Jaya Condran , Author at The Argosy

The real Congressmen of New York

Jaya Condran — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:25:46 +0000

In a divided United States House of Representatives, a bipartisan agreement is typically something significant, especially when it comes to removing a representative from the house. So, in a vote of 331–114, George Santos was expelled from the house and removed from his representative seat in New York’s third congressional district. This marks Santos as the first representative to be removed without legally being convicted of a crime. Although Santos is currently facing 23 felony charges, including credit card fraud, making false statements within the house, and various fraudulent schemes. However, these legal charges are not the only trouble Santos is facing. Within his personal life, there seems to be an overarching theme of lying. From his personal life to his career, Santos is in a world of trying to set his story straight.

Santos, born George Anthony Devolder Santos in 1988 in New York, has familial ties to Brazil which span back to his grandparents. When speaking about his maternal grandparents, Santos claims that they survived the Holocaust and fled to Brazil. After this statement, Santos re-iterated his previous claim but remarked that saying “survived” instead of “fled” was a poor choice of words on his part. Yet, Santos’ claims also seem to be unsubstantiated by immigration records, which say his grandparents were born in Brazil. When the holes in his story were brought to his attention by The New York Post, Santos said that he “never claimed to be Jewish” but rather, “Jew-ish” due to his connection to Judaism through his grandparents. This is not the only suspicious claim Santos has made about his maternal family. On Twitter, now X, Santos stated in 2021 that “9/11 claimed [his] mother’s life.” This claim was further elaborated by Santos as he explained that on the day of the attacks, his mother was working in the South Tower and managed to escape harm. Although the attacks themselves may not have claimed the life of his mother, Santos stated that due to the toxic dust in New York City after the attacks, his family correlated her passing in 2016 to this previous exposure. Yet, much like the claims made about his grandparents, immigration records show that Santos’ mother was not in the United States between 1999–2003 and did not work in the World Trade Centre, but as a housekeeper. As both claims stem from some of the greatest tragedies in American and world history, it comes as a shock to many why Santos made personal claims surrounding them, in addition to what effect they had on his campaign.

In his personal reputation, Santos tries to frame himself as a new type of politician. He is openly gay and Latino, and made history when elected to the House of Representatives as being the first openly queer person to win a seat. However, not even elements of his personal self are concrete. From claims of previous work experience in the financial sector, including big connections to Wall Street, such as Santos’ claiming to have worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. However, there are no records of Santos ever having been employed by either company. When confronted, Santos argued that resume embellishing is common within society and a part of reality. This argument also extends to Santos’ educational history, with Santos having previously stated that he attended NYU and had turned down an offer to Harvard Business School. In an interview, Santos admitted to having embellished this part of his life as well, to achieve societal expectations, as he could not afford to attend these institutions.

Gabriel Theriault – Argosy Illustrator

As 2024 continues, Santos faces legal battles in addition to reconciling with a terrible reputation, stained by lies and bizarre claims. It is not only the law that will potentially punish Santos, but those who elected him, as Santos faces being barred from politics for the rest of his career.

The post The real Congressmen of New York appeared first on The Argosy .

The residence room race

Jaya Condran — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 02:21:59 +0000

For returning Mt. A students, the night of the room draw is a long one, from trying to connect to finicky Wi-Fi, remembering your student password, and figuring out which room in your residence is the nicest, this marathon can be tiring and stressful. Students are paying thousands of dollars for the room they choose, plus an expensive deposit. Coupled with additional fees, such as the meal plan, residence is incredibly expensive. Hence, many Mt. A students are frustrated that they are faced with so many obstacles within room draw, either for their current residence, or trying to get into another residence on campus.

With the proposed reopening of Harper Hall in September 2024, returning students have a chance to be one of the new residents in Harper. However, the return of Harper Hall meant that many double rooms this year were being turned back into single rooms. Hannah Stilwell, a first-year music student trying to return to residence for 2024–2025, faced an issue with the room-occupancy changes, saying that the change of double rooms to single rooms in Campbell Hall was not reflected in the residence portal when she was trying to select a single room. Stilwell chose one of the bugged rooms herself, explaining that now, “two people have been assigned to the room and there has been no confirmation if I have it or not.”

Ranz Bontogon – Argosy Photographer

Yet, it was not just double-booking that students struggled with. Many people were unable to access the portal when the residence draw opened. The website was completely offline due to the amount of traffic, and when the website was finally running for some, most room options were gone, with the north side of campus being filled first. Some people, like first-year student Shae Wakabayshi,, tried for hours to log on to the residence portal. “For the general draw, I was on at 11:55 p.m., waiting for the portal to open [at midnight], but it crashed immediately,” says Wakabayshi, “I didn’t even get into the actual application before the server stopped responding. I kept trying to refresh it every so often until about 2:30 a.m., before I gave up.”

Furthermore, some felt that there was a lack of information surrounding the room-draw process. Wakabayashi noted that there was no information given to students prior to the draw on what to do if they were unable to get a room. In relation, Stilwell explained that when she contacted Res-Life about their concerns with room draw, she “was only told that they hadn’t changed the system and that there is nothing they can do now [except] to wait.” Stilwell, like many affected students, was distressed when their questions of whether they had a room were answered, “that [Res-Life] could not confirm anything.” Only when Stilwell contacted the Meighan Centre was she only able to be confirmed to eventually get a single room.

Although there was a waitlist set up for students, Wakabayashi said that “the whole experience was so much more stressful than it needed to be, due to a lack of clarity and the lack of any sort of support system.” Waitlists are not guaranteed housing. Currently, students like Wakabayashi do not have rooms for next year, and others like Stilwell, technically do, although it is not guaranteed. Now, many students are hanging on to waitlists, in limbo if they will receive a room.

The post The residence room race appeared first on The Argosy .

Mount Allison’s new pantry

Jaya Condran — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:50:50 +0000

With the rising cost of living, many people, including students, are struggling to keep up. As Sackville is a predominately student community the effects of rising costs can be felt throughout the student population. According to Statistics Canada, domestic students face a 2.6% annual change for the 2022–23school year for undergraduate tuition, while international students’ tuition costs face an 8.0% increase. Rising costs not only affect the capability to pay for education, but goods and services needed to live. According to Statistics Canada, the price growth for groceries has slowed as of September 2023, although prices for fresh fruit, fish, bakery products, and edible fats and oils have, on a year-over-year basis, increased faster in September compared to August. Given the nature of these rising costs, one may be wondering what can be done to ease the burden. As many students live off-campus, trying to gather enough resources to live has become harder. In addition, it is not just off-campus students who struggle. Rising costs affect the prices of hygiene products, clothing, and other necessities.

As of October, a new collaboration between the MASU and Student Life has started with the aim to help ease the stresses of the Mt. A community. The Pantry, which is in the Wallace McCain Student Centre on the second floor, in room 282, is open Monday to Friday,from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. The Pantry is run by volunteers who can offer assistance to those who would like to use the space. Otherwise, The Pantry is accessible by walking in and taking what someone may need. If you or someone you know would like to leave donations for The Pantry, they can be dropped off during their hours of operation, or left at their door after-hours. The Pantry aims to provide food and essential items to the larger community. From a news release from Mt. A, the Director of Student Experience, Danai Bélanger, says that The Pantry is not exclusive to students, but extends to the larger community, saying “we know that food insecurity is not an issue only faced by students.” As well, The Pantry is not solely stocked with food, but with other essentials one may need. This includes clothing, reusable bags, sanitary products and hygiene products. Given the large dependency The Pantry has on volunteer donations, there is potential for expansion and evolution to provide additional items to the community. MASU VP, Cailean Clements, said, “we hope [The Pantry] can evolve to reflect the diverse needs of the entire Mt. A community.” With the hope of providing varied food options, pet food, and additional hygienic products.

To keep up with The Pantry, they can be found on Instagram at @ThePantry_MTA. For inquiries about The Pantry, email studentlife@mta.ca. Moreover, if you are interested in becoming an accessibility representative for The Pantry, please email EDI Student Advisor Lucy Ofori at lofori@mta.ca.

The post Mount Allison’s new pantry appeared first on The Argosy .

Have you visited the library recently?

Jaya Condran — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 22:46:52 +0000

During the pandemic, students used the internet to its fullest extent, aimlessly scrolling on Google Scholar, Moodle, and other online communication tools, to try and fulfill a space that simply was not there anymore. Academic spaces, like libraries, were shut down for students. Across the world, people tried to assimilate into a new normal, but how do learners rebuild a lost sense of in-person academic community? I spoke to Elizabeth Millar, the Rare Books and Special Collections librarian at Mt. A, about the resources at the campus library, the importance of a scholarly environment, and the future of academic communities.

I first met Millar while I was wandering around the main floor of the R.P Bell Library, pretending I knew what I was looking for. However, Millar caught my eye and after introductions, we began browsing the extensive collection of library resources at the Research Help Desk. After Millar saved me hours of aimless Google-searching, I was shocked that this resource was unknown to me and my peers within the underclassmen at Mt. A.

Hence, I was curious about the extent the library is being used by students. Are these resources underused? To my question Millar responded: “I think it is being well used. I think — in my opinion, the pandemic chased everybody away. We are still getting people coming back and being in the library in-person and getting used to being in the space together and learning together. I consider the library an important part of our community of learners and we need to be together for that.” Although events, such as those held during Orientation Week, and some first-year classes attempt to draw students to the library, the reliance on laptops and independence of students is a barrier. However, Miller notes that these factors do not negate the need for in-person space or collaboration. “I think there will always be a role for an in-person library,” said Millar. She believes “we lose something when everybody’s on their laptops and removed from everybody else — the community of scholarship.”

The sense of community relies on collaboration and feedback. Millar reflected on a past student who had posted thoughts about the Mt. A community, faculty, and librarians on her twitter feed. The student expressed gratitude to the library for providing a safe and welcoming space, detailing that this culture made a difference for her. “She was saying that the culture of safe, welcoming, good, space that the library is — the culture we’ve created here […] made a difference to her.” “That is so important to us,” says Millar about the library staff, “we want every person who comes into that [library] building, regardless of background, or where they are on that particular day; we want them to feel like they’re welcomed here, [and like] they’re supported here.” This support is shown by the importance of accessibility within the library. Resources, such as The Research Help Desk, the Writing Resource Centre, and academic study centres are available for the scholarly community to use. Millar noted that she would enjoy seeing more students use the help desk, in addition to interacting and using the knowledge of the library staff, Millar says that she “can help [students] save time and stress.” Students “never have enough time and they always have too much stress, and I can help with both of those,” she concluded.

In addition, Millar will be hosting an academic integrity workshop at the end of October. Although, it is not just Millar offering help to the scholarly community. Other librarians, such as Kevin Burke are currently offering additional services. Burke, the Creative Arts Librarian, is usually in the Alfred Whitehead Music Library, but can also be found in The Purdy Crawford Centre for the Arts on Tuesdays from 11:30 to 1 p.m. and Hart Hall 403 on Wednesdays from 12 to 3 p.m. Further, Burke is hosting a series of workshops on how to perform library research. For additional information on these events, Burke can be found at kburke@mta.ca and Millar at emillar@mta.ca. Moreover, any other library events, such as the peer-led tech help centre can be found on the library Instagram, @mta_libraries. The library Instagram also offers updates on the infamous summer-run plant camp, with new merchandise available in the Mt. A bookstore for purchase.

The post Have you visited the library recently? appeared first on The Argosy .

Policy 713 in New Brunswick

Jaya Condran — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 02:05:07 +0000

Policy 713 has always been about expanding protections for 2SLGBTQI+ youth. The policy’s purpose states that it desires to “create a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and affirming school environment for all students, families, and allies who identify or are perceived as 2SLGBTQI+.” However, this past summer, Policy 713 came under mass scrutiny due to an amendment made by the New Brunswick government. The amendment changed how school faculty oversees youth who wish to change their preferred name at public schools, with the amendment stating, “formal use of preferred first name for transgender or non-binary students under the age of 16 will require parental consent.”

Soon after this amendment, protests started, with some likening the choice by the government to anti-2SLGBTQI+ policies made in the United States, such as the “don’t say gay” bill in Florida. However, the cry of backlash also sparked my search for what a school community can do to uplift its queer youth. I spoke with Dr. Sara Thomas, one of the spearheads of Mt. A’s gender affirming care-clinic, to gather information on why Mt. A implemented the project and its current successes for its users.

The Gender-Affirming clinic is new on campus —as well as the larger Sackville community—this year. “The clinic provides community access to gender-affirming care which has historically been difficult to access in this area,” said Dr. Thomas. For current students, “having the clinic on campus offers easy access to students and community members.” In addition to the scope of the project, we discussed the importance of having spaces for queer students, with Dr. Thomas noting, “gender diverse students can face increased barriers to care. Having a safe space to access medical care and especially gender affirming care is an important step towards equity.” Regarding community feedback, Dr. Thomas says that it has “been very positive.”

Moreover, accessibility not only spans the 2SLGBTQI+ community, but the larger school population. I spoke also with Matthew Matson, the director of Accessibility and Student Wellness at Mt. A. In regards to the need for accessible spaces on campus, Matson said that “as Dr. Thomas noted, accessing gender affirming care in the province has been difficult for some. Opening a clinic on campus has provided another access point, while also demonstrating that we support this care. This is also the first time we have operated a clinic that is open to community members. Mt. A has a great connection with Sackville and the surrounding community and building relationships with community is a strength of Mt. A.” In addition, on the feedback they have received Matson replied, “we have had some very good feedback. Dr. Thomas and I were interviewed by CBC in Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton shortly after the clinic opened. People have reached out to commend us for opening this clinic, and I have spoken to physicians who have given positive feedback for the specific care this clinic provides.”

As the school year progresses, the direct effects of Policy 713 will come into view. However, the progress of the larger community can help mitigate the potential negative effects of Policy 713 on youth in New Brunswick. Accessibility is vital everywhere and even small steps can create a large difference.

To access the Gender-Affirming clinic services as a Mt. A student, you can visit the Mt. A website, under primary health care. Referrals are not required to access the clinic. The clinic is located on the ground floor of the Wallace McCain Student Centre. To make an appointment, email clinic@mta.ca or call (506) 364-2163.

The post Policy 713 in New Brunswick appeared first on The Argosy .

Policy 713 in New Brunswick

Jaya Condran — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:52:49 +0000

Policy 713 was implemented by the New Brunswick government in August of 2020. The policy, according to its purpose, sought to “create a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and affirming school environment for all students, families, and allies who identify or are perceived as LGBTQI2S+.” However, it was revised this past August due to varying opinions on the rights of students, and their guardians. The policy now states that “formal use of preferred first name for transgender or non-binary students under the age of 16 will require parental consent.”

Although Policy 713 aims to create an inclusive atmosphere within the New Brunswick public school system, there has been a loud wave of backlash. The government of New Brunswick put out a statement from the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Bill Hogan, stating: “We fundamentally believe that it is wrong to hide information from parents.” Hogan followed up on this statement by expressing that the government “ respects parents, and recognizes the critical role they play in their child’s life and education.” Continuing he said, “the government is, and always has been, dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment where all children are free to be themselves.” Yet, within the public, the policy has faced immense backlash, especially from queer groups. This includes the New Brunswick Medical Society, which released a statement condemning some aspects of the policy, “1. Regarding identity construction and normal development: a. The revised policy may be harmful for normal exploration, a necessary step in identity construction. b. It undermines the scientific principle that a child’s development depends on a variety of systems responsible for supporting and validating exploration.”

New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate, Kelly Lamrock, has called into question the legal legitimacy of the policy, arguing that it is a violation of personal autonomy to deny transgender or other LGBTQI2S+ students their preferred identity within the public sphere. Moreover, Policy 713 has sparked concern due to its likeness to other, similar bills or policies, that have been passed within the United States. In 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is currently tracking 501 anti-LGBTQI2S+ bills within the United States. There are also enacted laws, such as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida. As the school year in New Brunswick continues with the new amendments, how the policy is implemented and utilised within the public schooling system will continue to be examined.

The post Policy 713 in New Brunswick appeared first on The Argosy .