Organized by your student unions

A Student Guide to recognizing, thinking about, and confronting oppression at the University of Guelph

Human Rights Office

DISORIENTATION GUIDE 2009

Why Should I Read this Disorientation Guide?

Hello! Thank you for picking up the Disorientation Guide that your Central Student Associations (the student union) Human Rights Ofce has put together for September 2008. You are probably wondering Why should I read this guide? I am going to try and answer that big question in a small introductory paragraph. Disorientation Guides are a bit of trend on North American campuses and this is the rst attempt to provide the students at the University of Guelph with one. The aim of this guide is to give new and returning students a taste of on-going equity and human rights issues on this campus from a student perspective. Everyone who has written an article for this guide is either a current or a past student and this is important. You are going to encounter a lot of people talking at you about a variety of issues throughout your time at the University of Guelph, but unfortunately not enough of these people will be students and not enough of them will be discussing uncomfortable topics concerning issues of power and inequality on our campus. Many of you will be able to identify with one or maybe several of the authors found within these pages because you have been confronting oppression within your life. Others may not be familiar with the some or all of the issues covered in these articles but you recognize that you are here to learn. Either way it is essential that you view this new chapter of your as the beginning or continuation of life-long lesson on confronting oppression. Beginning or continuing this lesson can be disorienting, hence the title, and will no doubt change your perspective on being a student. I have no doubt though that once you recognize that disorienting yourself and your surroundings is part of becoming passionate about a human rights issue, you will nd a way to get involved in challenging that inequality. So, thank you again for giving the Disorientation Guide a read and a serious ponder.

Arden Hagedorn CSA Human Rights Ofce Coordinator

csahro@uoguelph.ca

Disorientation
Pronunciation (dis-r en-tshn) 1. Loss of the sense of familiarity with one's surroundings

I would like to give a big THANK YOU to all the Disorientation Guide Contributors! You know who you are, but I am going to list you anyways!

Jack Hixson-Vulpe Molly McManus Sonal Pala Becca Wood

1.

La D.L. Newton Arthur Churchyard Hannah Peck

Tucker Gordon Dave Hauch Veronica Majewski Ted Lindsay

Guide to the Guide

Activism and Academia. Like Oil and Water? by Jack Hixson Vulpe - pg. 3 Who Controls Your Campus? by Molly McManus - pg. 4 Security Poles and Self Defense: The University's Response to Sexual Violence on Campus by Sonal Pala - pg. 4 Access for EveryBody by Becca Wood - pg. 6 Racism on Campus. by Lea and D.L. Newton - pg. 7 True Sustainability by Arthur Churchyard - pg. 8 Queer Classroom Calamities by Hannah Peck - pg. 9 Trans Barriers to Campus by Tucker Gordon - pg. 10 Standing Together Makes a Stronger Campus by Dave Hauch - pg. 11 Loss of Womens Studies Major is not a Minor Issue by Veroncia Majewski - pg. 12

Top to Bottom: The Administration and You by Ted Lindsay - pg. 13 Check Out Disorientation Week - pg. 14 Campus Organizations To Look Out For - pg. 15

2.

Activism and Academia. Like Oil and Water?

By Jack Hixson-Vulpe

The world of activism in a post secondary context comes in a multitude of forms. Stereotypes of university students behind a bullhorn, handing out yers and signing petitions run rampant in popular media. And while university campuses are seen as bastions of activism, they are also seen as a point where activism and academia diverge. It is argued that an academic world is based in theory, whereas the activist world is based in the practical and the two shall never meet. Mixing activism with academia is often akin to mixing oil and water; they can both oat along the same current but have problems bonding. As both an activist and an academic, I nd nothing more satisfying than bringing these two worlds together. How might this be done, you ask? There are two words that have helped me bring together these two divergent worlds in my life (which I am so much happier for!) Those two words are: Critical Analysis! This is the biggest, most important and difcult step towards being an activist and an academic. To engage in critical analysis one must start with understanding their personal position. Before you can take steps towards engaging with academic material in a critical way I believe that you must understand your own position as a student at the University of Guelph in critical way. Learn about things such as power, privilege and oppression in relation to the world and yourself. Question how you t into the broader political and social environment. Understand your position in the world, the biases that have been systemically ingrained into your thoughts and behaviors. Understand when you are being oppressive and when you are being oppressed. And the most important part of that critical analysis is; be prepared to take ownership and responsibility for yourself and your actions. It is only after a critical analysis of yourself that can you begin to engage in the classroom. I have found a numbers of ways to engage my activism in the classroom. As an out queer, trans, anti-capitalist and feminist individual, I have found myself to be one of the few voices that is constantly questioning the content of courses this includes articles and books assigned by the professor but also how the professor engages with the

students and the topics discussed in classroom. In many ways questioning course content is encouraged but I think it is amazing when people take it to the next level and think about the ways in which all forms of oppression, power and privilege play into what is being discussed. Thinking about all works (scholarly or not) from a framework of intersectionality makes from great discussion! As well, picking topics to write assignments on that use an activist framework are also a really amazing

Mixing activism with academia is often akin to mixing oil and water; they can both oat along the same current but have problems bonding.
way to engage with activism in the classroom. Use your paper topics to engage in topics that you nd interesting outside the classroom this way you are researching for class but also for general information that you might nd interesting. If a topic you want to write about isnt an option, go talk to your professor and see what they say. There are many professors that are willing to engage with students who show an interest in a particular issue. Whether you are prepared to be outspoken in the classroom or want to write on amazingly interesting topics which are highly informative, it is possible to bridge the gap between activism and academia. These two domains have so much to learn from each other and could work so well together! So go educate and agitate!

3.

Who Controls Your Campus?

By Molly McManus
Here is a hint: its not the 20,000 majority of people who pay to be here. If you have ever gone to the bathroom, bought a snack or food from a vending machine or a cafeteria or attended a few classes you might have noticed something. The public does not control this and research the reputation of some of university, private corporations do. those companies. Is it a coincidence that The Board of Governors has the power to CIBC owns all the ATMs on campus or appoint the president of the university, that Canadian Tire was given permission and oversees the control, management, to build that big store on university land? governing and conduct of the affairs, business, property and revenues/ expenditures. The Board has three student representatives of 24 total members. Who are these people that hold all that power? They currently include members with ties to Nestle Purina PetCare, Maple Leaf Foods, Kinross Gold Corporation, and Irving Oil. Previous boards included ties to EDULINX/ CIBC, Rol-Land Farms, Canadian Tire and DuPont Canada. Take a few minutes A referendum that called for replacing Coca-Cola with an alternative beverage supplier received 65% approval by students in 2007. The campaign to pressure the university into not renewing its contract with Coca-Cola stemmed from an awareness of the companys role in human rights and environmental abuses in Columbia and India. Take a tour of the vending machines on campus. Whose products do you see?

This is just the beginning. There are numerous indications around the University of Guelph indicating the increase in privatization and lack of student control. For more information pick up Guelph U, Inc. a map of your corporate campus compiled by your student union (the CSA) a few years ago, or pick up a blank copy of Map your Corporate Campus and do the work yourself. Contact the CSA Human Rights Ofce to get a copy.

A referendum that called for replacing Coca-Cola with an alternative beverage supplier received 65% approval by students in 2007.

Security Poles and Self Defense: The University's Response to Sexual Violence on Campus
By Sonal Pala

Think of

four of your friends

This Message is Not Enough to Keep Us Safe. Artwork by Kate Miller

at university strong, intelligent, beautiful women. Statistically, one of them will experience sexual assault during her time at the University of Guelph. Keeping in mind the signicant underreporting of sexual assault, as well as a general lack of knowledge about what constitutes sexual assault, these statistics represent a low estimate of what women actually experience. Sexual violence has reached epidemic

proportions on campus. So what does a University which claims to put the needs of students rst do to address the spread of trauma within its community? Well, theres been an effort to increase those blue security emergency poles on campus and the University of Guelph Campus Community Police offers Rape Aggression Defense Training (R.A.D.). While these are worthwhile endeavors, the University stopping at these tokenistic actions demonstrates a failure to comprehend and take effective action

4.

on an issue integral to students basic well-being. The focus on programs such as R.A.D. and increased emergency poles means that the responsibility for sexual assault is placed entirely on the victim and the behaviour of people who commit sexual assault is unproblematized. The attention of the University is focused on rape committed by strangers and what women can do to defend themselves from a physically violent attack. Meanwhile, frequent acquaintance sexual assaults on campus happen without recognition or action on the part of the University.

...myths teach us that only some women will be sexually assaulted, and its because they asked for it

The solutions proposed by the University support the hierarchy of sexual assault experiences, which falsely places rape at the top and any other form of unwanted touching (including nonconsensual grinding at a bar) at the bottom, ignoring the similar impacts that all forms of sexual violence can on survivors. In addition, they delegitimize the experiences of survivors who have been assaulted by someone they know, which is the most common form of sexual violence. This is exacerbates the period of selfblame which survivors often experience. The purposeful separation of sexual assault from the University of Guelph community distances us from the realities of sexual violence, allowing us to shift responsibility outwards and revel in the perceived safety of inaccurate and harmful sexual assault myths. These myths teach us that only some women will be sexually assaulted, and its because they asked for it, either through their actions or their identity. This allows some people to incorrectly believe that they are exempt from something which is a societal issue and survivors to believe that they deserve the violence enacted on them. Rape scripts disregard the experiences of violence within same-sex relationships, as well as those of people with disAbilities and racialized people. The more layers of oppression someone is faced with, the more insistent the rape script becomes that there are "legitimate" and "illegitimate" victims. The "good victim" (read: the victim who is considerably more likely to be believed by

institutions, such as the University of Guelph) is white, heterosexual, conservatively dressed, middle class, refrains from sexual activity, and has no previous relationship with her abuser. This also feeds into the idea of rapists as strangers who appear on campus occasionally and inltrate the University of Guelph "community", because no one who actually attends University here would do something so horrible. Only they do. It's not the stranger lurking in the alley that poses the greatest risk, it's the person who you go to class with every tuesday, ride the bus with, laugh with over lunch and share personal stories with. And we're not given the information or tools to process and deal with that. Although we should be able to expect that the University of Guelph will take students' actual concerns and experiences into account, they have continually failed to do so. So it's up to us to make sure our voices and stories are heard. In the hopes of revealing a more accurate picture of what sexual violence looks like in Guelph, we've started compiling peoples' personal stories of sexual assault and anonymously publishing them in Saturday Night: Untold Stories of Sexual Assault in Guelph. Look for copies of the book at news stands around campus, or in the Central Student Association main ofce (UC274) the Central Student Association's Human Rights Ofce (UC 244) If you'd like to anonymously contribute to the next edition of Saturday Night, send your stories, poems and/ or artwork to saturdaynightguelph@gmail.com. If you want to help produce the next edition or have any questions, feel free to email us at the address. If you are experiencing distress please call Women in Crisis at 1-800-265-7233 or the Guelph Distress Centre at 1-877-822-0140 (both TTYTDD Accessible)

5.

Instead of re-imagining the classroom to create access, it becomes the students responsibility to disclose disability, and seek individual help for the problem of not tting the mould of what a student should be.

6.

for the problem of not tting the mould of what a student should be. The social model of disability identies disability as a result of societys failure to take into account the needs of a variety of bodies. In this model, disability is all the things By Becca Wood that impose restrictions on disabled people; ranging from individual prejudice to institutional discrimination, from Take a moment to think about your body. How do inaccessible public buildings to unusable transport systems, you move through the world? How do you exist in a from segregated education to excluding work arrangements, classroom? Do you think of your body as a problem? Our and so on. (Oliver) This model takes the responsibility for bodies are connected to our experience of the academic access off of the individual and asks social organizations to world and its important to have an awareness of how to think about and create access for everyone, including people rethink perceptions of disability. Instead of viewing disability as a problem, this model asks us to think about the with visible and invisible disabilities. Thinking about accessibility in the classroom and on privileging of able-bodies as a problem. If academic institutions were fully accessible, both campus benets everyone, but often instead of setting up classrooms with a variety of bodies in mind, the able-bodied physically and academically, disability would look very student is privileged. Everyone can benet from having clear different on campus. Unfortunately this is not the case, and pathways and somewhere to sit, or having lectures presented ableism, meaning the fear of and discrimination against disability, is prevalent. How does your own body connect to with overheads or handouts to accommodate different disability? Ableism can come from a place of simply learning styles, but these are often the extent of what is accepting able-bodied privilege. There is a dangerous offered as accessibility, which causes individuals who need comfort in experiencing privilege without the recognition of other accommodations to standout. oppression. Bodies are not stable creatures, which means The academic world seems to be set up so that the that creating access is a benet to everyone. Its time to individual student is responsible for searching for access. refocus and think about the fact that people are only This is based on the individual model of disability which identies disability as a problem located in the individual that temporarily able-bodied in a society built with only able comes from their bodily or psychological limitations. This bodies in mind. model paints disability as a tragedy that has randomly The denitions of the Individual and Social model of befallen some individuals. Instead of re-imagining the disability are from Michael Olivers chapter The Social classroom to create access, it becomes the students Model in Context from the book Understanding Disability: responsibility to disclose disability, and seek individual help From Theory to Practice

Access for EveryBody

 Racism on Campus
By La and D. L Newton
The University of Guelph is often thought of as a "progressive" institution and, as such, beyond social illnesses such as racism. This, unfortunately, is only one of the innumerable misconceptions/misrepresentations of the University. The population on campus, as well as in the surrounding city, is predominately white, as you may or may not already know. Whiteness has been, and continues to be, inextricably linked with racial oppression. We assert that only with this recognition can a meaningful discussion about racism on our campus and beyond ensue. The general understanding of racism is that it is the hatred of a certain group based on race. Throughout history, this has manifested itself in a plethora of ways from physical violence such as assault, murder and mutilation to something as seemingly innocent as derogatory and insensitive jokes. The degree of severity between these varying forms can seem to be separated by a irreconcilable gulf. This apparent gradient sometimes allows what we deem to be the most severe forms to cast a shadow over and, in some way undermine the impact of, the lesser forms. But what is important to remember is that they all represent and reinforce the same system of oppression. In understanding how racism exists and affects us within our campus, it is necessary to look back to its roots in European colonization. With European colonization came the ideology and state implementation of white supremacy, the belief that white people and their society is the pinnacle, and therefore model, of civilization. This is still the dominate belief today. What does this have to do with Guelph? Well, Guelph itself is situated on land stolen from indigenous people years ago by European settlers, a situation that demands immediate rectication but that is constantly overlooked and given false justication based on racist rationalizations. The governmentally regulated education system has done next to nothing to acknowledge, let alone analyze and critique, the racist history (which is ongoing) of Canada. And while universities are often thought of as more independent of the educational system, offering us perspectives that are excluded from high school curricula, the fact of the matter is that many of the paradigms and theories extolled in lecture halls and textbooks are grounded in the same racist ideologies, they're just shrouded in seven syllable words and intellectual rhetoric. So how does this all play out on campus, both in and out of our

classrooms? We have already pointed out that the majority of the population at the University (this includes faculty, administration and students) is white, and as such, almost necessarily brings with it the continuation of white supremacy, whether explicitly expressed or not. One useful term you may hear that frames the discussion of racism on Guelph's campus (and increasingly many other spaces) is the term privilege. Privilege is the historically based and institutionally perpetuated system of advantage into which people are born based on having white skin, being upper or middle class, straight, able-bodied, male, cisgendered, et cetera. For example, the reasonable accommodation debate in Quebec is white supremacist, as it based on the assumption that white people are the standard to which all cultures must assimilate. A prevalent example of racism on campus is the denial of white privilege, instead calling it reverse racism. People are pretty quick to jump to the defensive when they are called on their racism (that is, if they are ever called on it). We can understand why - how many people really want to be

considered a racist? But before we deny that we might hold some racist ideologies, we must stop and really think about it. Given the history of North America, if you are white then you have received a high degree of racist indoctrination. What's worse is that these seemingly "normal" racist beliefs that we carry with we may never be shown to us, given that from birth we are bombarded with racist propaganda by the media, institutions and through the romanticized history of European colonization. In short, we live in a system that is rotten to the core with racism and it's inescapable. It's true that while at university you will engage critically with many of our most pressing issues today. Many of your previously held beliefs will be challenged and changed, but a meaningful dialogue on whiteness, white supremacy/privilege and racism will most likely remain absent. We strongly urge you to learn about racism and privilege on our campus and how you are implicated.

7 .

True Sustainability
By Arthur Churchyard

True sustainability is essentially about feeling really, really good. Like a friendly back-scratching. True sustainability is selfish. Its that evolutionary trait that haunts the most lavish fantasies of economists and geneticists alike: Self-interest in the common good. But for many earnest do-gooders (myself included), sustainability is also an issue of global justice and a means toward the flourishing of life in all its forms. Our planets most sustainable communities have been living in their ways for millennia. The most unsustainable communities are only just catching on (read: Kyoto Protocol and Rio Convention on Biodiversity). As someone who spends a great deal of time co-organizing the University of Guelphs Sustainability Week, I wouldnt want to be too cavalier about this. Ive enjoyed working on this very issue with the most talented, devoted and mindful folks you can find on campus. Our campus excels in many facets of sustainability this was well-documented in a 50 page report by the Sustainability Office in 2008. The question is, what are we excelling at? Were excelling at making better use of the resources we have. The University has identified numerous areas to conserve energy, water, land, and clean air, and to consume within a defined ethical framework, and its constantly improving.

really just making a living while creating the conditions for life. This is a far cry from the kind of sustainability discussed onscreen by the rich, famous, and all those trying to be. The word sustainability is politically loaded, commercially abused, and academically exhausted. Sustainability has recently enjoyed the tender caress of a powerful group of companies: Walmart, Monsanto, Toyota, Manulife, British Petroleum they all like to fix things, and theyve got the sustainable solution for you. As these are the companies that facilitated the problems to begin with, it would be foolish to continue paying them for solutions. Considering that these problems include climate change, obesity, a global recession, food shortages and genocide, it would actually be immoral for the same people that caused the problems to make money fixing them. Instead, green communities will find true sustainability and wealth in preventing these problems. In our lifetimes, the wealthy entrepreneurs will be those who picked up woodlot management before Ikea ran out of Russian forests. They will be the ones who retained the lore of growing crops without oil. Theyll be the ones who figured out trade can happen without stocks and energy can be mined from waste. People can make a living from jobs and businesses that support community well-being, ecological and personal health, and biological economies. The University of Guelph already has pockets of excellence working toward this vision. I encourage you to seek them out and make your strength their strength.

Sustainability has recently enjoyed the tender caress of a powerful group of companies
The joy in that kind of sustainability is basically the joy of the dieter. If you gorge on beer and pizza long enough youll find out what I mean. Its a salvation attitude, an ethic of repentance and little round wafers.

I dont want wafers. I want bread. Homegrown, hand-mixed, hot kitchen baked. I want to be sustainable for the joy of loving and being loved. The most enjoyable things in life are sustainable. Friends, the real-life kind that actually laugh out loud. Food, fresh and well-earned. Making music. Playing sports. These are all parts of sustainable living. You could The Sustainability Office can be reached at call it activism because my friends and I think about and act sustain@pr.uoguelph.ca on these basic desires in a conscious way. But its

8.

Queer Classroom Calamities

By Hannah Peck
Being a trendy topic, queer issues/rights/politics are likely to come up in one of your rst year classes, usually in the form of gay marriage. My best advice for you is to hold onto your hat and get ready to be offended over and over. Of course, the way queer issues are treated in a classroom will depend on the professor, and its entirely possible that your professor will sensitively and knowledgeably navigate the topic, or simply choose a less personal and emotionallycharged one to discuss. Unfortunately, I have only experienced and heard of instances where professors have haphazardly tossed the topic of queer rights into the classroom and stood back while ravenous and heinously ignorant students tore it to shreds. (For instance, in one of my classes someone claimed that gay people shouldnt be allowed in the military because of all the intercourse they would undoubtedly have with each other.)

Amazingly, the discussion of queer issues in the classroom often takes place as though there are no queer people present.

is located on the second oor of the University Centre (UC), room 243. GQE holds weekly social events and larger events throughout the year, and also acts as a casual social space for the queer community (both on- and off-campus). Theres also an excellent resource library with books and Amazingly, the discussion of queer issues in the classroom movies, and the coordinators are very friendly! often takes place as though there are no queer people present. Truly hurtful and disrespectful things are spoken by Unfortunately, GQEs space is very small, and while it is students, and the professor will often do nothing to challenge technically wheelchair accessible, it isnt practically so. Some them or explain why whats being said is wrong. Worse still of our members who use wheelchairs have had to wait in the is when the professor says something offensive. In my hall during our meetings. (Luckily, GQEs socials and events experience, it has been left up to other students to defend are held in spaces that are actually accessible.) Because of queer rights, and as a queer student, I found this to be an how tragically small GQEs space is, theyve been trying to enormous responsibility that I was uncomfortable taking on. get a larger, more accessible permanent ofce/social space. I was presented with an ultimatum: speak up for my rights This has proven to be extremely difcult, especially and risk making myself vulnerable to direct attacks and considering theres more than just a space/accessibility ridicule, or say nothing while offensive and damaging concerntheres also a safety and condentiality concern. comments went unchallenged. GQE needs a space that isnt in a high-trafc area. The group has been working with the CSA and the If youre a queer ally and you nd yourself in a situation like administration to nd an appropriate space but there has I have described (or really, any situation where queer rights been little progress. At a university that claims to support are being debated or contested,) I urge you to speak up queer rights, its particularly frustrating and unacceptable because theres no guarantee that your professor or TA will. that there isnt a permanent and accessible space for this Making your presence and opinions known can go a long queer-focused organization. way to helping queer students feel a little safer in the classroom and on campus. Its also just a darn good thing to Another safe and supportive space for queer-identied folk is try to make homophobic or ignorant people question their the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and beliefs. Diversity (GRCGED) which is located on the rst oor of the UC in room 107. This space is much bigger and more If youre queer-identied, Im sorry in advance and I feel accessible. GRCGED also has a great (and large) resource your (probably inevitable) pain. You should know that youre library, as well as a separate room with a door where you can not alone, and that there are resources for you. For starters, be alone, or where you can talk to a staff member for theres Guelph Queer Equality (GQE), whose ofce support. If youre interested in something more condential,

9.

theres also CampOUT, a group which holds weekly discussions about queer issues and coming out. For more information, e-mail campout@uoguelph.ca. If you have witnessed or have been the target of homophobic actions and you would like to report the incidence or le a human rights complaint you can contact the Human Rights and Equity Ofce by calling 519-824-4120 ext.53000. If you are uncomfortable with this (it can be intimidating) and would like to talk to a student about your experience and options, you can contact the student unions Human Rights Ofce Advocacy Coordinator at advocacy@uoguelph.ca or call 519-824-4120 ext. 52629.

Trans Barriers to Campus

By Tucker Gordon

Think of what it means to be transgendered. To a lot of people they either think of transvestites, usually only in terms of men dressed in traditionally women's clothing or for sexual purposes, or transsexuals who either go from male to female or female to male. Regardless, there's still a binary concept of gender, with no room for uidity or points along a continuum. The binary doesn't exist at the level of sex, which is what our government and others predicate our gender from. We're also lumped with the queer community which, while some of us are, can be frustrating for others because being trans has nothing to do with one's sexual orientation and do not feel a part of that community. People often focus on our bodies and make comments which, giving people the benet of the doubt, are

supposed to be helpful such as "well you'll be a man/woman, boy/girl one day". Other times, either strangers feel the need to stare or comment on their confusion, occasionally causing us to become "its". Additionally, due to the frequency of gender pronouns in speech, people can become uncomfortable by their inability to determine if one is male or female. Fo r t h o s e w h o h a v e n ' t transitioned, either because they are unable to access services or because they do not wish to undergo hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery, there's the joys of coming out daily, correcting pronouns, choosing a washroom (which is intimidating enough in the campus library on a fairly accepting campus), and the mineeld of relationships which, if the individual wishes to transition at a later date, can cause issues for potential partners regarding their sexuality. And thats for starters. On campus, we're known everywhere by our legal names, so if a

10.

trans person hasn't legally changed their name every semester brings the good times of outing yourself to several hundred new people and no one being able to nd your name in the campus directory. Residence rooms and oors in certain buildings are gendered, which means if you don't t the binary someone's going to be upset no matter where you live. The athletics facility on campus, while they do have a private washroom on the 2nd oor where one could change, again you'll probably have to go through an explanation at the services desk to nd it for the rst time. You can pretty much write off using the pools, as they require showering rst. So we pay a couple hundred dollars a year for a facility to which we don't have equitable access. Additionally, transgendered health care on campus does not include the initial transition care. They only do follow-up, despite having a team of doctors and a psychiatrist on staff. Since it's listed as a psychiatric disorder (which is a whole different issue) one has to wonder why they can diagnose and treat pretty much every other disorder in the DSM-IV, and not gender dysphoria. For those that wish to transition it would alleviate stress, and allow them to have the option of going stealth. A stealth trans person is one who can pass as their preferred gender based on societal expectations of appearance, behaviour and speech, and either does not consider themselves trans or chooses not to disclose it. For transvestites, I have yet to see any information available amongst the numerous pamphlets that are displayed around campus.

The binary doesn't exist at the level of sex, which is what our government and others predicate our gender from.
With outing yourself there also seems to be a blanket set of questions which are commonly asked: 1) How do you know? Fair enough, though more difcult to answer than one would think. One theory that is sometimes still in play is a different brain structure, but unless my skull gets cracked open, you're going to have to take my word on my gender. 2) What was your old name? Really? Do you ask an adopted person what their old surname was or a friend's name before they got married? 3) Are you going to go on hormones? What surgery are you going to have done? Whether I discuss my medical choices with you depends on my comfort level with you. On that note, not all of us are bothered by questions, rather the nature of the questions or perceived intent behind them. One of the biggest issues though, that extends beyond the trans community to I would guess most if not all marginalized groups, is that conversations surrounding us tend to revolve around accommodation. It frames it as if, rstly we wish to integrate and blend in to mainstream society, secondly like everyone else is doing is a favour, and lastly that we have nothing to contribute.

Standing Together Makes a Stronger Campus

By Dave Hauch
Everywhere you look on campus, from the person cleaning in your residence, to the person who marks your exams, from the person serving your breakfast at Creelman to the person who professor at the front of your classroom, you will encounter people who work tirelessly everyday to make your education possible.

University are represented by CUPE 1334, while your teaching assistants and sessionals (part-time professors) are represented by CUPE 3913. The Steelworkers, Local 4120 on the other hand, represent clerical and technical staff, and the Faculty Association represents the full-time faculty. There are also workers on campus represented by the Communications, Energy & Paperworkers union, the Ontario Nurses Association, The University of Guelph Police Association and more.

Many of those workers are represented on campus by unions who work to protect their The university has tried for years to play the members rights and interests. The trades, interests of students and the interests of workers on campus against each other. They maintenance and custodial workers at the

11.

will say, for example, that an increase to wages for a custodian will increase your tuition. The university will also create a frame of reference where students and workers are divided into two separate and distinct camps, each opposed to the other. The reality could not be further from the truth.

group of your peers. The size of classes continues to rise with each passing year, but the number of TAs hired to mark papers and answer questions has held steady, or declined.

The funding crisis at the University of Guelph is a product of more than a decades worth of underfunding from the When CUPE 3913 ghts for workload protections for its province, but also a direct result of awed choices that the members, it ghts for smaller classes for you, and more institution has made over the years. one-on-one time with your professor and TA. When CUPE 1334 demands more time to clean a building that means you get to go to class, or home to residence, in a building where the air is clean and dust-free. When any union stands up for health and safety they are standing up for a safe campus, they are standing up for you as well as their members. Each of these unions also do work outside bargaining their collective agreements. CUPE 3913, for example, is in the midst of a campaign to oppose job cuts that have hit sessionals particularly hard over the last year. Sessionals are amazing professors and have won the student-selected Teaching Excellence Award ve times in the last decade. In the midst of the current budget crisis, many departments have decided to make the cuts mandated by the university on the backs on sessionals, leading to the loss of over 200 jobs. At the same time the number of TAs in some departments have also been cut back dramatically.

The university has tried for years to play the interests of students and the interests of workers on campus against each other. They will say, for example, that an increase to wages for a custodian will increase your tuition.

When decisions are made solely with an eye to the bottom While these cuts have a devastating impact on the lives of line, the human impact is lost, both in terms of the lives of the workers affected, they also have a dramatic impact on workers who lose their jobs, and the in terms of the the quality of the education you are paying so much to declining quality received by students. receive. The seminar, once an essential part of campus life, has all but been removed from the curriculum, denying you There are attempts being made to address these problems, including the Fund Quality campaign currently the chance to discuss material from lectures in a small underway on campus and the coordinated bargaining strategy undertaken by CUPE Ontario to address the problem of underfunding at the provincial level. Keep your eyes open for ways you can get involved to help protect jobs on campus and to stand up for quality in the education youre paying so much for. Meanwhile, take the time to learn the names of the workers you see regularly and stop to say thank you for the work they do everyday on your behalf. Together we can rebuild the notion of real campus community where people look out for each other.

11.

Loss of Womens Studies Major is Not a Minor Issue

By Veronica Majewski
Last year, during the winter semester the University of Guelph Senate voted to cut its Womens Studies Major. The cut came after weeks of protests and demonstrations from students, faculty, and community members, all who felt the program was valuable and necessary. The University gave its reasons, nancial and academic, why they felt the cut of the program was necessary, and in the best interest of students. The administration also suggested that although the major will be eliminated, the fact that many of the courses afliated with the WMST major will continue to exist, students will still be able to take classes that cover the issues of oppression. This, they claimed, meant that life on campus really hadnt changed much. Many people will say that because of this and several other reasons, the cut to the program isnt signicant. It is remarkable signicant, and will have a lasting and unfortunate effect on the political climate of this campus. To be the only English speaking research university without a Womens Studies major makes a bold and unattering statement about the universitys commitment to the issues of oppression and equal rights. Regardless of any rhetoric the silver-tongued members of Guelphs administration put forth, the cut doesnt make the school out to be a place welcoming to women and marginalized groups. It is extremely likely that people who live their lives with a commitment to anti-oppressive behaviour and education will not view Guelph as a place they would like to learn or teach. Gender Empowerment and Diversity, or the Ontario Public Interest Research Group, working on behalf of all students to make education accessible. The professors and staff who teach Womens Studies-focused classes are the individuals who most recognize the hurdles in place in life, and do their level best to help students overcome them.

Collectively, those with an interest in programs like Womens Studies are those who are engaged and passionate about changing and improving the status quo. In an era where apathy is at an all-time high, people committed to correcting injustices are invaluable. On a university campus, where so many decisions are made without the consultation of the students that keep these places in business, the loss of students and staff who are willing to question those decisions can be crippling. Im not here to suggest that the only people involved in campus activism are Womens Studies majors. There are To be the only English many more campus activists than there are WMST majors. But there are also many student activists in different majors speaking research university who would have (and who will) overlook Guelph as a without a Womens Studies destination because the lack of this major will tell them this isnt the kind of progressive campus theyd like to be on. And major makes a bold and because they wont come here, it soon will only get worse. unattering statement about The issue of the WMST closure is likely to be a topic of discussion on campus this year, as it was last year. the universitys commitment Many will say its no big deal, and that the students who to the issues of oppression rallied to try to save the program were overreacting. They might say it was only a small little program, and with so few and equal rights. majors, it was obviously not important, and therefore unnecessary. But the program is more than just a program, having a Womens Studies program is a commitment to antiThe loss of minds like that to the campus will be oppression that the University currently isnt making. And profound and lasting. Womens Studies majors are often the those who look for that commitment will go elsewhere, and types of students who volunteer with groups like the CSA well all be the poorer for it. Human Rights Ofce, The Guelph Resource Centre for

12.

Top to Bottom: The Administration and You

By Ted Lindsay
If you are interested in affecting change at the U of G it is important to ask yourself two questions: who holds power at the University and how do they use it. First, lets talk about the who at Guelph. Much of the power at the U of G is concentrated in two places: the administration and the Board of Governors (BoG). The administration is made up of the collective of the President and assorted Vice Presidents that manage the university on a day-to-day basis for example relations with staff or the provision of student services. The BoG, on the other hand, are responsible for key decisions and hold control over the Universitys budgets, the approval of major policies (such as the U of Gs Human Rights Code or Student Code of Conduct). While the BoG includes some staff and students the majority of its members come from off-campus and are often corporate executives or directors. This article will take a closer look at the administration. Now that we know who holds power its time to turn to the issue of how the use it. This is where it can get tricky. After all, it would seem safe to make the assumption that President of the University or the members of the BoG will look out for the interests of the Universitys community members including staff and students. Unfortunately, this assumption does not hold up to experience. First, the administration has a long history attempting to increase the amount of power and privilege that it enjoys while targeting those groups on-campus who have the least amount of institutional power such as international students or the lowest paid workers on-campus including teaching assistants, sessional instructors and maintenance staff. In 2005, the University chose to increase international student tuition by 5% despite the fact that International students already pay more than twice as much tuition compared to domestic students. The decision to increase tuition sparked protests from students who were worried that the increase would make the U of G inaccessible to new students while forcing those already attending the school into debt and poverty. In order to justify the increased tuition (and ignore protestors), President Summerlee argued that international student funding would save the University approximately $200,000 a year, a large sum of money in cash-strapped Ontario. Of course, this did not stop the BoG from increasing Summerlees salary by the same amount over the next four years (Summerlee now makes more money per student than any other president in Ontario). In addition, since 2003 the University has embarked on an unprecedented expansion including to the OVC, the Science Complex and Mackinnon it has been attempting cut funding for staff. This means fewer teaching assistants with you in the classroom or lay-offs to maintenance staff. Over the same period of time, the salary of the administration has grown at a rate that is three times larger than unionized staff. The above are only two small examples of the administrations consistent and long standing practice of ignoring the concerns of campus stakeholders in an attempt to solidify their own power. This includes interfering with the student union in 60's and 70's, seizing student space like the UC in the 1980's and drastic increases to tuition in the 90's. In more recent times it has included the administration closing or limiting student attendance at BoG meetings or slashing programs like Womens Studies despite unprecedented student and community protest. Even a brief review like this makes it clear, the interests of the administration are not the interests of the University community. The good news is that you can change that. The U of Gs history is full of exciting and empowering stories of student and worker struggles (some of which can be found in this zine) and in the coming years these struggles for a more democratic and participatory campus will continue.

University of G u e l p h P re s i d e n t A l i s t a i r Summerlee now makes more money per student than any other president in Ontario

13.

CHECK OUT

Check out Guelphs Take Back the Night, check out at www.takebackthenightguelph.blo gspot.com

Disorientation Week 2009 Sept 13th-15th

disoweek.wordpress.com
A Unique Session on Big Ideas and Social Change. Be a Part of the Student Movement Monday 11:30pm-1:00pm in Branion Plaza Student from across Canada, including Guelph, continue to play a signicant role in making change at the local, national and global levels. Connect with former and current students in a unique session about the past, present, and future of student activism and its impact upon post-secondary education. Media Activism Workshop Monday 10-11:30pm OR 6-7:30pm at OPIRG (1 Trent Lane, this space is wheelchair accessible) Print journalism, radio, and exciting things in between. This workshop is great for people who are interested in jumping into social justiceminded media-making, locally, right here on the University of Guelph Campus and out in the community. Comix to Watch Out For Wednesday 5:30pm University Centre room 103 Presentations by michele collins from Out on the Shelf - about queer comics and jen and amyfrom The Dragon comics store - about women and comics. Q and A and snacks to follow. Radical Downtown Walking Tour Thursday 2:30pm Come on a trip down the hill and see what Guelph is REALLY about. Find the social justice work and the radical activism happening off campus. Meet at OPIRG (1 Trent Lane). Stick around after for Take Back the Night.

Guerilla Art Scavenger Hunt

Sunday 1:30 - 4pm, University Centre 107 (This space is wheelchair accessible) Come nd and create temporary art throughout campus while getting a little intro to a variety of groups and the work they do. An early dinner and grab bags will be available to people who sign up at grcged@gmail.com

Alternative Poster Sale

Monday through Wednesday, Branion Plaza. Come check out a great selection of posters at the Alternative Poster Sale. At affordable prices some are free - you can decorate your walls with great artwork and good messages. Posters will have a human rights and social justice focus, unlike anything you can buy elsewhere on campus. Silk Screening and Placard Making Tuesday and Wednesday. University Centre 107 (email grcged.coordinator@gmail.com for times) Placard making and silkcreening for the annual Take Back the Night March. For more information about TBTN in Guelph check out takebackthenightguelph.blogspot.com Give me the Blue Light Safety on Campus Wednesday 12:30pm-1:30pm, Meet Outside Raithby House Learn about staying safer at night, the blue safety light system, and what supports and resources are available to you on-campus and offcampus when you feel unsafe.

14.

CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Human Rights Ofce (HRO) We offer advocacy, accompaniment and crisis support regarding human rights violations or any other issues. We also hold human rights related events throughout the year. Varying ofce hours, or by appointment University Centre 244 If you would like crisis support or advocacy, email advocacy@uoguelph.ca I f yo u w o u l d l i k e t o vo l u n t e e r, e m a i l csahro@uoguelph.ca If you have questions about events, contact hroevent@uoguelph.ca (519) 824-4120 ext. 52629 Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) A non-prot which addresses social, political, economic and environmental issues of public concern. Resource library available. Monday-Thursday, 11am - 5pm 1 Trent Lane opirg@uoguelph.ca Tel: (519) 824-2091 (direct line) Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and Diversity (GRCGED) Open to all genders, feminist library, offers a safe and anti-oppressive space to access support, read or breast-feed. Monday-Thursday, 10:00-noon &1:00-5:00 pm University Centre 107. grcged@gmail.com 519.4120 ext. 58559 C.J. Munford Centre Supports the intellectual and social development of students of every racial, ethnic and religious group through education and services such as a resource library, computers, and exam bank. Varying ofce hours. MacKinnon Basement, Room 054 munford@uoguelph.ca 519-824-4120 ext. 56911 Aboriginal Resource Centre/Aboriginal Student Association Culturally supportive environment for aboriginal students, workshops, student advisors also available. Call for hours. Room 102, Federal Building, 620 Gordon Street asa@uoguelph.ca 519.824.4120 ext. 58687 Women of Colour Collective (WOCC) Seeks acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate women of colour, while providing a safe space. Discussion groups, social events, workshops, and training. University Centre 107. wocc@uoguelph.ca Guelph Queer Equality (GQE) Guelph Queer Equality provides a safe space, supportive environment and lending library for people, including those who identify as queer, trans, bisexual, lesbian, and gay community. Varying ofce hours, or by appointment University Centre 243 gqe@uoguelph.ca (519) 824-4120 ext. 56702 Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) Support for people with physical, psychological or intellectual disabilities. Monday-Friday 9 am - 5pm University Centre, 3rd oor South 519.824.4120 ext. 56208 Counselling Services Walk-in crisis support and long term counselling. Walk in: Monday-Friday 12:30pm - 3:30pm, free long term appointments available other times. University Centre 3rd oor South counsell@uoguelph.ca 519.824.4120 ext. 53244

15.

OUTline Anonymous and condential crisis line, specializing in questions about sexual orientation and gender identity Tuesday & Wednesday 6-9 pm outline@uoguelph.ca 519.836.4550 Muslim Students' Association Library, prayer service, and advocacy. msa@uoguelph.ca Guelph Mature Student Association Quiet study space, library, kitchen, lockers, peer support, advocacy, resources Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (key available for members outside regular hours) mature@uoguelph.ca

CSA Food Bank Food for student, by students Hours may vary, please email or phone for more information foodbank@uoguelph.ca 519-824-6270 CSA Bike Centre The bike centre is a do-it-yourself bike repair shop. It is fully stocked with all the tools, uids, equipment, and knowledge needed to keep your bike working safely on the road and trails. Hours vary, so please contact us! 519-824-6270 guelphbike@yahoo.ca

16.