Editorials Archives - Page 2 of 3

News media needs to differentiate between fact and opinion

Written on November 3, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

In a time of distrust between news outlets and their readers, newspapers have a responsibility to clearly label their content as either fact or opinion. The Toronto Star recently published a column about Jeopardy!, painting Alex Trebek as disliking a contestant. The column was the subject of criticism...

Final exam process needs re-evaluation

Written on November 3, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Even though re-evaluating how we approach final evaluations can have some real value at universities, we need to consider everything that would need to be altered before we throw out the old system. In an opinion piece from University Affairs, the validity of final exams at universities comes into...

Pornography can have a place in the classroom

Written on October 27, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

It’s one thing to argue for warning ahead of sensitive subjects and materials, but to call for them to be shut out entirely isn’t conducive to a university education. Last week, when a Queen’s student posted a video to Facebook of pornography being displayed in her class, it sparked an online debate...

Universities need to prepare for marijuana legalization

Written on October 27, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

With or without the law on their side, young Canadians already use recreational marijuana. Still, when marijuana legalization comes into effect, Canadian universities need to have a policy in place to regulate its open use on school grounds. In an article in Maclean’s, Michael Szafron, associate professor...

The nature of work is changing, not employees

Written on October 24, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Each generation is different from the last in some ways, but loyalty to their work place isn’t necessarily one of them. In a Globe and Mail article, the topic of how to foster workplace loyalty is addressed through the lens of appealing to millennial workers. The article paints a picture of millennials...

Context should be considered in student conduct discipline

Written on October 24, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Going after a student for breaching a student code of conduct without taking the broader social context of their comments into account is a serious misstep for any university administration. Vice-President of the Dalhousie Student Union, Masuma Khan, is facing disciplinary action from Dalhousie University...

Mental health survey is a positive way to reach out

Written on October 20, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Though providing preemptive resources for incoming students is a great step towards shedding light on the serious issue of mental health on campus, the efforts can’t stop there. Incoming students to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will be offered voluntary mental health screening...

‘Bromances’ aren’t a threat to women

Written on October 17, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Just because something is good for men, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad for women. The rise of the so-called ‘bromance’ is no exception. In a National Post article, a survey of 30 heterosexual undergraduate men was used to study the impact of the ‘bromance.’ The results of the survey claimed that...

Efforts to control Homecoming parties needs a new approach

Written on October 17, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

The tradition of holding homecoming weekends gathers thousands of partiers together at universities across the country year after year. But the massive amount of people at these events weigh heavily on the police and emergency services of university towns. By giving $100,000 to the Kingston Police...

Universities need to protect protesters in order to protect free speech on campus

Written on October 13, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Policies that protect only one form of free speech on university campuses can end up silencing another in the process. Any university policy that deals with student demonstrations on campus can’t leave peaceful protesters open to expulsion. In the United States, the University of Wisconsin recently...

Rescinding an honorary degree can send a message

Written on October 13, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

After Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s inaction on the persecution and displacement of the Rohingya people, many of her awards and honours have been revoked across the world. Despite her history advocating for democracy and human rights, there needs to be a line drawn between someone’s past achievements...

Freedom of expression includes athletes

Written on September 29, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Trump’s recent words criticizing the NFL and its players have sparked outrage from around the world. The perceived disrespect of the American flag that’s become the center of a debate distracts from the real issues being protested — the unfair treatment of racial minorities in America. In America,...

Sexual liberation hasn't cheapened sex

Written on September 26, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Seeing sex as a commodity that governs our social, romantic and economic standing in society is a flawed view of today’s dating world. In a Globe and Mail column that attempts to explain why there seems to be a trend towards more sex and less marriage, Margaret Wente shows a deep misunderstanding...

HIV deserves full disclosure

Written on September 26, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

People living with HIV face social stigma that makes sharing their condition with others throughout their day to day lives a difficult and contentious subject. But when it comes to sexual partners, disclosing that they have the virus is a vital responsibility. In a Toronto Star article, advocates...

Smoking ban won’t positively impact universities

Written on September 22, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Banning smoking on university campuses may create more problems than it actually solves. On Wednesday, McMaster University announced that their campus will become completely smoke-free starting in 2018. Cigarettes, marijuana, pipes, hookah, shisha, vapes, cigars and any other devices and substances...

Canadians of all ages need a lesson on media literacy

Written on September 21, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Teaching young Canadians how to discern what’s real news and what’s fake has become critical in a world dominated by social media. But these lessons should extend to Canadians of all ages in order to create a real impact on media literacy within our country. In order to educate Canadian students...

Intolerance of Muslim Canadians isn't new

Written on September 19, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Discrimination against Muslims within our country is a real problem and Canadians shouldn’t need a survey to believe it. In an attempt to measure the broad acceptance of Muslims in Canada, 1,028 Canadians took part in an online poll commissioned by Think for Actions and Insights Matter. The survey...

Conservative professors aren’t held back at universities

Written on September 18, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Conservative leaning professors may be a minority on university campuses, but they don’t face real discrimination in their workplace. In a New York Times article by Arthur C. Brooks, president of the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, argues that professors who hold conservative...

Don’t blame bilingualism for the decline of French language in Canada

Written on September 12, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Quebec’s Bill 101 prohibits francophone students from attending anglophone primary and secondary schools in Quebec, but it doesn’t currently dictate which colleges they attend after high school. Recently Quebec has seen a rise in French speaking students attending English colleges in spite of their...

Negotiating grades is the better argument

Written on September 12, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

With careful execution, a new grading system could help focus Ontario curriculums on learning and improvement rather than numerical grades. Mayfield Secondary School in Caledon, Ontario is altering their grading system for four grade nine subjects and allowing students to argue for the grade they...

Academic accommodations aren't academic advantages

Written on September 8, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

As an educator employed at a university, Professor Bruce Pardy has an unusual attitude towards student success. It’s one based on survival of the fittest, or in this case, survival of the those without disabilities. The opinions held by Pardy — who works at the Queen’s Faculty of Law — were published...

A free pill is the first step of many towards making abortion accessible

Written on September 8, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

As of this past August, the abortion pill Mifegymiso is now a free prescription medication in Ontario. Although the once $300 pill becoming free under the Ontario Liberal government is an important step forward for reproductive rights and accessibility, there are still more obstacles to overcome. Before...

Preventing Sexual Assault on public transit is as important as reporting it

Written on July 31, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

The TTC is laying a much-needed foundation to respond to sexual assault, but must fill the holes in their approach to sexual assault prevention along the way. Recently, the TTC has announced their plan to launch an app that would help report sexual assault on public transit in Toronto. While this...

Coding should be available in classrooms, not compulsory

Written on July 31, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Over the past few decades, coding has gone from an obscure skill to one of the most marketable abilities someone can have their resume. In an increasingly tech driven world, coding can and will definitely have some pull in the job market for a diverse range of industries. But this doesn’t mean...

Athletes shouldn’t be expected to be neutral

Written on June 26, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Often known for their athletic ability rather than their way with words, athletes are taught to let their play do the talking. When it comes to politics, they are heavily criticized for transgressing the perceived boundaries of their profession. It’s time we recognize them as private citizens with...

Stepped mental health care model needs more thought

Written on June 26, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

A proposal to use a ‘stepped care’ model for mental health services on campuses is well intentioned, but has some serious pitfalls for those in immediate distress. The Stepped Care 2.0 program, launched by the Student Wellness and Counselling Centre at Memorial University, is aimed at providing efficient...

Ambrose’s ‘parting gift’ long overdue for Canadians

Written on May 28, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Canadian judges, both future and current, need an updated education on sexual assault law if they are going to preside over cases. The former Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose resigned one day after her sexual assault bill passed unanimously. The bill mandates compulsory sexual assault law...

Out with Shakespeare, in with Wagamese

Written on May 28, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

One Canadian school board has gone against the Anglo-centric grain of Canadian English classes by introducing a new curriculum focused on Indigenous Canadian literature, drawing attention to the wider lack of First Nation representation in a Canadian education. In Ontario’s Lambton Kent District School...

A Decade of Editorials

Written on March 31, 2016. Posted in Editorials.

For the interactive project, visit www.qjlongform.com(link is external) We are students for a short time. We’re here for a few years and then we move on. University is a temporary home for us. But Queen’s has a long history that outlives any temporary residents passing through. There have...

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