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March 9, 2021, Queer students entering Bloomfield Centre were met with a common but unexpected sight. Canadian Blood Services (CBS), who due to the Health Canada restrictions on donations from men who have sex with men (MSM) enforce what many describe as a discriminatory ban on blood donations from Queer men, had set up a donation clinic in the MacKay room.
Read MoreThe results of the 2021 Representative Council elections for the StFX Students’ Union were announced March 10, 2021.
Polling took place over two days, March 9 and 10, and included elections for the Science, Arts, Business, Equity, International, Students of African-Descent, and Education constituencies.
A rare phenomenon at StFX, this election saw no incumbents reoffering for their positions. There were also few candidates, with the only contested race being that for Students of African-Descent Representative.
Meredith Cudmore-Keating, StFX Students’ Union Chair of Council thanked all voters saying “this was a great election to finish the year off .and we look forward to seeing you vote next year.”
The results ended with the following candidates being elected.
Arts Representative - Margaret-Ann Gillis
Business Representative - Hunter Park
Education Representative - Tianna Williams
Equity Representative - Tiffany Bondoc
International Representative - Derin Derici
Students of African-Descent Representative - Atik Gilao
Science Representative - Mackenzie LeVernois
The Graduate Student Representative has not been elected for the 2021-2022 year.
Fear no more, fellow Xaverians! Priscilla: Queen of the Highlands lives on. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Chris Frazer has been working diligently with X-Pride to ensure that the beloved Priscilla will grace the StFX stage for its sixteenth consecutive year. Having grown its fan base and interest significantly since the first show back in February 2005, which hosted an audience of only 100 people, the show has been known to sell-out the Mackay Room of the Students’ Union Building, hosting around four-hundred viewers from across the province.
This widespread show of support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in our small, rural town began as the entertainment portion of a workshop titled “Centering the Periphery: The Experience of Rural Life for LGBTQ Youth,” which was hosted on the StFX campus in 2005. The workshop was organized by Dr. Frazer (History) in tandem with Dr. Nancy Forestell (Women and Gender Studies) and Claire Fawcett (Anthropology). Dr. Frazer had recently been appointed as faculty advocate for 2SLGBTQ+ students following a number of homophobic assaults on the University’s campus. In an effort to support Dr. Frazer’s new role, and following the success of the first-of-many Priscilla shows, X-Pride decided to continue producing the show on an annual basis.
Photo by Addy Strickland
On Friday, February 20, we will all be able to enjoy a socially distanced show featuring many favourite local and regional performers. Dr. Frazer notes that among this year’s performers, we can expect fan favourite Rouge Fatale from Halifax, who will host the show. Other performers will include Elle Noir, more local Kings, and Dr. Frazer’s own Joni Cash and C. Leah Cruise, along with some other Halifax regulars. Viewers can expect dynamic performances which will include a range of queens, kings, genderf*ck, and non-binary performers. The show will be hosted on Zoom, and tickets will be sold online. More information will be released closer to the show.
To stay up to date as more information becomes available, follow @xpridesociety and @xgsdsa on Facebook and Instagram!
On Friday, January 29, both I and Will Fraser, had the honour to talk to the four Board of Governors' candidates -- Anna Hancin, Dhruv Patel, Duncan McIntyre, and Emma Valardo. I got the opportunity to get to know the candidates and have a better understanding of their platforms.
Firstly, I asked the candidates to introduce themselves and talk about why they are running for the Board of Governors. Anna is a first year in the Public Policy and Governance program and she is also on Cameron Hall’s student council; Duncan is a third year, also in the Public Policy and Governance program; Emma is a third year in the Forensic Psychology program; and Dhruv is the current International Students Representative and is a second year. Collectively the candidates agreed that they want to create change and be a voice for the students, Anna stated “I would be a voice for the students, my job is to be your voice for the change that you want to see.”
When asked what makes them stand out from each other Emma explained that she is vocal, in touch with the student body, very educated on current issues, and she doesn’t give up! Dhruv on the other hand said he doesn’t consider himself better than other people but believes his role as International Students Rep gives him more of an edge. Anna believes that her collaboration skills set her apart from the others and her involvement with many different things throughout campus. Duncan believes that his experience of being a student for what will be 4 years and his open mindedness are his strengths.
On a scale of 1-10 each candidate named how they thought the University did with the Covid-19 response. Duncan said 4 or 5, Emma 3, Dhruv 8, and Anna 6. Duncan and Emma had similar thoughts, agreeing that what was good about StFX’s response is that we still could be on campus but agreed that the contract sent out in the summer was wrong and not all students were taken into consideration. Dhruv agreed that the contract was not the best, but said that being in Nova Scotia is such a privilege and gives credit to the University and town of Antigonish for their work. Similarly, Anna agreed it was amazing we are allowed to be on campus but believes it is unfair that the majority of classes are in person, some students are not being taken into consideration and would like to implement things that allow for students that are not able to be at campus currently, to feel included.
Collectively the candidates agree that more efforts on Sexual Violence Prevention needs to be undertaken at StFX. They believe in the importance of anti-Sexual Violence programs, education, removal of "predators," and the importance of communication with survivors. Dhruv said he believes we need to focus on "toxic masculinity" and states that this would be one of his
priorities. Emma agreed that this was a problem but wanted to add that it is very important to note that males on campus are also being sexually assaulted.
Overall, the four candidates voiced that mental health support is an important issue on campus and agree that the programs on the campus are very beneficial for students but could be improved by being more accessible.
Individually Anna was asked if as a first-year student, she enough experience has to be on the Board of Governors. She argued that this was not the case and that she is very engaged and active on campus. Anna knows about and is involved with many organizations, has contacts, and is always willing to learn if need be.
Emma and Duncan were asked if it would be a problem if only one of them were elected as the pair are dating. Both candidates assured that this was not an issue and agreed that they will always keep each other accountable if it is needed, they are not afraid to disagree on different subjects, and their relationship is not the priority of this campaign.
Dhruv was asked if students were looking for change on campus why should they elect someone who is already a part of the system. He didn’t like the question but stated he believes that he has done very good things in his position as the International Representative and will continue to do good things.
When asked who the candidates would prefer as the new President, Duncan stated he believed all candidates are good, Emma said Jack would be the best choice, Dhruv said he would not pick one, and Anna also stated that all the candidates are all very qualified and would look forward to working with any one of them.
Overall, my conversation with the Board of Governors' candidates was insightful and I learned much about their platforms, views and goals if elected!
On December 3, 2020, as per Xaverian tradition, the class of 2021 received their coveted X-Rings. Deciding what to engrave on the inside of one’s ring can be a big decision, and we were curious about what this year’s class had in mind — so we asked them to tell us about what they chose! To learn more about each ring, click on a photo and mouse over it to read the wearer’s explanation.
On October 17, 2020, more than 300 people rallied in Chisholm Park to demonstrate their solidarity with Mi’kmaw fishers. The purpose of the rally was to demand that the RCMP and elected officials honour the Treaty of 1752, which guarantees the Mi’kmaq right to fish for a moderate livelihood, and to act to stop acts of violence and terror against Mi'kmaq fishers. This comes after a week of violence in Saulnierville, where white vigilantes have been cutting traps, raiding lobster pounds, and making threats against the wellbeing of Mi'kmaq people.
The rally began at 6pm with a drum performance of “Honour Song” by Graham Marshall; Billy Joe Muese; Noah Mathews Crimons; Salena Sylvester; Charlotte, Margaret, and Dolena Poulette; and Michelle, Christina, and Rosie Sylliboy. Following the performance, a number of Mi’kmaq community members, as well as a few settlers, took the stage with words of outrage, encouragement, solidarity, and hope. Chris Frazer, professor of History at StFX, acted as the event’s emcee. An experienced organizer and activist, Frazer also played a large role in making the event happen.
Dolena Poulette of Membertou First Nation giving the opening prayer.
Photo by Addy Strickland
Among the speakers was Michelle Sylliboy, a Mi’kmaq artist from We'koqma'q Cape Breton and Professor of Art and Modern Languages at StFX University. Sylliboy emphasized the role of the 1752 treaty, stating that Mi'kmaq people have been here for a very long time, and will be here for a very long time, despite government efforts to silence or ignore them; “we’re not going anywhere,” she said. She called on settlers—her allies and neighbours—to write their elected officials, and ask for justice. “That email that you send to the Prime Minister is a legal document, and they can’t ignore it … you voted them in. They work for you. It’s pretty clear that they don’t work for me anymore, but they work for you,” she said.
Salena Sylvestor, a mom, leader, and Community Studies student who travelled to Antigonish from Membertou First Nation, also took the stage. Sylvestor was emotional, sharing her thoughts about ongoing events in Digby, and explaining to the crowd what was happening there; cut traps, flares, violence, fire. If these acts were being committed by Indigenous people, she stipulated, the RCMP would be employing force to make it stop. She asks, “where’s that force now?”
Sylvestor was followed by Mary Isaac, who reminded the crowd about the real root of the issue. “This is about corporations trying to steal our natural resources and keep us fighting as a distraction,” she said, and encouraged everyone in attendance to “unite as one people” instead of resorting to violence and conflict.
Dolena Poulette, from We'koqma'q First Nation, April and Darlene Prosper, from Paq’tnkek First Nation, and Marin McBeath, a history student at StFX, also stepped up to the mic.
While the speakers were on stage, two rubber boots also made their way through the crowd, collecting funds to be sent to the front lines in Digby and put towards buying necessary supplies. Attendees raised a total of $1145 in monetary donations, and event organizers are looking to collect further donations in material items to send along as well. Readers looking to lend support are encouraged to write, call, or email their elected officials to call for action. Monetary or material donations are also welcome. Charlotte Conolly, an activist from Halifax (K'jipuktuk), has created a list of the various places to donate, alongside templates for reaching elected officials, lists of most needed supplies, and trustworthy news sources; her list can be found online here.
Three dancers led the march.
Photo by Addy Strickland
The rally ended with a march, led by three young dancers, routed from Chisholm through the StFX campus. Marchers waved at the Antigonish RCMP station as they made their way back along West Street.
A livestream of the event can found on The Xaverian Weekly’s Facebook page, here. A recording of the event will also be shared on this week’s episode of Social Justice Radio, Thursday at 5pm on 93.3 The Fox.
On September 9 and 10, 2020, scholars at universities across Canada stepped out of their virtual and physical classrooms to protest racism and police brutality in North America. They paused their teaching and administrative duties, and instead organized marches, demonstrations, and teach-ins in support of a list of demands. Those demands include: defunding the police and redistributing the resources to BIPOC, queer, and trans communities; removing campus police; addressing the underrepresentation of BIPOC faculty at Canadian institutions; and committing to actively “recruit, admit, retain, and mentor” BIPOC students.
The Scholar Strike Canada website states that the concept was inspired by a tweet from Dr. Anthea Butler, who was inspired by the recent WNBA and NBA strike. Dr. Butler’s call for a similar labour action from academics quickly garnered attention, and spurred action in the U.S (her home country) as well as in Canada, where the nation-wide strike was organized by Beverly Bain and Min Sook Lee.
Photo by Addy Strickland
Desmond Cole, a Canadian journalist, author, and activist, gave the keynote to kick off the Canadian strike and teach-ins on September 9. Titled “Abolition or death: Confronting police forces in Canada,” the keynote asked “who is being policed in Canada and why?” The answer is the motivation behind ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, and the driving force behind the fight to abolish the police. Cole spends three minutes of the talk listing the everyday ways in which police violence is perpetuated:
“It’s the arrests and assaults on us that are then documented as assaults against the police … It’s the routine sexual assaults of women by police officers because they know that they can get away with it … It’s the clearing out of homeless encampments during a global pandemic because people who own property don’t want to see homeless people around them ... It’s the thousands of black people in this country who can’t apply for jobs because they have a criminal record for possessing or selling marijuana ... It’s the police intimidation of non-status families, who want to send their kids to school but don’t, because they are scared of being deported.”
Abolition isn’t about money, Cole says; it’s “about our lives.”
Scholars at StFX were quick to join the strike, and support the calls to action. Following Cole’s keynote, dozens of faculty, staff, students, and community members met masked and social-distanced in front of the Coady International Institute. Organized by Dr. Corrine Cash and Dr. Donna Trembinski, the gathering highlighted the voices of people of colour, featuring speeches from Denton Anthony, Tara Reddick, Dhruv Patel, Ornella Nzindukiyimana, and Wendy Mackey. Dr. Cash was very pleased with the turnout, seeing various athletic teams, coaches, and community members out in support alongside faculty and students.
In her own speech, Dr. Cash called for StFX administration to “create a multiracial committee that conducts an audit of all facets of the university to identity racism, discriminations.” She shared that she hopes a study of this kind could be used to inform real action, in the form of a
strategic plan aimed at obliterating racism and discrimination on campus. Dr. Cash encourages anyone who wishes to see the same to email StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin, and let him know.
The event comes at a pressing time for StFX, following the announcement of an increased RCMP presence on campus. A number of the event’s speakers explicitly condemned the school’s decision to allow RCMP on campus, and the province’s decision to involve them in check-ins for isolating students.
Photo by Addy Strickland
Following the speeches, the organizers led a march through campus, stopping to chant “Black Lives Matter” and “no justice, no peace” in front of Dr. Hakin’s office, as well as across from the RCMP station on West Street.
In an interesting turn of events, members of the school’s upper administration, including President Hakin and Academic Vice President Kevin Wamsley, were also present at the march. Donna Trambinski shares that “it was great to see them, but they’re putting into practice policies that are problematic for people of colour on campus.” Attending a march is one thing, but actually doing the work to ensure a safe and equitable campus environment is something else entirely. “It would be really nice to see them do something, and to respond to the problematic announcement of RCMP on campus,” shared Trembinski.
It is evident in their enthusiastic participation that many StFX faculty, staff, and students wish to see an end to racism and discrimination on campus. The question now, is what will it take for that to happen, and how much more of a push do administration need to act?
Arts & Community Editor Addy Strickland interviewed author Martha Wilson over Zoom on July 16, 2020.
Martha Wilson's short story collection, Nosy White Woman, was recently awarded the Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction at the 2020 Atlantic Book Awards. The prize was established in 2015 to honour the memory of Alistair MacLeod, a masterful short fiction writer who called Nova Scotia home. Wilson was also a finalist for the New South 2018 fiction prize and runner-up for the 2017 Peter Hinchcliffe fiction prize, and has published work in the New Quarterly, Real Simple, The New York Times, The Japan Times, Kansai Time Out, and the International Herald-Tribune. Nosy White Woman is Wilson’s first published collection of short fiction.
AS: Can you start by telling me a little bit more about you?
MW: I’ve been in Canada for twenty-five years. I’m American, and I feel very grateful and lucky to be in Canada. My husband is from Nova Scotia. We were in Toronto for ten years and moved back to Nova Scotia when our children were small, so my children have grown up in the country, in rural Nova Scotia, which has been a wonderful experience for them. I’ve really appreciated having the chance to have lived, as a younger adult, in a big city, and then as a mom in the country. I read a lot, though especially during this pandemic it’s harder for me to read a book than it used to be. And I do read Twitter a lot. Like, way, way too much. I especially read political Twitter, and since I still vote in the United States, I follow a lot of Washington journalists and track U.S. political news pretty closely. That takes up a lot of my attention, and I don’t know a lot of Americans here in Nova Scotia who are as focused on it as I am. It can be a little bit isolating, since my family doesn’t want to hear about it. That’s probably my big “hobby” —following U.S. politics.
AS: Can you also tell me about your journey as an author?
MW: I always knew I wanted to write, so it was really so satisfying to have published this book. It took me twenty years to complete it, and in finishing the book, I realized that I was able to finish it and publish it because my mother had died. She died in the spring about five years ago, and in the summer, I signed up for the Humber distance writing course, and I thought, “I’ll finish this short story collection.” I worked on it for a year and then started the publication process, with literary press Biblioasis. We were well into the editing of it before it dawned on me that I’d been able to write it because my mother was gone. I was really surprised by that. Not by not having been able to finish it, but by the opacity of that process—that I did not realize what was going on for months and months, even though I was really engaging with the stories and the publishing process. So I’m very interested that things that can be so apparent in retrospect can be so invisible at the time. It’s not that I thought the stories would be painful for my mom, or too specific—my mom’s not in the book—but it was just too close while my parents were still around.
AS: Did you go into writing these stories with the intention of publishing a collection?
MW: No, but I've always loved short stories, and for years and years I subscribed to Harper's and The Atlantic. Those two were monthlies. The New Yorker obviously has amazing fiction, but it comes every week. I could never finish a New Yorker before there's another one dropped through the mail slot; they just come all the time. The Atlantic and Harper's, during my twenties and most of my thirties, were publishing one story a month each; it was the perfect amount. It was as if the fiction was titrated at a dose to perfectly match the attention and thought I would give it over the course of the month. A novel, you choose it yourself: you go to the bookstore, you order something; or you like a writer, so you buy their book. With the short stories in monthly magazines, it's like they're assigned to you. They just arrive. That had a really big impact on how important short fiction became to me. I still remember a lot of those stories that I read when I was a young adult. I remember them with great clarity. It's something that has nearly disappeared from public life during my adulthood, and that makes me sad. (But it's okay; we didn't have Twitter then.)
AS: For people who are interested in reading Nosy White Woman, can you give us an idea of what to expect?
MW: Because I'm so interested in politics, there's a lot of that; I'm extremely interested in the effects of policy on our daily lives. I'm always telling my daughters who are teenagers that policy is more important than anything else. At the same time, that’s not exactly what the stories are about. They're about families, they're about adult children, they're about marriages, they're about fear and worry and happiness. They're a lot about privacy, and the fact that we all have that private internal life that’s separate from the life that even our most intimate family members see.
Most of my stories are not about race, but I was very conscious about not having whiteness as the default. The title story is about police brutality, especially against men of colour in the United States.
AS: Can you talk to me a bit about the book’s title? Why did you decide to call it Nosy White Woman?
MW: At Biblioasis, Dan Wells (who established the press), suggested it. Fiction editor John Metcalf and I had “The Golden Bra” as the title story, and Dan said to me, what would you think of changing it, making “Nosy White Woman” the title story, because that's really more reflective of your interest in policy and politics and societal issues, and how those play out in our daily lives. And I agreed. I'm not sure of the date; I think it was probably fall of 2018, but one thing that I talked about in “Nosy White Woman” was that we had seen on YouTube and on social media the deaths of Philando Castile, of Freddie Gray, and several African American men shot by the police, for not-valid reasons. It became clearer and clearer over the years I was working on these stories that my experience with the police in the United States is a completely separate reality from the reality that a lot of people have. I've been shocked to come to understand how different those are, and that's the reckoning that white people are coming to. We've really seen that this summer with how white people regard the Black Lives Matter movement: the belief that white Americans have in the validity of that movement has just skyrocketed over the summer.
AS: What do you hope that people take away from reading this collection?
MW: Even though I talk so much about politics, and it sounds like that's all I write about, that's not it at all. One of my early readers, Catherine Newman, called the book “gloomy and hilarious.” I really love that description, and asked the publisher if we could put that on the front—it's my favourite tagline. So I guess I couldn't imagine a better way for my book to be described.
AS: You were recently awarded the Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction for this collection. What does receiving this prize mean to you?
MW: It was very exciting. It was encouraging and gratifying to be linked with such an admired name in Canadian fiction, someone so beloved. That was a lovely thing. I also thought it said that my book is in some way speaking to this moment. This particular summer, at least. Especially in the United States, white people are learning more about white privilege, which is one of the most important ways our society is going to move forward.
AS: You’ve lived in Nova Scotia for the last 15 years, and before that, you lived in Toronto after coming from the United States. Has living here, or moving here, impacted your writing?
MW: Yes. It brought me back to my childhood, because I grew up in a small town. I live near Windsor, Nova Scotia, and it's very much like the town in Georgia I grew up in. One of the things I wrote about in what's probably one of my favourite stories, “Midway,” is how small towns used to be much more rural. Talking about when the protagonist is growing up, I wrote, “Since we lived in a town, I thought that was my identity: town person. Now I can see how newly scratched in the dirt that life was, how essentially rural it remained. How all of that held me.” That's something that I've really gotten back in touch with since moving to Nova Scotia 15 years ago. I grew up in a small town but it was really like the country. So many of the people I went to school with were farm kids, and we had FFA—Future Farmers of America; we had 4H. Many of the kids I knew a raised chickens, and the boys would be driving tractors after school and on the weekends. That was the life I was familiar with. Moving back to Nova Scotia has reignited those memories, because that way of making a living is still so apparent here, in ways I never saw in Toronto.
It's really important to honour that lifestyle and not look down on it a second-best. My younger daughter is dying to get out of Nova Scotia. She has very specific plans to go to university in either Toronto or Montreal, and she is out of here the day she gets that high school diploma. Which is fine, obviously. But it's important that we not fall into a trap of believing cities are somehow cooler, or a better way to live.
AS: What can the world expect next from Martha Wilson? Are you working on anything new?
MW: I'm working on a new short fiction collection. A lot of it is about working in a church. Church life really fascinates me, especially the behind the scenes of church life that isn't about attending church, but about the church office. That's something I'm working on now.
Dear X,
I knew this day would come. My story, my unique StFX experience, that made national headlines would one day feel meaningful to tell. Though my name was hidden I was the student Dr. Robert Strang was talking about, the student CBC was talking about, and the student my campus was talking about. I was the kid that beat meningitis twice. My Xaverian journey begins in 2014.
Like many of my peers I moved to Antigonish as a first-year student from Ontario. I had never lived away from home before. I was now to fend for myself in this new grown-up world. I adjusted and found a new home in Antigonish. I moved into residence, befriended my roommate, expanded social circles, participated in my classes as well as frequented the intramural sport arena. I was becoming someone, something I was unable to do back in Ontario. I was at peace. The safety and security I felt in my new home was beyond description. Then one night my peace was shattered. I found myself unable to hold down any food, water, or cold medication. I could not sleep, for the pain exploding through my spine was horrific. I felt like I was made of glass. My head was spinning, my eyes so sore I could not see very well and yet that afternoon I was happily sitting in meal hall. The symptoms appeared so quickly that by the time my roommate awoke on November 10, 2014, I was already dying. Once admitted to the regional hospital I began to deteriorate. Spinal fluid, blood samples, and stool samples all returned congruent with a horrifying discovery. I had contracted Bacterial Meningitis Strain-y. Immediately I was rushed to the ICU and the garments of people around me began to change. I was suddenly too sick to touch and or even share the unfettered air. I remember wondering If I would die alone before I was 20 years old. Would anyone even know I was dead? Then I blacked out. I awoke and my mother was beside me in a hazmat suit holding my swollen speckled hands. IV’s dotted my arms pumping me full of heavy medication. I was alive, somehow. I spent the next weeks attached to heart monitors, slow drips, and oxygen masks. I felt like I was rotting. I felt like my life was over. The comfy new home I had grown accustomed to had been ripped away and replaced by something cold and metallic. My new university friends came to see me, my new friends have supported me, my new friends have constantly been their for me, my new friends are everything to me. My new friends turned into my best friends but my best friends could not wait on their Xaverian journey for me. I lost my first semester but I survived the unthinkable.
I made the decision to return to my studies in second semester. I felt well enough and though my parents were skeptical I was determined to return to StFX. I agreed to a reduced course load and a different way of life. I was the student that beat the deadly disease that swept through the province. The first time I ever really heard tell of an outbreak was when it was used to describe my illness. I was ostracized despite my friends best efforts to keep my self esteem in check. Any and all conversations resulted in my struggle with the disease. Jokes were made at my expense by strangers who had no understanding of what kind of illness I just defeated. Upon my return to StFX one would think I was present the entire fall. I was not approached by any StFX resource to aid in my transition back to classes. I was not offered any refunds for the class I missed, the meals I did not eat, nor the nights I did not sleep in residence. I was forced to negotiate the exemption of my winter examinations. I felt alone and isolated by the university that made me feel so welcome. The one thing that infuriated me was that the university did not look into the outbreak on my behalf nor did they complete any precautionary measures to ensure something like this wouldn’t happen again. I was expected to just pick up where I left off thinking I was at least protected by my institution.
On January 28, 2015, I contracted a different strain of Bacterial Meningitis from the one I had less than two months ago. I almost died at the same University, in the same residence, from the same deadly disease. This time I was the boy who cried wolf. Not a soul on campus believed my cries as I lay crippled in my residence. The residence staff were hesitant to call the ambulance so they didn’t. By the time those around me realized my situation was deteriorating again there was no time to wait. I was put in the back of a taxi cab and rushed to the hospital again. My grip on reality was slipping. My body was failing me again. I found myself in a very familiar position second semester of my first year. I was alone in a hospital wondering if I was going to die, I watched the scrubs of the medical professionals around me change from colourful shirts to hazmat suits, I watched watching IV’s and needles force their way into my veins and spinal fluid once more. My grip on life slipping away from my swollen hands speckled again, pockmarked by liver failure. I awoke to my family beside me. I awoke to my name being in the mouths of my peers as they circulated campus. I awoke but this time I had lost my will to fight anymore. I medically withdrew from StFX. I was lucky to be alive.
Upon my medical withdrawal I was offered barely 1/4 of my tuition, even though I missed 3/4 of the school year. I was not informed of any tests done by the university to understand the causes of the outbreak despite StFX’s name spattered across CBC. There was no attempt at acknowledging any accountability. I was just a number but I didn’t find that out until the end of my second year.
My second year was a mistake. Since surviving meningitis I had contracted three new ailments. I was diagnosed with Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and debilitating anxiety. I was not ready for anything close to the cognitive levels required to participate in scholastics. I descended into a chaotic spiral. Nearly one year to the day of my contraction of Meningitis I mentioned my desire to take my own life. I couldn’t cope, I couldn’t keep up with school, I thought I would never be able to operate like I once did. I was visited by my residence Hall director but nothing was done to help me. I made up my mind and ran from the building towards the highway that ran behind our residence. One of my closest friends followed me to the bathroom and watched me try and run to the highway. He stopped me, hugged me, and told me it was going to be okay. My friends took it upon themselves to sleep on my floor and they are the reason I am here today. If you are reading this, thank you. I decided to move off campus to a safe environment where I was surrounded by close family friends. Despite my feeling of safety I could not cope. I failed most of my classes and failed out. StFX was going to let it happen, no questions asked. I got my doctors to weigh in and fight for me to avoid the hefty academic expulsion. I was reinstated.
I am 25 now. I started my Xaverian journey at the age of 19. I am set to graduate this year. I am finally able to call an X-ring mine. I can finally say its over. I have yielded to the whims of time. I am no stranger to highly contagious diseases. I am no stranger to the sharp needles of the regional hospital. I am no stranger to being locked up in an ICU containment room. I am no stranger to Dr. Robert Strang. I am no stranger to StFX. So please hear what I say. Making students sign a waiver is insulting. It is insulting to the wonderful staff at X who make up this university. You have metaphorically cut away the life boats and forced them to go down with the proverbial ship. I cannot emphasize this enough; having to deal with medical complications alone in first year University derailed my life for nearly five years. The completion of my studies is a testament to the support systems that have surrounded me. I cannot believe StFX is acknowledging the dangers of a return to campus. Your waiver may absolve you from legal trouble but this is direct act of dangerous complicity. Complicit just like back on November 10, 2018, when you sent out an email in regard to another Meningitis outbreak on campus. In the very same residence I nearly died in twice. How dare you demand anyone to sign a waiver and usher a student into a potentially harmful environment? Your lack of awareness to the dangers of highly contagious diseases has nearly resulted in the deaths of two of your students.
If I should be able to receive my X-ring in person or it is delivered through the mail I will be hesitant to put it on. The message you are conveying is that student well being can be summed up in a legal document. The message you are conveying is the deficit that the university has incurred is more important than one students life. The message you are conveying is that I am just a number. When I receive my X-ring and Diploma this year I hope that I will be able to look back fondly on the instances where the Xaverian values have made me a better person. I just hope that you will reconsider opening campus if this waiver is your ticket to a fall semester. I worry about the first years who might wind up in an ICU. I worry you won’t have their backs like you didn’t have mine. I worry that this is just a numbers game. I worry I fell in love with a University that practices a different sermon than the one being preached. Hail and… saying Health in this situation would be a bit redundant no? Get better X.
With warmest regards,
The Former Patient Zero
On June 19, 2020, StFX University announced its intentions to host students back on campus in September, with the majority of classes being offered in-person. Until the nineteenth, StFX was one of the few Canadian universities yet to make a decision regarding online vs. in-person classes, and students, staff, and faculty alike were eagerly awaiting the official announcement. Now that we have an answer, the question is, what does everyone think?
For the week following the announcement, I collected survey responses from 88 members of StFX faculty to find out what they are thinking and feeling about the university’s decision. The responses came from both contract and tenure or tenure-track faculty, and from more than 22 different departments. This article is a summary of what I found.
Overall, faculty are largely divided in their opinions about whether StFX made the right decision. 35% of faculty surveyed agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX made the right decision to host students on campus in the fall, while 42% disagree or strongly disagree. The remaining 23% opted to remain neutral.
For those who agree with the decision, the mental health of students is front of mind. Dr. Angie Kolen, for instance, believes that in order for us to remain mentally healthy, “we need to be social, see people—in person.” Another professor, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees with the decision largely because the alternative (online delivery) would cause more harm, and exacerbate a number of problems that already exist. Those problems include the mental health struggles that Dr. Kolen mentions, as well as academic struggles and social inequity. Then, there would also be an array of new problems to deal with, such as inconsistent internet access. Online education, they say, “has been shown to exacerbate social inequities, further widening the gulf between high-performing students who often come from wealthier … backgrounds and students who are disadvantaged.”
Those who are more skeptical, however, also speak to the inequities that an in-person approach might exacerbate. A number of respondents point out that students and faculty who are immuno-compromised will likely face increased difficulties and lower quality education, having to take or teach all their courses online regardless of an open campus. One professor, whose son has asthma, worries that returning to in person teaching would put their son at serious risk. “What of faculty, students, and staff with serious health problems or in vulnerable age groups? What about parents with young kids and nowhere to place them? What about elder care,” they ask?
If an outbreak occurs, many faculty are also concerned that the resulting shift online will look much like it did in March: chaotic, rushed, and nowhere near the quality of education students are paying for. A scramble to get home could also create financial hardship for many students, or prove impossible for those who need to cross international borders. What more, faculty are being told by administration that “they do not have to provide any more accommodation for students who have to self-isolate and miss face-to-face classes than they normally would if students get sick,” despite the fact that the situation we are in is far from normal. The professor who pointed this out was also concerned that some faculty may be penalized for putting in the extra work to support sick students, and consequently spending less time on other aspects of their jobs such as research.
Another big factor for those against the decision was whether they thought students and faculty would follow the rules. 65% of faculty surveyed disagree or strongly disagree with the statement that they believe StFX students will respect social distancing protocols, while only 20% agree or strongly agree. Concerns about fellow faculty not following those protocols were expressed in survey responses as well. For many, this distrust in others is a big reason why they feel unsafe returning to work. For others, there are still simply too many unknowns. Dr. Tharshanna Nadarajah, who teaches Math and Statistics, believes that given the identified risks, “forcing students back on campus is putting the school’s financial interests over student safety—regardless of how they try and spin it.”
Of the faculty members surveyed, only 35% of faculty said that they had been consulted by StFX prior to the announcement, while an even smaller 30% agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX adequately consulted with and considered the needs of faculty prior to making their decision. For those who were consulted, some also expressed that they felt their concerns were ignored because of the institution’s financial concerns.
The responses of contract faculty versus those of tenure or tenure-track faculty also revealed a number of inequities within the university’s decision-making process. While all faculty are being asked to contribute a significant amount of labour to preparing for both online and in-person teaching, part-time and contract professors aren’t being paid for that work. Another respondent pointed out that the various seminars, webinars, and townhalls being hosted by StFX administration might be missed by contract employees who are technically not employed by StFX during the summer, and may be busy with other jobs or commitments. This respondent wonders “how many contract employees will miss out on opportunities to learn online teaching methods, or proper safety protocols because of their current employment status?” Many contract faculty also don’t receive sick leave (paid or unpaid), or other health benefits, which in the midst of a global pandemic, makes returning to work all the more unsafe. Failing to provide all faculty with sick leave and health benefits while asking them to return to return to work, as one professor puts it, “is to treat them as disposable.”
Not all contract faculty were upset about the decision to open campus, however. One professor shared their excitement over the decision, because had the university decided to shift online, their position may have been cut; they were grateful to still have employment in September. Others appreciated the opportunity to learn how to teach online, despite the fact they weren’t being paid—looking at it as free professional development.
Overall, faculty opinions on StFX’s decision to reopen campus for in-person instruction are mixed. Some are overwhelmingly in favour, while others remain skeptical that the university’s plan will be effective in preventing an outbreak of COVID-19. The most common trend among responses was a concern about the inequities that either decision would have exacerbated, leaving us to wonder why so many inequities exist to be exacerbated in the first place. For an institution that prides themselves in social justice leadership, StFX has a lot of work left to do.
Homecoming at StFX is a special day for alumni as they return to their home. Alumni from all years travel to StFX for a special weekend of re-visiting their residences, seeing their favorite professors, and finding out what is new on campus at StFX. Alumni have the chance to visit their old sports teams, societies, and visit with old friends. It is a weekend filled with fun activities for students and alumni to look forward to. It is also a special day for current students as they learn about new and old traditions from the alumni, and see StFX’s school spirit throughout the day from alumni. Homecoming brings every StFX student current and past together to celebrate their university, the place they call home, the weekend has something for everyone.
Sadly this year there will be no homecoming. Due to Covid-19, it has been decided to postpone the weekend. The decision has been made to have homecoming 2020 in August of 2021.
StFX said in an email to students, “While everyone was disappointed with the news, it is the responsible thing to do from a health and safety standpoint.”
StFX plans to send out more information and scheduled dates closer to August of 2021.
Even though StFX will not be able to show their school spirit during homecoming of 2020, students and alumni will continue to celebrate their home, StFX.
Following approval by the University Senate on June 18th, and the Board of Governors June 19th, StFX President Dr. Kevin Wamsley announced plans to reopen campus to students. In an email to StFX students, Wamsley announced that StFX will “offer a Senate-endorsed approach of mixed-method course delivery,” beginning September 14th.
In the email to students, Wamsley noted that the decision comes after “much careful planning and deliberation,” citing the safety of the StFX community as the university’s top priority.
Reactions to the announcement are mixed. While many students celebrate the potential return to normalcy, others are concerned. StFX Students’ Union Graduate Student Representative Lauren Viana, who is returning to campus shortly to complete self-isolation before continuing research, is concerned about safety. “All you need is one person to slip up,” Viana says, “and you can decimate a population.” According to Viana, graduate students doing research have been asked to fill out a return-to-research form outlining what facilities they will need, and what PPE they have. However, Viana has yet to see any official documentation with guidelines on returning to research. Despite these concerns, Viana is satisfied, and described reopening as “great.”
Sanjidha Ganeshan, a 4th year psychology student from Mauritius told the Xaverian Weekly that she “love[s] that school is opening again for the fall semester.” Ganeshan notes that “reopening campus will be easy if everyone does their part and respects all safety protocols.” Despite this, Ganeshan, who previously served at the International Student Representative for the Students’ Union anticipates that “some international students who went back home might decide to take the semester off just to be safe.”
StFX Students’ Union President Sarah Elliott, in a statement released shortly after the announcement was made, expresses the Union’s support for the plan. Elliott emphasized that “the StFX Students’ Union’s number one priority is the well-being of our students.” Elliot went on to say that the students’ union “[looks] forward to working with the university to provide a safe and fulfilling StFX experience.”
The members of the StFX Association of University Teachers (StFXAUT) are “cautiously optimistic” according to a statement released Friday afternoon. The StFXAUT says that their members are “looking forward to again being able to have in person interactions with students and colleagues.” The StFXAUT did however express concerns “with the lack of support being provided to many of [their] members who, despite not currently being employed by the university, are expected to … begin preparations for the fall.” This would include any part-time academic staff and contract faculty.
Laurie Boucher, Mayor of the Town of Antigonish, commented “This was a university decision that was made based on consultations with the province and public health officials. Now that the decision has been made the Town will be working with the university, hospital, RCMP and landlords in Antigonish to ensure the safety of students and residents in our community.” Boucher, responding to anxieties in the community, said “All of the partners involved have everyone’s best interests in mind and is keeping health safety a top priority during the preparation process and for when the students return in August and September.”
In an interview with Xaverian Weekly Editor-in-Chief, Will Fraser, StFX President Kevin Wamsley described the decision making process that lead up to today’s announcement. According to Wamsley the planning process has been ongoing for more than nine weeks. This process involved consultation with various stakeholders including the Students’ Union, Town of Antigonish, Municipality of the County of Antigonish, the RCMP, Saint Martha’s Regional Hospital, and landlords.
Based on consultations with these stakeholders, the university conducted space assessments of the campus, and a flow assessment to determine how the university could safely operate in the fall. With nine weeks of planning completed, the university submitted their plans to the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang, and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. As of this week, Wamsley says, Dr. Strang confirmed the plans were “solid.” Following the sign-off by the province, the plans were presented to the University Senate and Board of Governors. After two hours of discussion, the Board of Governors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation.
Asked for his message to students who now must decide if they feel safe enough to return, Wamsley says “safety is a responsibility of everyone.” and noted that the university has taken steps to ensure the safety of faculty, staff, and students. Wamsley calls upon students to “be partners with [the university] and the community,” and to protect the most vulnerable members of the StFX community.
It remains unclear what restrictions will be in place when students return in September, but we know that StFX will not look the same as it has in the past.
On February 27, 2020, StFX hosted the annual Allan J. MacEachen Lecture in politics, a series that has hosted prominent Canadian political figures such as the Right Honorable Jean Chrétien and Senator J. S. Grafstein over the last 23 years.
Read More“This is the world that white supremacy and industrial capitalism built.”
On Monday, January 6, 2020, Robyn Maynard’s lecture Black Life, Black Liberation and the Climate Crisis argued the point above by insisting on an expansion of where we see anti-blackness and violence in the context of the climate crisis.
Read MoreDr. Andrew Hakin is the incoming president of StFX. The Xaverian Weekly sat down with Dr. Hakin to discuss his recent appointment and his vision for StFX.
Read MoreAs January 5 marks the middle of winter, many varsity teams are preparing for next season. Two teams at StFX are getting ready for their last scheduled games. The men's and women’s basketball teams are approaching playoffs as the regular season comes to an end.
Both teams have their last league games after reading week on February 21. The men's team has battled hard to secure their spot in the playoffs and are currently holding second place.
Both teams have had tremendous success this season compared to previous years.
The X-Women:
Won 3 games, in contrast with last season where they were without a win
Had their first home win since 2017
Won more games in a season since 2016
X-Women head coach LeeAnna Osei’s first ever win with the team
Beat the University of PEI in the second game of a back to back sequence even though UPEI was one of the top leaders of their pool, and had not lost a game prior
The women's team is mostly composed of rookies, 6 out of the 12 players being first year students. This being a very young team, the future looks very bright for this group of girls. On this note, StFX athletics would like to thank Jamie McCarron, the 5-season veteran, and this year's X-Women captain for her involvement.
The X-Men:
Secured a spot in the playoff
Won 10 games this season compared to 7 last season
Beat the previously undefeated Dalhousie Tigers
Have 2 players in the top 5 for points per game average
The men's team is coming off a very good season. They finished in fifth place in the 2019 season, losing in the quarter finals to Cape Breton. The men’s team has managed to outwork their competition, putting them in third place at the time this article was published. On January 11, the X-Men played nationally ranked Dalhousie Tigers. This home game ended up being a massive upset when the undefeated tigers fell to the X-Men in a 1-point game.
Congratulations to Avan Naza and Azaro Roker for finishing third and fourth in the league in points per game average at 17.5ppg and 17.3ppg. Coincidentally, the men’s team also has an unusual number of young players. No players from the X-Men team are graduating this coming spring. This will allow for chemistry to build as well as continuity for next season.
As many may know, there was a massive loss in the basketball world on January 26. The loss of the legend Kobe Bryant. As many mourned the loss of this amazing athlete on and off the court. The X-Men paid tribute by accepting a 24 second shot clock violation in honour of Mr. Bryant.
To catch all the action, visit https://www.goxgo.ca/landing/index for scheduling and live results. February 21 is the last league and home game for the women's and men's basketball team.
Speaking to an overflow audience at the Political Science Colloquium on February 5 in the Mulroney Building, Dr. Grenier said that Canadian values of freedom, equality and democracy must be channeled through the foreign policy of the Federal Government with specific attention aimed at Venezuela due to its current and ongoing political crisis.
Read MoreUnapologetically BLACK’ Honouring the Black Identity is an art project conceived by Kelsey Jones, StFX African Descent Student Affairs Coordinator, and StFX Art Gallery Director Dr. Andrea Terry.
Read MoreRyder Ferris profiles the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates.
Read MoreTheir music, mostly coming from the Real Book of Jazz, their bible (“If it ain’t from the real book we ain’t playing it”-Robert Grier), is a nice change of pace from the Spotify DJ’D parties the night before.
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