News
A Book Launch Under COVID-19? Virtually Moving!
by: Julienne Rousseau University of Windsor students in Marty Gervais’ Editing and Publishing Practicum courses have done something that’s virtually never been done before. They held a virtual book launch on Zoom. “Life would be boring without art,” said Dr. Joanna Luft, Head of Windsor’s English Department, setting the tone for the evening in her opening remarks. Indeed, this Zoom was like a first performance of a play. Although students have accommodated virtual learning, knowing how an audience was going to accept a virtual book launch was uncertain. No worries. Gervais’ students developed a framework for the launch that was
OPINION: Table Tennis Should be a Varsity Sport
by: Derek Marshall When is the last time the University of Windsor, or U Sports for that matter, added a new competitive varsity sport to the lineup? No seriously, I’m asking, because I don’t know, and it is hard to pin down an exact date. Nonetheless, it is safe to say that it has been a while, especially considering the rate at which society is constantly evolving. To the outside observer, the university sports menu looks stagnant. It feels like the same 12 varsity sport offerings have remained constant through time. So, it is time to mix things up. U
The Grand Return to Sport
by: Derek Marshall As the saying goes, you don’t really know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Many members of the University of Windsor community find this to be true when it comes to Lancers sports. The COVID-19 pandemic has sidelined the traditional sport competitions that are usually part of the campus buzz. It’s contributed to this dearth of campus experience – we all feel it, not just the students. Looking forward, however, this break from varsity athletics may result in a revitalized appreciation for campus athletic competitions. Could this be a rare silver lining in what’s been a pretty
Zoom Guise: Not exactly what you thought
Have students stopped wearing pants to class? Although students are social distancing, the online learning space gives virtual classmates a tiny window into each other’s personal spaces. But only from the waist up. The virtual classroom has changed the way students see each other. And for all we know, professors are under the guise too. What looks like an office could very well be a quiet corner in a basement or a bedroom with a few certificates hung on the walls. Class lectures and discussions are generally the same, but the landscape of the virtual classroom has changed. Today students
Screens Seen as Potentially Dangerous, Addictive
by: Mitch Stewart That screen? The one you’re watching now. Or that other one, on your phone? Or the one you’ll watch later? It turns out mom was right, all these screens in modern life may really be rotting your brain. Researchers at University College London have proposed that excessive screen time can be a contributor to dementia in people over the age of 50. “Research suggests that television is a bit of unusual activity for the brain because you’ve got lots of bright and fast-moving images so your brain is very alert,” explained Dr. Fancourt from the UCL Institute
Richard Moon: UWindsor Law Professor and conspiracy aficionado
by: Rowan Dunne In a compelling interview regarding conspiracy theories and misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic on February 26th, I spoke with Richard Moon. Moon is a Law Professor at the University of Windsor and a renowned author on the subjects of freedom of expression, religious freedom, and conspiracy theories. He is also currently editor-in-chief of the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice. In September last year, Moon published a written piece in the Literary Review of Canada entitled Language Barrier: The life of a conspiracy theory. In this written segment he discussed the psychology behind the prominence of conspiracy
An interview with the UWindsor Campus Physician
by: Rowan Dunne In an interesting interview on Microsoft Teams with Dr. Matt Scholl, I had the chance to gain insight into the perspective of a medical professional regarding misconceptions and conspiracy theories surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered in the interview included the danger of an apathetic mentality about the virus, the viability of rules and regulations implemented by the government in Canada, and the tendency of many to drift toward believing in some whacky theories which do not align whatsoever with scientific evidence during times of uncertainty. Dr. Scholl stated, “public health measures, we have to put those
No Small Task : A Conversation With Anti-Black Racism Task Force Members
by: Donneyha Ellis Geohagen “I am optimistic that the task force will do what it was created to do,” says Anti-Black Racism Task Force co-chair Jessica Bona-Mensah. What the task force has been created to do is wide-ranging: collect data to best identify and review policies, programs, pedagogical practices, and research about racism on campus. Created in Fall 2020, the task force is made up of racialized faculty members and students and acts as an advisory board to the President. While approaching the initiative with open minds, task force members are maintaining a critical eye. The University of Windsor’s Students’ Association representative to
A Deeper Look at the Anti-Black Racism on Campus
by: Donneyha Ellis Geohagen A series of racially charged incidents, the establishment of an anti-Black racism task force, the sudden departure of the University of Windsor’s Vice-President of Student Experience. It would appear there’s a problem with race at UWindsor. This semester I will be taking a look at racism at the University of Windsor. My reporting will cover the broad efforts administration is undertaking, such as the work of the task force. I will assess its effectiveness in combating not just overt anti-Black racism, but also the micro-aggressions Black and other People of Colour face on campus. But experiencing
Look Out for Esports
by: Derek Marshall While the COVID-19 pandemic has functionally limited the vast majority of Lancer varsity teams for past year, a new team has emerged amidst the restrictions. From the beginning of the fall semester, Lancer Gaming, the University of Windsor’s esports team, has been the only university team competing against other academic institutions. For those that aren’t aware, esports is the term used to describe the world of competitive, organized video gaming. Lancer Gaming competes against 16 other teams in the Ontario Post-Secondary Esports (OPSE) organization. OPSE is comprised of provincial universities and colleges. The organization has $24,000 in