignments.
Building relationships in
college goes far beyond just
the people in your program.
Find the library
Don’t be scared; it’s not
that bad. Most college
students try to avoid the
library at all costs. Mainly,
they fear looking like a loser
to their peers, but in all
honesty the library can be
your second home. There
are computers available for
you to catch up on work.
Tech staff are available to
help you out, when you
need it. If you don’t have a
computer at home or are
looking for a quiet place to
study, the library is there
for you.
How to start your college life College winery program offers
intro to Niagara’s wines
By MIRANDA BRUMWELL
Columnist
When starting college,
there are many things that
you need to take into consideration. You must decide
on where to live, what
classes you’re going to take
and how to budget properly.
Here are a few tips
on how to be frugal
while attending school:
Walk or ride to school
There are plenty of options for student housing
close to school.
If you are unable to get
one of these houses, try
riding your bike [weather
permitting] or using the
U-Pass you’re provided with
[paid through your tuition],
to catch a bus.
The U-Pass is a sticker
placed on your student
card, allowing you to
travel within the Niagara
Region at no extra cost.
Look for free or cheap
entertainment.
Niagara College provides
students with many free or
inexpensive things to do.
They hold dodge ball
games in the gym for those
who would like to attend,
different themed pub nights
and free movie nights in
The Core.
Orientation Week also
provides new students
with different activities,
giving you the chance to
meet new students and get
more involved in student
life. Most theaters also offer
cheap movie nights, where,
instead of paying $11 for a
ticket, you’ll pay $6.75.
Unfortunately, snacks
aren’t included in
the price reduction.
The winery is located at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. PHOTO BY JUHYUNG PARK
By JUHYUNG PARK
Staff Writer
The Winery and Viticulture Technician program
is one of the most popular
at Niagara College because
a lot of students want to
become a sommelier.
If you take a drive from
Niagara-on-the-Lake to
Grimsby, you can see the
large number of grape
farms, wineries and wine
stores Niagara has to offer
visitors and tourists alike.
Niagara College has made
a name for itself with its
own wine; the store sells
wine for tourists, local
people and people from out
of the province. At the win-
ery store, the staff members
have a lot of programs that
introduce their products,
explaining the type of wine
and how it’s made.
Finally, when the guests
have made up their mind,
they get to sample the wine
they like.
“People from other countries or visitors are coming
here to learn about our ice
wine production,” said Kiera
Nimmo, 19, a student in
the Winery and Viticulture
Technician program.
Wines sold at the store
are made in a world-class
facility with professional
instructors that help infuse
pride into the students’
products.
The college participates
in Wineries of Niagara-onthe-Lake events, which take
place four times a year in
May, November, January
and February.
Each event has a different theme: May is titled
Sip & Sizzle; November is
Taste the Season; January
is Niagara-on-the-Lake
Icewine Festival; February
is Days of Wine & Chocolate.
This helps showcase
Niagara College’s wines and
helps the winery compare
notes with surrounding
wineries.
The store is located inside
the Wine Visitor + Education Centre at the Niagaraon-the-Lake campus.
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept, 2, 2014
Page 9
entertainment
Café brings open-mic to the local scene
By ALEX HENDRY
Staff Writer
Gaining an audience can
be difficult, especially for
performers looking to develop onstage experience.
Fortunately for student
artists, in an effort to nurture local talent, a weekly
open-mic night is available
in downtown St. Catharines.
Poets, musicians, comedians and other performing
artists have been gathering weekly on Thursdays
at the Mahtay Café, which
is establishing itself as St.
Catharines’ artist hangout.
Across the street at
the intersection of Carlisle Street and St. Paul
Street, construction of the
multi-purpose arts centre
represents a growing sign of
commitment to the arts in
the Niagara region.
Open-mic opportunities
have been sparse in recent
years following the losses of
the House of Comedy, in Niagara Falls, and Strega Café,
in downtown St. Catharines.
Both venues once provided
consistent open-mic nights,
but now leave Mahtay Café
as one of the remaining artist hubs.
Local talent no longer
needs to travel elsewhere to
get in front of a live crowd.
David Green, a Niagara
Falls resident and native of
Nottingham, United Kingdom, has been performing
stand-up comedy for more
than eight years.
He credits the developing
artist scene in the community for nurturing his skills.
“It’s taken a lot of work
the last couple years be-
Comedian David Green performs on-stage at the Mahtay Café Open Mic night. PHOTO BY ALEX HENDRY
cause when I first started
there were no open-mics
around here. I’d travel to
Hamilton three times a
week,” said Green.
Along with weekly openmic nights, aspiring poets
and wordsmiths gather the
first Friday of every month
for an event called Poetry
Slam.
The Poetry Slam has been
an attendance success and
is “packed to the rafters,”
said Green.
Poets who competed and
performed at Mahtay have
gone on to represent St.
Catharines at provincial poetry events, with a receptive
audience being an advantage to performers testing
new material.
Weekly performers at the
open-mics acknowledge
that a welcoming audience provides opportunity
for performers to try new
things. Electronic music and
spoken-word readings are
appreciated and performed
just as often as comedians
and bands.
“I used to act when I was
in university and hadn’t really had the opportunity to
do that [since], so having an
audience and being able to
do your own thing but not
structured, to read whatever you want appealed
to me,” said Christopher
Carmichael, who performs
spoken -word readings of
selected novel passages.
“I have a great enthusiasm
for reading out loud; a lot
of it is the pleasure to be
heard.”
Not exclusive to student
artists, the open-mic nights
have hosted performers
just passing through town
willing to capitalize on
the chance to perform on
stage. Carmichael, a student
at Bishop’s University in
Sherbrooke, Que., was one
of many performers not
originally from the Niagara
region, but who is now a
regular face in the open-mic
crowd.
“When I first came here
and realized there was a
venue that was as inclusive
and open where you can
get up and do whatever
you want, that’s good,” said
Carmichael.
“That’s nice. You need to
have that. People need to
come and create culture.
You just don’t get in the way
and brilliant and beautiful
people will come up and do
their best.”
The influx of new Niagara
College and Brock University students to the area is
expected to further boost
participation numbers
Upon completion of the
St. Catharines arts centre,
supply of and demand for
local artist talent could lead
to a re-emergence of openmic and amateur performance nights.
“Don’t be afraid to go up.
Just be genuine and try
your best. That’s all people
expect,” said Carmichael.
For aspiring performing
artists, the best advice given
by Green is to start performing as soon as you can.
“Get on stage as soon as
you can. I was the same way,
put it off, put it off. Practice
makes perfect and perform
as often as you can.”
Open-mic nights at
Mahtay Café take place every Thursday, and are open
to everyone interested in
performing on stage. Show
time is 8:30-11 p.m.
Grateful Dead tour Diemonds no longer in the rough
for grateful fans?
By THAKURJIT SAGGU
Staff Writer
Guitarist, hints 50-year reunion tour
By JAKE CAMUS
Staff Writer
Grateful Dead fans across
the globe are waiting with
much anticipation for 2015.
The reason? A possible
50th anniversary reunion
tour by the band they love
most. Hype surrounding a
potential 50th anniversary
tour was sparked by comments made by guitarist
Bob Weir, a founding member of the band.
During an interview with
Rolling Stone Magazine,
Weir said he feels obligated
to put on some sort of “commemorative event” marking
the half century since the
band was founded.
Weir said he feels as if he
“owes it to the fans” and
won’t stand by without doing something special.
Heather Kilgore, 39, of
Rossville, Ga., said she is
excited at the prospect.
“I think it’d be beautiful,”
Kilgore said.
“There’s a lot going on
with the guys these days.
Whatever they do or don’t
do, I’ll always love them.
They saved me from myself
in more ways than I care to
count,” she added.
Weir wants to gather the
surviving members for a
2015 reunion.
Fans still hope to see and
hear Weir, bassist Phil Lesh,
and drummers Bill and
Mickey together again at
least one more time.
Weir himself was hospitalized for “an unspecified
illness” in early July. Fortunately, he has reportedly
made a full recovery.
The Grateful Dead was
only active until 1995 due
to Garcia’s death.
Since then, spin-off bands,
including Furthur and
Ratdog, have been touring
on and off. They are known
to keep the music alive by
playing Grateful Dead songs.
Lori Wood, 52, from upstate New York, said she is
still excited.
“Hard to have a reunion
without Jerry in the band,
but hey, Furthur is as close
as you’re gonna get these
days,” Says Wood.
Diemonds, a hard rock
band from Toronto, Ont.,
continues to grow in popularity across the globe.
Formed in 2007, the band
has come a long way from
when they only consisted
of Priya Panda and C.C.
Diemond.
“Me and Priya met in New
York City and talked about
our mutual love for Motley
Crue,” said Diemond.
“We ran into each other
again about a year later in
Toronto.”
Diemond said Panda
chose the band name due to
her love for famous singersongwriter Neil Diamond.
“She wanted to take what
Motley Crue and the Beatles
[had] done by changing the
spelling and use the word
‘die’,” said Diemond.
Since then, the band has
gone through some lineup changes, but have now
had the same line-up since
2010.
Members of the band are
all on the same page, according to Diemond.
“It’s tough to tell sometimes. Generally, we have
gone through a lot already
With a new album release on the rise, Diemonds’
band members talk about what’s to come next for the
Toronto, Ont., band. Photo by Nikki Ormerod
so we are pretty much
on the same page,” said
Diemond.
The band has played at
large festivals, including last
year’s Skeletour, presented
by Jagermeister .
“It was great and fun,”
said Diemond. “We’re always on the road; we’ve got
it down to a science.”
Diemonds is also the first
female-fronted rock band to
play in India.
After deciding to work on
a new album, the band has
stepped into the studio to
work on some demos while
taking a break from shows.
That means cutting back
on their 150-show-a-year
schedule.
“The end of September,
the beginning of October.
That’s when we’re going
to do the full album,” said
Diemond.
Fans are eagerly awaiting
its release. “I’m very excited.
I’ve been waiting for a new
album for a while now,” said
Eric Alas, 21, of Windsor.
The future holds larger
shows and playing on the
Kiss Kruise, said Diemond.
“We’re hoping that we get
selected to get the cruise.
Down from Miami a bunch
of bands play and we’re in
the Top 10,” said Diemond.
Despite not being as
famous as other bands,
possibly due to their style
of music, the Diemonds will
not change their attitude.
According to braveworlds.
com’s Mark Spicoluk, founder of the label Underground
Operations, Diemonds is
authentic.
“Authenticity - most
bands try to fake it and look
stupid in the process, but
Diemonds are as authentic
as it gets. I’m honored for
UO to have the opportunity
to play a pivotal role at this
stage in Diemonds’ journey,”
said Spicoluk.
“We play what we like and
we like what we play,” said
Diemond.
Page 10 NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2104
SPORTS
Knights watch
Why you
should
care about
athletics
By JOSH THOMAS
Columnist
There’s something special
about collegiate sports
in Canada. The student
athletes are not playing for
their next contract or a $72
million paycheque. They’re
playing for each other, the
logo on the front, and most
importantly, for you.
Maybe you had a bad
day, got a bad mark on an
assignment or you just went
through a break up. For an
hour or two you can let go
of all your frustrations and
just focus on the game at
hand.
There is a certain kind of
euphoria that comes with
screaming “Go, Knights!
From left to right: Carlos Williams, Aidan Alize-Minty, Michelle Walker, Ben Fillmore, Alyssa McCabe, Cassie Gilmore, of the Niagara Knights,
Go!” with hundreds of other
show off their skills. PHOTOS BY JOSH THOMAS
students that you don’t
know. For that one hour
you all have something in
common.
The reality is that the Niagara Knights don’t get a lot
of home support right now,
Davies’ new model set to help the Knights win championships and improve student athlete life
but that can change. It begins with you. You can make
By JOSH THOMAS
“There are no OCAA
gram we can and win withthe choice to come out and
Staff Writer
schools that have it. It’s
out sacrificing the student
watch your Niagara Knights,
modeled closer to the OUA
athlete experience here at
and you can choose to make
The Knights last national
(the Ontario University
Niagara College. So I have to
“Game Knights” fun.
championship was won
Athletics Association)…
recruit,” said Joey Martins,
After all, we aren’t only
more than four years ago,
We’re the first to implement head coach of women’s volhere to learn. We’re here
while the college’s last seait. We’re the pioneers of
leyball, who has added eight
for the experience as well.
son saw half of its varsity
this,” said Men’s Volleyball
recruits to his team.
The best schools can also
teams lose more than half
Head Coach Nathan
“You don’t want a big drop
have the best sports. You
their games.
Groenveld.
off on the court, so recruitcan make that experience
With a sporting history
Groenveld said the difing is really important.”
happen.
that includes six national
ference between the old
The coaches aren’t the
This will be the year of
championships, 31 provinmodel and the new model is only ones taking notice of
pep
rallies and home opencial championships, five Inprofessionalism.
the importance of recruits
Volleyball recruit Michelle Walker is excited for her first ers. The Core is going to be
tercollegiate Hockey League
“The old model was
“With these top-end rea mainstay for hundreds of
season with the Knights. championships and 11
essentially a hobby. The
cruits coming in, it’s build
PHOTO BY JOSH THOMAS college students prepping
regional titles, it was clear
difference is the time and
ing a program. We want
that the Niagara Knights
for women’s volleyball,
because we’re going to have for a game or looking for a
resources available to us
more students to come and
place for a post-game brew.
were going to be looking for through the new model.”
ex-Calgary Dino and former
so many teams in the winfill the void [when other
The benefits to students
a shakeup this summer.
ESPN Top 100 Recruits
ning column.”
Under the new model,
players leave],” said Carlos
are endless.
Enter Mathew Davies, dimember Josh Turner for
Mike Puillandre, commucoaches are treated as
Williams, a striker on the
These athletes are providrector of Athletics and Recmen’s basketball.
nications and events coordipart-time employees here
men’s soccer team.
ing us multiple opportunireation at Niagara College
With all the talent being
nator, said he agrees.
at Niagara College, which
“I think with those reties to develop Niagara
Davies, who has plenty
brought into Niagara Col“I think 2014-15 is shapmeans instead of having to
cruits coming in it’s really
of experience with univerlege, players, coaches and
ing up to be a really exciting College’s spirit, become an
focus on a 9-5 job, coaches
going to bring a shine to
important part of the comsity athletics, says he plans
faculty have high expectayear for intercollegiate
can focus on their varsity
this program.”
to use it to improve the
tions for next season.
athletics at Niagara College,” munity and have some of
program.
A total of 27 recruits have
the best nights of our lives.
Knights’ athletics program.
“All our programs have
said Puillandre.
This is especially true
already been brought in,
We owe this to ourselves.
In preparation for a better when it comes to recruitdone some pretty good
“All of our teams have
including ex-Toronto FC
We owe it to our Knights
year, Davies has added a
made great strides in
ing, and that’s why every
forward Keith Makubuya for things this offseason and
to make sure Redeemer,
new cross country team. He
throughout, with recruitrecruiting and training in
Knights team is expected
men’s soccer, brazilian uniFanshawe, Humber or any
also launched a new coachthe off season. It should be
to compete with the best
versity player Flavia Brunet ing to address issues,” said
other school that dares to
ing model, which closely
really exciting.”
teams.
for women’s soccer, a pair of Martins. “I honestly believe
come into our house, will
mimics the way university
this school will be buzzing
— With files by Thakurjit
“As a varsity coach, our
ex-Brock Badgers in Vaska
know it won’t be easy. We
athletics are handled.
around athletics next year
Saggu
job is to build the best proHamanova and Lucy McLay
owe it to our Knights to
be the craziest fans in the
OCAA.
We can make the Niagara
Knights the talk of the town.
Big things are happening in
the athletics department.
A lot of recruits have been
By JOSH THOMAS
brought in. I wouldn’t be
“We are not trying to win
our go-to offensive player,”
the game very well. I think
Linnea Davis, Roberta
Staff Writer
surprised to see multiple
provincials. We are trying to said Martins. “She’s also goshe’s going to be calm and
Dunlap, Devon Lowes,
win nationals,” said Martins. ing to be a rock for our team composed with maturity on
Nicole Schoonderwoerd and provincial championships
The 2013-2014 season
won this year.
This year’s team is almost because of the experience
the court,” said Martins.
Michelle Walker.
was an up-and-down one
There will be drama,
a brand new one. Only four
she had at the university
“She works very hard.
“We have a great group of
for the women’s volleyball
there will be excitement,
members of last year’s team level. She’s going to be very
She’s going to stabilize our
girls that are working really
team. The team finished
there will be heartbreak
are returning. Two ex-Brock calm.”
back-court defense, and,
hard in the summer, so I
8-10 and lost their final
and comeback stories.
Badgers, Lucy McLay and
Martins speaks highly of
much like Lucy, she is older,
mean the national chameight qualifying games to
This season, like any other,
Vaska Hamanova, lead a
Hamanova as well.
more mature and will stay
pionship is our goal. And
Trent.
strong recruiting class.
“Vaska is a libero, so she
calm in tense situations.”
that should be every coach’s promises to be a rollerCoach Joey Martins says
coaster of emotions. I will
“Lucy has the ability to
is a defensive specialist
In addition to Hamanova
goal,” said Martins.
he has different expectabe along for the ride. Will
impact the game trementhat is very controlled with
and McLay, Martins has
— With files by Thakurjit
tions for this season.
you?
dously. She is going to be
her first contact. She reads
brought in Bailey Davis,
Saggu
Getting back to winning ways
Ex-Badgers highlight strong recruiting class
McLay, Hamanova hope to bring a national championship to Niagara College
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014
Page 11
SPORTS
Men’s volleyball
aiming to spike competition
By JOSH THOMAS
Staff Writer
The men’s volleyball team
was the strongest Knights
team last year with an
impressive 14-4 record and
a fourth-place finish at the
OCAA championships.
Head Coach Nathan
Groenveld expects to build
on that this season.
“We want to contend for
national championship, so
in order for us to do that we
have to place first or second
at the provincial championships at the end of the year,”
said Groenveld.
Groenveld said the missing piece last year was
size. “Our biggest thing we
needed to improve last year
was we needed to physically
get bigger, so we needed to
not only improve the size
of the athletes that we have
in our program but also the
ones we bring in. And if you
look across the board at the
recruits, the one thing they
have in common is they’re
all very big human beings.”
Groenveld is referring to
six-foot-three Garrett Suderman, six-foot-four Cole
Niagara basketball
hoping to build
on last year
“
We’re going
to set pretty
high goals for
ourselves and
the plan is to
meet them.
By JOSH THOMAS
Staff Writer
The Women’s Knights
basketball team did much
better than the men’s last
year. They went 11-7 before
falling in the first round of
the playoffs.
Much like all of the other
varsity teams, head coach
Mike Beccaria said he has
been hard at work recruiting for the upcoming
season.
Additions include Courtney Banham, Cassie Brown,
Kianna Klauck, Sydney Phillips, Kaitlynn Marquard and
Hailey Tippett. Each brings
their own unique skill set
to an already strong core of
players.
At the centre of that core
is starting point guard
Alyssa McCabe, who is fresh
”
— Ben Fillmore
Jordan, six-foot-five Jeremy
Williams and six-foot-eight
Will Walton, who Groenveld
said is “still growing.”
That’s in addition to an
already strong core group,
which includes six-footeight Nathan Snippa,
six-foot-three Ben Fillmore,
six-foot-five Logan Varga
and six-foot-three rookieof-the-year Jeff Scott. This
means this season’s Knights
will be even more exciting
than last season’s.
“We’re going to set pretty
high goals for ourselves and
the plan is to meet them. I
think with all the hard work
and the skill we’re bringing
in… we have a good shot at
doing something big this
year,” said Fillmore.
—With files by Thakurjit
Saggu
Ben Fillmore looks to lead the men’s volleyball team
to the OCAA championship this season.
Photo by Josh Thomas
New coach, new players, new goals
By THAKURJIT SAGGU
Staff Writer
As a three-point threat, Aidan Alize-Minty goes up for
a shot from the outside.
Photo by Josh Thomas
After finishing 3-15 last
season, the men’s basketball
team will be getting an
overhaul.
Keith Vassell, a member
of the Manitoba Basketball
Hall of Fame, has been hired
as the new head coach.
Vassell said a new culture
will be coming in.
“It’s basically the culture
of accountability and just
hard work,” said Vassell.
“And a model I have started
to establish is we are going
to be the best team to play
tired. So that means we’re
going to push ourselves and
looking to have other teams
break before we do.”
Aidan Alize-Minty, captain
of the team last year has
high expectations as well as
The 2013-14 season
for the men’s soccer team
finished 3-3-2 – a season of
highs and lows.
Coach Frank Dechellis will
be bringing in ex-Toronto
FC player Keith Makubuya,
along with Anthony
Stranges, Anthony Iannacchino and Stephen Panuko,
as recruits to improve the
team.
“A lot of quality coming in.
So we’ll be in good shape,”
said Dechellis.
Despite having an issue
with discipline last season,
Dechellis said he is okay
with certain yellow cards.
“I don’t mind yellow cards
for hard tackles,” said Dechellis. “I don’t like yellow
cards for lipping off.”
Expectations are high this
season as Niagara College
will be hosting the Ontario
College Athletic Association (OCAA) men’s soccer
championships.
“We are hosting the
OCAAs so my expectations
are to be there and unlike
the other sports we have to
qualify first,” said Dechellis.
Carlos Williams, a secondyear striker, said the men’s
soccer team knows what it
takes this time around.
“We know it’s not going
to be easy, but just the fact
that we’re hosting it gives
Women’s soccer team
looking to rebound
By THAKURJIT SAGGU
Staff Writer
Despite a 1-6-1 record
last season and the fact that
the women’s soccer team
believing the team is worth
only scored four goals, the
watching.
team was still competitive
“The guys who are
and is moving in the right
coming in and with the
direction, said Head Coach
coaches system we are
Frank Dechellis.
gonna be a deep team. It’s
“Don’t forget the two
realistic. We could make
years before that. They
Top 3 nationals,” said Alizescored two goals total. We
Minty. “It doesn’t show from have two other coaches, so
last year but this year the
I guess we can say we are
wins are going to happen
moving in the right direcand we are going to be
tion. We lost three games in
exciting to watch. Up and
the last few minutes. Nothdown we’re a quick team
ing fluky about that team,”
and very explosive.”
said Dechellis.
Niagara Knight’s Colour
Logo
The high expectations are
With recruits Emnot held by just players but
ily Babcok, Julia Pantusa,
the coach as well.
Rebecca Morrison, Sierra
“I’m expecting to be one
Volpe and Flavia Brunet
of the top teams this year
joining the team, along with
in the [Ontario College
what Dechellis refers to as
Athletic Association], and
a “good core,” expectations
I think one of the more
are high for the team.
exciting teams,” said Vassel.
“I expect to make the
—With files by Josh
playoffs. I would be very
Thomas
disappointed if they don’t,”
said Dechellis.
Cassie Gilmore, a fourth-
photo by Josh Thomas
“I hope with the new
recruits that will lead us to
more victories and make
the playoffs this year,” said
Gilmore.
Brunet, a first-year striker
of the Instituto Federal da
Paraiba (IFPB) of Brazil, is
excited to start playing and
make an impact.
“I am very excited and I
hope to play and help have a
better season,” said Brunet.
—With files by Josh
Thomas
Key Home Games
Niagara Knight’s Black and White
Men’s Soccer
Sept. 6•4p.m. Redeemer
Sept.20•4p.m. Fanshawe
Oct. 2*6 p.m. Mohawk
Oct. 24-25 OCAA Championship
Niagara Knight’s Typographic Logo
As the top striker, Carlos Williams is prepared to carry
the team.
Photo by Josh Thomas
us that ex tra incentive to
put in that extra work on
and off the field to bring
us one step closer to that
After injury, Cassie
Gilmore looks to make
return.
defender, agrees with
Niagara Knights Logo:year
Proper
Uses
Coach Dechellis.
New recruits, lofty expectations
By THAKURJIT SAGGU
Staff Writer
off her rookie-of-the-year
season. McCabe said she is
eager to build on last years
success.
“I want to make playoffs
again and make it past the
first round, but the OCAAs
is where we really want to
be,” said McCabe.
She has clear goals for
herself, too.
“I would like to see myself
score more points, because
I’m very unselfish and I
think I need to take it into
my own hands once in a
while. I still want to have
high assists, too. I want to
be Top 10 in the league for
assists,” said McCabe.
The Knights have been
working hard on and off the
court and are geared up for
an OCAA run.
—With files by Thakurjit
Saggu
provincial championship,”
said Williams.
—With files by Josh Thomas
Women’s Soccer
Sept. 6•2 p.m. Redeemer
Sept.20•2 p.m. Fanshawe
Oct. 2•4 p.m. Mohawk
Men’s Basketball
Sept. 27•8 p.m. Brock
Oct. 26•4p.m. Lambton
Nov. 20•8 p.m. Humber
Dec. 19-20 Niagara Knights Invitational
Feb. 6•8 p.m.Redeemer
Women’s Basketball
Sept. 27•6 p.m. Brock
Oct. 26•4 p.m. Lambton
Nov. 2•1 p.m. St.Clair
Dec. 19-20 Niagara Knights Invitational
Jan. 7•6 p.m. Mohawk
Jan. 31•6 p.m. Cambrian
Men’s Volleyball
Oct. 31•8 p.m. Mohawk
Nov. 30•3 p.m. Humber
Jan 2-3 Niagara Knights Invitational
Jan. 22•8 p.m. Fanshawe
Feb. 12•8 p.m. Sheridan
Feb. 15•3 p.m. St. Clair
Women’s Volleyball
Oct. 18-19 Niagara Knights Invitational
Nov. 30•1 p.m. Humber
Jan. 16•6 p.m. Redeemer
Jan. 22•6 p.m. Fanshawe
Feb. 15•1p.m. St. Clair
Primary Font Used: Trade Gothic Bold 2
Colour Codes:
Coated: PMS = 285 C, CMYK = 90 48 0 0, RGB = 0 115 207
Uncoated: PMS = 300 U, CMYK = 99 34 0 0, RGB = 0 115 207
Page 12
NIAGARA NEWS • Sept. 2, 2014
SPORTS
Canadian soccer struggles to keep up
By JOEL OPHARDT
Staff Writer
Twenty-eight years ago,
Canada’s men’s national
soccer team crashed out
of its only FIFA World Cup
appearance.
Canada left the tournament in Mexico with no
goals scored and no points
registered - a statistical
nightmare that will haunt
the Canadian Soccer Association until the day they
return. If they ever do.
On the surface the numbers seem healthy.
A 2010 report by Canadian Heritage showed that
25 per cent of households
in Canada have a child
that plays soccer, reaffirming soccer’s position as
Canada’s most played sport.
In a 2006 survey released
by FIFA, Canada ranks in
the Top 10 worldwide for
most youth participants
with 716,000. That’s nearly
as many as Netherlands
(510,000) and Argentina
(231,000) have combined.
Those are impressive
numbers for a hockey-mad
nation, but the end results
are more than disappointing. When it comes to professionals produced, Canada
is nowhere to be seen.
Somewhere along the line,
kids are being left behind.
“I think the system is
set up for success,” said
Frank DeChellis, men’s and
women’s soccer coach at
Niagara College. “We just
need to buy into it.”
If it was up to DeChellis,
coaches wouldn’t be able to
shorten benches or focus on
The 2014 FIFA World Cup
saw Germany claim sports’
most prestigious title.
Fans around the globe
were celebrating the win,
but for Brazilians, questions
surrounding their stadium
in Manaus remain unanswered and ignored.
What will become of the
$270-million facility?
Likely the same thing that
happened in other countries, which have hosted
the World Cup: It will now
remain idle.
The stadium that held the
World Cup was built in a
remote area in the middle
of the Amazon.
Manaus is in fact so
remote that all parts used
during the construction
of the stadium had to be
brought to the construction
site by boat.
This effort was only one
step of the rather costly
expense of getting prepared
for the Cup.
The Brazilian government
spent millions of dollars
preparing for the World
Cup, triggering months of
unrest, protest and riots in
some places.
what’s known as a “runner’s high.” As mentioned in
Runner’s World magazine,
this is described as the feelgood rush a runner feels
upon completion of a run.
It involves the release of
endorphins. For a beginnerlevel runner, your body is
being pushed to new levels.
• Running is fun. Speaking
from personal experience,
jogging was a nightmare
for me when I first started
out. My advice is stick to it.
Consider giving it an honest
and fair chance. Try linking
up with an experienced
jogger. They’ll be more than
happy to share their tips
and tricks with you. Jogging
with someone who has
SUBMITTED PHOTO
experience will help motivate you. If you jog solo,
you may get discouraged
or overwhelmed and quit.
Don’t compare yourself
with experienced joggers.
Know that it takes commitment and determination,
but, like me, you too can
greatly improve at jogging
and grow to love it. There
are local running clubs that
you can join. One is the St.
Catharines Roadrunners
& Walkers club. (www.
welovetorun.com)
Typically, race entry costs
range from $25-$35. These
runs benefit local organizations. Who’s to say you
won’t be like me, and fall in
love with jogging?
Youth soccer players ages 13-15 play in Bermuda Park in St. Catharines. PHOTO BY JOHNNY ASANTE
tactics until players reach at
least 12 years old. He says
that when coaches don’t let
kids explore the game, the
vast majority will fall to the
wayside.
“Too many coaches are
treating youth soccer like
it’s their personal Xbox,”
said DeChellis.
“They’re all yelling at
their kids, trying to radio
control them instead of letting them play.”
Concord Mini League
Director Catherine Mackay-
Cotton said Ontario Soccer
has addressed these concerns head-on.
“One of their changes was
for younger kids, six and
below. They’ve removed
referees from the field
and substituted them with
game leaders,” said MackayCotton.
“The whole objective of
game leaders is to keep the
game moving more, so it’s
not a constant blow of the
whistle.”
Think of this approach
FIFA needs to be accountable
By JOHNNY ASANTE
Columnist
program in 2001, Germany’s soccer association,
the DFB, has spent more
than $13 million a year on
unifying the message of
their development program,
while their professional
clubs have been coaxed into
spending $681 million on
their own academies during
a 10-year period.
This money spearheads
a top-down approach
that focuses on a singular
development pattern for its
older youth. Similar to what
DeChellis recommends,
from ages 11 and up, German youth begin filtering
through the national development program and are
then streamed into professional club academies a few
years later.
Unfortunately for Canada,
there are few clubs with
the financial might to
spearhead European-style
academies, and the financial
might of the CSA is dwarfed
by its western counterparts.
This leaves a large portion of Canadian youth
with comparably insufficient training until they
reach college, which is the
traditional North American
avenue for athlete development and training.
“College is a good environment for maintaining
your level and it’s a good
place to get stronger,” said
DeChellis. “As far as going
from a player that’s not at [a
sufficient] level to a player
that’s at that level, it’s a
little bit too late.”
Ultimately, the difference
between the number of
professional hockey players
and the number of soccer
players produced in Canada
comes down to money.
More viewers for hockey
means more investment
into youth development.
Perhaps with continuing
MLS expansion and revenue
growth, the Canadian soccer
problem could solve itself.
In the meantime, Canadian kids will keep dreaming about kicking their way
through a college scholarship, rather than winning a
trophy in red and white.
Why protest when hosting the World Cup should
be a great opportunity to
profit?
Unfortunately, when FIFA
holds a World Cup, it is FIFA
that makes the money.
Most of FIFA’s income is
directly attributable to the
World Cup.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup
in South Africa earned the
organization more than
$3.4 billion (US) from television rights and marketing rights, according to an
article published in Forbes
magazine.
FIFA is exempt from just
about every tax that you can
possibly name off the top of
your head.
In fact, the only thing FIFA
leaves behind for countries
are new laws.
During the South African
World Cup, FIFA forced the
creation of a special World
Cup court, which served as
a vehicle for an unnaturally
swift justice system, free
from outside intervention.
In Brazil, FIFA forced
the Brazilian government
to pass a “Budweiser Bill”
that allowed beer to be sold
in stadiums, completely
ignoring the ban on alcohol
the Brazilian government
“
FIFA is exempt
from just about
every tax
that you can
possibly name
off the top of
your head.
In Fact, the
only thing
FIFA leaves
behind for
countries
are new laws.
”
Johnny Asante
placed on stadiums in an effort to curb soccer violence.
People seem to not care
about what’s going on
behind the scenes because
they just want to see their
country play and enjoy the
spectacle of the World Cup.
For this reason, it’s unlikely FIFA will ever change
their ways.
Until people decide to
put morality ahead of their
favourite sport, FIFA will
continue to leave host nations holding the bill, once
the final whistle has blown.
what you may, Brielle Kaminsky, a 14-year old “team
leader” and a Niagara United player, says she believes
it’s the right approach.
“It helps me grow, gives
me leadership, and I learn
from teaching them,” Kaminsky said.
Meanwhile, 2014 World
Cup Champion, Germany,
has benefited from a complete overhaul in the wake
of its European Championship debacle of 2000.
Since rebooting their
Benefits of jogging hard to ignore
By Darby Newell
Columnist
Have you ever considered
taking up jogging? Fall is a
great time to start. I started
jogging in the fall of 2003,
and have been doing so ever
since. The health benefits
are excellent and seemingly
endless. Here are a few reasons to consider becoming
a jogger.
• It can improve your
physical well being. Jogging
will help burn off those
extra calories. It helps to
build strong bones and
strengthens muscles. Developing a regular jogging
habit can effectively reduce
your chances of developing
cancer and heart disease. A
stronger immune system is
also connected to regular
exercise. Jogging is said to
be one of the best forms of
exercise and is easily accessible for those interested.
• It can help reduce
stress and anxiety. Students
face many pressures to succeed in school. This can lead
to stress, which is known to
have a negative impact on
your body. This stress can
be reduced with a simple,
easy jog. It will help clear
your head and you will feel
revived afterwards. There is