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COVID-19

Students reflect on how pandemic has changed their relationship with social media

by Simone Gavros September 21, 2021

written by Simone Gavros

One student joined Instagram, another deleted Twitter outright

Social media apps on an iPhone. (Dole777/Unsplash)

Some Ryerson University students have noticed their relationship with social media has changed since the start of the pandemic.

Canadians’ social media use has jumped. Over 27 per cent of Canadians spent 20 hours or more online each week for personal use in 2020 compared to 19 per cent in 2018, according to a Canadian Internet Use Survey by Statistics Canada.

Jessica Varghese, a first-year social work student at Ryerson, joined Instagram in December 2019 as a way to stay connected with friends, along with her already established Snapchat account.

She said she noticed her Instagram usage increased drastically once the pandemic hit, saying she checked the app constantly, since she couldn’t see her friends in person.

“I’m very dependent on [Instagram],” Varghese said. “I’m dependent on it to talk to people. I’m dependent on it to see what everyone is doing. I’m dependent on it so I stay current or I know what’s happening in trends.”

Survey results indicate Varghese isn’t alone: many Canadians describe their relationship with social media similarly. Eighty-four per cent of Canadians said they relied on their smartphone for personal use in some capacity, according to the StatCan survey.

With devices so pervasive, 71 per cent of young Canadians between the ages of 15 to 24 said they checked their phone every half hour and 17 per cent checked their phone every five minutes.

Although Varghese finds herself on her phone most of the time, she has curated her feed to follow accounts that show content she enjoys seeing to ensure “mindful” scrolling and a positive experience on social media.

“Instagram, Snapchat, that’s all just the highlight reel of someone’s life,” Varghese said. “A lot could be going [on] behind the scenes that I don’t know about.”

Arvin Jagayat, a PhD student in social, political and cyber-psychology at Ryerson, says that people have the agency to change their habits to develop a healthier relationship with social media.

“Oftentimes, once people do make those changes, they see the results fairly immediately and they’re able to go on about their lives and realize they’re not as dependent as they might think they are,” he said.

Erica Iacobucci, a first-year social work student at Ryerson, deleted her Twitter app at the start of the pandemic and now primarily uses Instagram to run the business she started in June 2020.

Iacobucci says she hardly spends any time online now and she feels like her relationship with social media has improved compared to a year ago. Now, she says, she is in a healthy place — after filtering who she follows.

“I’ve done introspection work with myself and realized that likes and comments and all that really don’t matter, at least to me,” Iacobucci said. “I don’t have the energy to always constantly think about that stuff. It drains your energy.”

Bailey Parnell, founder and researcher of #SafeSocial, a socially-minded non-profit organization, stresses the importance of being mindful before, during and after accessing a social media platform.

Parnell says social media should be looked at like a risky behaviour, similar to sex, drugs or alcohol, where the user can be exposed to potential harm.

Being mindful of who you follow and what you’re looking at will allow the user to gain what social media can offer without the risk over time, she said, adding that “Mindful social media use is being present in the moment and intentional with why you’re using, what you’re consuming and how you’re consuming.”

Despite Canadians spending countless hours on their devices, being online is not always necessarily a bad thing.

Parnell says that people need breaks and spending 20 minutes on social media while being entertained is similar to someone watching a 20-minute TV show in their spare time.

“Even though we focus mostly on the risks of it, there is also a positive outcome to using social media,” she said, “and that is entertainment.”

September 21, 2021

A tape recorder with a silhouette of a boy wearing a backpack jumping

Audio COVID-19 On Campus Podcasts

On the Record – Ep.1 – Back, but not back to normal: Is campus really safe?

by Rachael Masih, Naama Weingarten and Masih K September 21, 2021

written by Rachael Masih, Naama Weingarten and Masih K

Take a walk with us. On this episode of On the Record, your hosts Naama Weingarten and Rachael Masih explore what’s buzzing around the Ryerson campus this fall as some students get back to in-person classes. They’re revisiting their favourite spots and soaking up the atmosphere. But between incomplete ventilation testing and a loosely enforced vaccine mandate, how safe is our return actually?

Key points

2:30 Back on campus

4:53 Healthcare panel – Is campus safe?

6:14 Vaccine effectiveness and the delta variant

8:12 Vaccine mandates and enforcement

12:42 Incomplete ventilation tests

Ryerson’s response

Here’s what Ryerson University spokesperson Jessica Leach had to say about students who weren’t checked for proof of vaccination on campus, contrary to the school’s policy:

“We all share the responsibility of protecting our community and reducing the spread of COVID-19. The vaccination policy applies to all community members. Compliance is audited by the university and individuals may be prohibited from accessing the campus and subject to disciplinary measures if not in compliance.”

She also noted that Ryerson expanded their health screening questionnaire to include a confirmation of vaccination status. Students may be asked to show proof that they’ve passed the health screening to access areas like the Ryerson Library or Student Learning Centre.

About the ventilation assessments, Leach said:

“In preparation for an increase in activity on campus, the university worked with a consultant to ensure best practices and standards for HVAC and air filtration with regards to COVID-19 were implemented at Ryerson with calculations based on full occupancy (i.e. not the current reduced population).”

This includes processes like buying filters that meet guidelines and replacing those filters regularly to bring in fresher air. When this is not sufficient, Ryerson uses portable air purifiers.

As for the untested rooms, Leach attributes those to offices where one person may be working alone and therefore has a low-risk of getting infected.

As to the possibility of another university shut down, Leach said:

“Any decision to return to essential-services-only will be in line with government and public health agencies’ directives as we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our entire community.”

Extra resources

More information about Ryerson’s ventilation system

Who we spoke with in order of appearance

Arjumand Siddiqi – Professor at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health Epidemiology Division

Isabelle Roizin – 4th-year, TRSM

Malique Stonechild – Skateboarder

Grant Shivers – 2nd-year, Creative Industries

Jeffrey Siegel – Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto

Ashleigh Tuite – Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health Epidemiology Division

David Fisman – Professor at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health Epidemiology Division

Lori Jacqueline – President of CUPE 3904 representing contract faculty and teaching assistants at Ryerson University

University’s winter reopening plan draws criticism from unions, infectious disease experts

by Elizabeth Benner September 17, 2021

written by Elizabeth Benner

Union head says Ryerson’s reopening plan ‘not supported by any science’

A virtual town hall was hosted by the Toronto Inter-university Coalition on Sept. 9 titled, “Is it safe enough to return to campus? What do public health scientists say?”. Terezia Zorić, president of the University of Toronto Faculty Association, moderated a panel with several infectious disease and occupational health experts from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. (Elizabeth Benner/ On The Record).

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3904 president criticized Ryerson’s plan to remove all restrictions and capacity limits for the winter term at a Sept. 9 virtual town hall.

“[Ryerson’s] administration indicates that they intend to remove all restrictions and capacity limits in instructional spaces for the winter term. At this point, this decision is not supported by any science,” said Laurie Jacklin, in a recorded statement played at the town hall.

The university has released an outline of its return to campus plan for the fall semester, but hasn’t yet released details about what on-campus activities will be permitted starting in January 2022.

CUPE Local 3904 represents contract academics at Ryerson University, including contract lecturers, continuing education contract lecturers and graduate and teaching assistants.

The event, “Is it safe enough to return to campus? What do public health scientists say,” was hosted by the Toronto Inter-University Coalition on Zoom.

The coalition consists of four faculty associations and unions that represent faculty, librarians, counsellors, academic and non-academic staff across four Toronto universities: Ryerson, OCAD University, University of Toronto and York University.

The town hall also featured statements from OCAD Faculty Association, CUPE 3902 and CUPE 3903, as well as a seven-member panel of infectious disease and occupational health experts from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The panellists spoke about the insufficient protections for staff and students on campuses as restrictions are lifted.

University presidents persuaded the Ontario government to give universities an exemption from Step 3 restrictions, despite the advice from the Ontario Science Table, said Terezia Zorić, the panel’s moderator and president of the University of Toronto Faculty Association.

According to Zorić, this led to some Toronto universities increasing indoor capacity, abandoning physical distancing, increasing the number of large gatherings and increasing the frequency of contact.

In an open letter, Zorić called on University of Toronto president Meric Gertler to denounce his support of the Council of Ontario Universities lobbying the provincial government to exempt universities from the indoor occupancy limits that protect against overcrowding and mitigate the risk of COVID. A decision which she said in the letter, has “no good scientific rationale for this political move.”

“I don’t know any scientists who endorse the approach of relaxing these kinds of guidelines, particularly in en masse scenarios,” said Arjumand Siddiqi, a social epidemiologist at the Dalla Lana school. “We’re in classrooms for hours and I haven’t heard anyone say that this seems like a reasonable approach. I think there is a lot of concern about the fact that if we were to [ease restrictions], the motivations are decoupled from the goal of maintaining some control of the pandemic.”

According to its website, Ryerson has already begun to ease physical distancing and capacity limits for in-person extracurricular activities and on-campus support and services.

“One of the most startling realizations during ongoing discussions is the extent to which our employer focuses on restarting the organizational machinery rather than concentrating on the safest environment possible for every person,” said Jacklin. “We constantly encounter a bureaucracy that considers COVID as an operational [in]convenience, rather than a large-scale public health and safety hazard.”

Despite the early optimism of the vaccine, a lingering unvaccinated population and the highly contagious Delta variant can allow for overwhelming COVID transmission if other measures aren’t in place, said Dr. Ashleigh Tuite, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Dalla Lana.

Tuite warned that the highly transmissible Delta variant within indoor spaces is a cause for concern. According to her, reducing time spent indoors, maintaining physical distancing, ventilation, properly fitted masks, testing and contact tracing were some of the measures needed in addition to vaccinations to mitigate spread of the Delta variant.

“We need to think of other ways that we can reduce opportunities for transmission to happen, particularly in indoor settings, because we know indoors is where transmission happens the easiest,” Tuite said.

Classrooms are not the only area of concern on campus. Enclosed spaces with high traffic, such as bathrooms, can be an area of multiple pathway transmission for infectious disease, according to University of Toronto civil engineering professor and air filtration specialist, Jeffrey Siegel.

“I’m very grateful to all the university faculty associations continuing to push because you need the whole package, you can’t just pick and choose [which restrictions you follow],” said Dr. David Fisman, an infectious disease expert at Dalla Lana.

Fisman spoke about how preventive measures and restrictions need to be used together to be effective.

“When you use these things, they actually really do protect people in a [compounding] manner. So you do need all the different layers to keep people safe,” he said.

“You can’t reason with the virus and say, ‘We’re prepared to do the masks and the vaccines, but we really can’t limit class sizes.’ The virus doesn’t care.”

Ryerson’s president, Mohamed Lachemi, was not able to provide a response by press time to multiple requests for comment made by On The Record.

In a statement released in an Aug. 13 email and press release, Lachemi said that Ryerson will work to include vaccination requirements as part of the anticipated return to campus in January.

Lachemi also stated that Ryerson University continues to promote vaccination efforts, adherence to its mask policy and procedures and will maintain the safety protocols the university has put in place on campus in order to make the campus as safe and welcoming as possible for everyone.

September 17, 2021

Community News COVID-19 Local News News Off Campus Top Top stories

Anti-vaxxers, former front-line workers protest vaccine passports outside Toronto hospital

by Shauna Mazenes September 15, 2021

written by Shauna Mazenes

Vaccine passport rollout in Ontario sparks debate around ethics and individual freedoms in Toronto

Pro-vaccine supporters also attended the protest outside of Toronto General Hospital, on Monday Sept. 13, 2021. (Shauna Mazenes/On the Record).

Former front-line workers and anti-vaccine protesters gathered outside of Toronto General Hospital on Monday to protest the implementation of vaccine passports — despite backlash from public health officials and hospital employees.

The Canadian Frontline Nurses (CFN), an organization founded by several former health-care workers, co-ordinated the event. According to their website, the CFN says its mission is to promote “preventative care” and “natural healing” in the current health-care system.

Firefighters and police officers also attended the protest, gathering outside Toronto General Hospital before marching to Queen’s Park to participate in what they called a “silent vigil.”

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“It’s quite disturbing that anti-vaxxers are out here protesting in front of the hospital,” said Karen Maxwell, a virologist and biology associate professor at the University of Toronto.

Even with the “silent” theme of the protest, anti-vaxxers actively intimidated vaccine proponents who also attended the event, resulting in a commotion between the two opposing groups in front of the hospital.

“The health-care workers have had a really rough year and a half battling COVID-19, and it’s disrespectful,” Maxwell said. “I think we need to show support for them.”

Karen Maxwell, a virologist and associate professor at the University of Toronto in the department of biology, attended the protest to retaliate against the protesters, on Monday Sept. 13, 2021. (Shauna Mazenes/On the Record).

Maxwell has spent the entirety of her professional career studying viruses and said she believes it is her duty to combat the spread of misinformation at events like this — especially in the digital age, which has accelerated the proliferation of misinformation via social media.

“It’s important for people who are pro-vaccine and scientists to be standing up and saying that the vaccines are safe,” she said, holding up a sign that read, “I believe in Science. Vaccines work.”

As of Sept. 14, 84 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 years or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 78 per cent have received two doses.

The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases among those who are unvaccinated per 100,000 is 11.13, compared to 7.32 for those who are partially vaccinated and 1.62 for those who are fully vaccinated, according to the Ontario Ministry of Health’s website.

As of Sept. 14, unvaccinated patients made up 84 per cent of all COVID-19 cases in the ICU. Unvaccinated patients also made up 75 per cent of non-ICU COVID-19 case hospitalizations.

With the recent surge of new variants, Maxwell said it is becoming clear that we need to reach above a 95 per cent vaccination rate to achieve herd immunity and safely return back to normal.

She noted there are many reasons that people may be hesitant to get vaccinated, such as those who suffer from underlying health conditions or serious allergies. Others, she said, may be lacking factual information.

“I think some people are just very nervous about the vaccine, and if people take the time to talk to [health-care professionals], they could dispel all these falsehoods, and they could, in turn, get vaccinated,” she said.

Many people at the protest refused to speak with On The Record, citing fear of losing their jobs. One of the founders of CFN, Kristen Nagle, was ‘fired with cause’ from her nursing job as reported by CBC after organizing and attending anti-mask and anti-lockdown rallies. Another founder, Sarah Choujounian, formerly a registered practical nurse, teamed up with Nagle which resulted in an investigation into both of them, according to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Choujounian claims on the CFN website to have also been fired from her position, although the CNO is not obligated to reveal the details of their investigation.

Mayor John Tory and Premier Doug Ford strongly condemned the protest.

Tory stated in a press release that hospital workers “do not deserve to be harassed or intimidated,” but rather “deserve our collective thanks and should not be made the target of anti-vaccine protests and the spreading of misinformation.”

STATEMENT: GTHA Mayors and Chairs condemn protests targeting hospitals pic.twitter.com/wfdX4vhEKS
— John Tory (@JohnTory) September 13, 2021

Ford called the protesters “selfish, cowardly and reckless,” encouraging the public to “leave health-care workers alone.”

The protests we’re seeing outside of hospitals are selfish, cowardly and reckless. Our health care workers have sacrificed so much to keep us all safe during this pandemic. They don’t deserve this kind of treatment — not now, not ever. Leave our health care workers alone.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) September 12, 2021

In a campaign stop in Vancouver on Monday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said that he would make protesting outside of hospitals a crime if re-elected this month.

“It’s not right that the people tasked with keeping us safe and alive during this pandemic should be exposed to hatred, violence, fear and intimidation,” he said.

CFN’s first hospital protest took place at the beginning of the month at Victoria Hospital in London, Ont. Amid public scrutiny, the organization released a statement on Sept. 9 in response to the backlash.

“The mandating of medical treatment is a direct violation of autonomy and human rights,” the statement read, with the group describing its actions as an attempt to fight for fundamental freedoms, not an attack on hospitals and their workers.

Protester Sandra Brown does not believe in vaccine passports. The retired oil executive from Hamilton, Ont., believes Canada should scrap the idea, just as Denmark and Britain have.

Sandra Brown, a former oil executive from Hamilton, Ont., attended the protest to fight for her freedom of choice, on Monday Sept. 13 2021. (Shauna Mazenes/On the Record).

“You have the right to choose what goes into your body,” said Brown, who says she knows several people who have had adverse reactions to the vaccine. “It’s not about a virus anymore, it’s about freedoms.”

Despite some fears around how vaccines work and adverse reactions, Maxwell encourages people who are scared to get the vaccine to speak with their doctors about being monitored when their dose is administered to ensure their own safety, or to reach out to factual, science-informed resources to get the full scope.

Urooji Khatri, a fourth-year nursing student at Ryerson University, is also tired of misinformation, and encourages people who are being influenced by uneducated family or friends to do their part by looking into the research on their own.

“Actually look into it and make a decision that is not based off your own circle,” she said.

Much like Maxwell, Khatri agrees that mandating the vaccine is the safest thing to do, especially among health-care workers who care for vulnerable people and risk their lives every day.

“Whenever the greater good is at risk, I think that should take the lead,” she said.

Between the harassment and lack of safety, Khatri is feeling not only discouraged, but fearful about her future as a nurse.

“With the rollout of the vaccine and the backlash that health-care workers are receiving, the massive influx of unvaccinated people and the amount of care that they need from me because they are unvaccinated — it has made me reconsider,” she explained. “Maybe this isn’t the happiest field to get into.”

September 15, 2021

Community News COVID-19 Election 2021 Elections News Off Campus Politics Top stories

Proof of vaccination not required for federal election poll workers

by Hadi Azad September 14, 2021

written by Hadi Azad

Elections Canada says other safety measures will be enforced

An Elections Canada “vote” sign outside of a polling place. (Elections Canada)

Elections Canada says it doesn’t require proof of vaccination for its poll workers, despite rising COVID-19 cases.

While it has put into place other safety measures — such as physical distancing, mask-wearing, and plexiglass within the polling stations — the agency that runs federal elections says in an online posting that it didn’t implement a vaccine mandate for workers because of “the timing of the election, recruitment needs and logistical challenges.”

However, it goes on to say that it anticipates “the majority of personnel who would be hired … will have been vaccinated as per the provincial or territorial vaccine rollout plans.”

In an interview, Elections Canada spokesperson Nathalie de Montigny said that election workers are the same people you encounter in your communities every day.

“Going to vote is no different than going to the grocery store,” de Montigny said.

The Elections Canada website says that public health authorities have confirmed that they can provide a safe environment without making vaccination mandatory.

Every person entering the polling station is required to wear a mask and to follow physical distancing guidelines.

Abdullah Hussain is a fourth-year engineering student at Ryerson University who voted at an advanced polling station.

Hussain said he found it comforting that safety measures had been implemented, such as how the pencils used to fill in the ballots were single-use.

“I actually did not know that Elections Canada had not mandated vaccines on their employees,” said Hussain. “This is a cause of concern, as thousands of voters filter through the voting centres.”

De Montigny said that Elections Canada prioritizes the health and safety of the poll workers and voters. “If an elector refuses to enter the polling station without a mask after being offered one, they are encouraged to vote by mail,” she added.

Elections Canada workers are to follow the escalation procedure if any situation gets out of hand, said de Montigny. The supervisor at the polling station will be required to de-escalate the situation for the safety of other voters and election workers.

“If there was an outbreak, I’d be alarmed,” said Hussain. “Nonetheless, I believe that the polling stations have accurate data to ensure all parties at risk will be contacted.”

Canadians have various methods and times of voting for this upcoming election. If an individual feels uncomfortable heading to their polling station on Sept. 20, they will be able to vote by mail.

In order to vote by mail, Canadians will have to either apply online or at any Elections Canada office before Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.

Electors will not be able to change their method of voting once they’ve applied to vote by special ballot.

September 14, 2021

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Working Ryerson students prepare for launch of vaccine passport system

by Madison Dolman September 13, 2021

written by Madison Dolman

Amid vaccine passport rollout, students appear apprehensive about workplace safety protocols

People walking in a busy plaza. (Anna Dziubinska/Unsplash)

Starting Sept. 22, proof of vaccination will be required across Ontario to access many non-essential businesses, such as casinos, indoor dining, movie theatres, night clubs and sporting arenas.

For some working students at Ryerson University, hope for a “new normal” is right around the corner. For others, the launch of the vaccine passport is sparking a much larger discussion about health and safety concerns in the workplace.

Exempt from the vaccine passport are the retail sector, the grocery industry and outdoor dining, as well as personal care services like groomers and estheticians. This excludes both patrons and workers of these economic sectors.

Any business is eligible to enforce proof of vaccination upon entry, however it is up to the discretion of the owner rather than the employees.

Third-year student Zoie Karagiannis works at COBS Bread, a bakery chain with locations in Toronto.

According to Karagiannis, her bakery location will not require proof of immunization. “With an immunocompromised mother back at home, knowing I’m risking my life at work to potentially bring [COVID-19] into my house is something I’m struggling with,” she says.

Karagiannis feels that safety protocols for customers at COBS Bread might be too relaxed. “A co-worker of mine quit two weeks ago because she was forced to serve someone without a mask. It seems they don’t need to wear a mask, they don’t need to be vaccinated.”

“Unfortunately, it’s conflicting to be an employee there right now,” she says.

At the moment, going out into the public is a risk most have been willing to take in an effort to return to normalcy. When entering bars, cafés, gyms and even shopping malls, however, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not others are vaccinated or showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Second-year student Sophia Benek works at Wilfred in the Eaton Centre. “The passport system isn’t a big deal to me; everyone should have the freedom to decide whether or not they want to be vaccinated,” she says.

Benek had previously contracted COVID-19 months before becoming immunized. “I still feel safe working in retail; I don’t believe the passports to be essential, as regardless of immunization, you can still catch COVID-19.”

Despite being given the choice to get vaccinated or not, there are workers who still face a great deal of daily risk at their workplaces.

Third-year student Helen Huang works at CRAFT Beer Market Toronto and says she feels uncomfortable that a vaccine passport will not be required to dine outdoors.

“As a waitress, I don’t see much of a difference between gyms and a restaurant,” she says. “If anything, at a restaurant there’s more contact with people— there’s the responsibility of taking away dirty dishes, being within arm’s distance of guests without a mask on and even clearing half-eaten food off tables.”

Huang feels as though she’s been given less of a promise of safety than others. “I’ve come to accept that this is the industry I work in. Passport or not, unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do to prevent catching COVID-19.”

For first-year student Brean Maguire, sectors like personal services and those that require workers to remove their masks should require proof of immunization.

“Having been fully vaccinated since May, I’m still OK to continue with outdoor dining and retail, however, the moment that case counts rise, I can see myself getting more worried.”

Maguire says he is relieved that on Sept. 22, he can go to work at his local pub knowing that everyone dining indoors is fully vaccinated.

As of Sept. 12, roughly 84 per cent of Ontarians over the age of 12 have received one dose of the vaccine while nearly 78 per cent have two doses.

By implementing this passport, basic errands will become a task for the unvaccinated. According to a Sept. 1 press release, the Ontario government is hoping that by doing this, it will encourage unvaccinated individuals to come forward and get their vaccines.

September 13, 2021

Community News COVID-19 News On Campus Ryerson News Students Top Top stories

Commuter students weigh their options: stay online or take transit to Ryerson campus

by Simone Gavros September 12, 2021

written by Simone Gavros

Both TTC and Go Transit are increasing services; masking and other protocols remain in place

People commuting on public transit. (Davyn Ben/Unsplash)

Some Ryerson University students who commute by transit will begin getting into their daily routine as they opt for in-person classes this week.

Classes that are running in-person or in a hybrid model will resume on Sept. 13, after all university courses were mandated online for the first week of the semester.

Syed Zaidi, a second-year business management student at Ryerson, and commuter, said he has opted to go to his classes in-person after completing the first year of his degree online. Zaidi said he feels like he learns better in a classroom setting.

“It’s hard to learn online, especially with interactive discussions and certain assignments, projects, or tests,” he said.

Many classes at the university are offering in-person and hybrid lessons. More information on what each faculty is offering can be found on Ryerson’s COVID-19 Information and Update page.

“In-person, you would have way more resources available to you versus if you were learning strictly from online,” Zaidi said.

While it’s not known how many students will opt for in-person learning, Zaidi is probably not alone in his decision to commute by transit this school year. Before the pandemic, 77 per cent of Ryerson students relied heavily on some form of local or regional transit to get to campus, according to the 2019 StudentMoveTO study.

As a commuter student from Mississauga, Zaidi takes both the TTC and GO Transit to and from the class, which takes around 45 minutes.

Although Zaidi follows the public health guidelines that are in place, the risk of taking public transit still concerns him.

“If you’re on the subway or something, there are so many people, so you can’t even tell who is vaccinated and who is not […] The variant could be anywhere,” Zaidi adds.

Tim Sly, an epidemiologist and professor emeritus in the School of Public Health at Ryerson, calls public transit a “pinch point” where things come together and transmission can occur.

To optimize safety on public transit, Sly recommends double masking when possible, wearing some form of eye protection such as a hat or glasses and remembering proper hand hygiene.

“The more layers you’ve got, the more of a tighter weave you’ve got to protect yourself and others from infection,” said Sly.

Metrolinx has increased its service with the expected return of transit riders this fall, said its spokesperson, Nitish Bissonauth.

Metrolinx has focused on ensuring the safety of staff and passengers since the start of the pandemic through increased cleaning measures, requiring masks and improving ventilation on transit, said Bissonauth in an emailed statement.

The TTC is adding 25 per cent more subway trains on Line 1 and Line 2 at peak times during the week to reduce crowding, according to a news release from the TTC on Aug. 30.

The TTC also requires riders to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth, even if they are fully vaccinated. Disposable masks are available upon request from a collector or customer service agent. Riders should stay home if they are feeling sick, according to the TTC website.

“We ask that students continue to follow COVID safety guidelines, including wearing a mask while on transit,” said TTC chair Jaye Robinson in the update for the back-to-school season.In addition, the TTC said they have been increasing the cleaning and disinfection protocols on all modes of public transit with a focus on high-traffic touchpoints.

September 12, 2021

Man wearing mask outside Recreation and Athletics Centre

Breaking News COVID-19 News On Campus Ryerson News Top stories

Ryerson announces process for submitting proof of COVID-19 vaccination

by Emma Kunzelmann September 8, 2021

written by Emma Kunzelmann

Ryerson University laid out the process for submitting proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in an email sent out Wednesday afternoon.

On Aug. 27, the school announced that any students, staff or visitors coming to campus must be fully vaccinated. Those with an exemption that falls under the Ontario Human Rights Code — relating to medical, creed or other protected grounds — can apply for an exemption with the school.

There are two ways to submit proof of vaccination: through the RyersonSafe app or through the RyersonSafe website.

According to the email, campus visitors will be prompted to submit their vaccine receipt through either the website or app to receive a QR code verifying their vaccine status.

Those seeking an exemption will be required to participate in the Rapid Antigen Testing Program. This program will require community members attending campus to be tested twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.

The email also specified a deadline of Sept. 20 to submit either proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption.

As of Oct. 18, those who are not fully vaccinated without an approved medical exemption will not be allowed to participate in on-campus activities.

More information on Ryerson’s COVID-19 vaccination protocols can be found on the university’s website.

September 8, 2021

COVID-19 Fashion Features Pandemic Tales Students

Trading airports for AirPods

by Trevor Popoff May 4, 2021

written by Trevor Popoff

How the pandemic has altered student exchange trips

A Zoom event for incoming virtual exchange students at Ryerson. (Courtesy Sadia Kamran/FCAD)

Roy Luo enters the glorified hallway that is his Toronto basement for what feels like the millionth time. The claustrophobic space in his family home is to replace the spacious Kerr Hall classrooms filled with the industry-standard equipment that he’s become accustomed to. As a result, fabric of all shades pile on his piano bench, elliptical machine and other basement miscellany. Needing an area to draft, he takes to the living room floor upstairs. This design student, finishing his third year at Ryerson University’s fashion program, is on a deadline. He needs to get the tanned bodice piece he’s currently dying with organic red cabbage to the post office for shipping to group member Katie Morgan in Edinburgh, Scotland.

This transatlantic shipment is necessary because, midway through his exchange trip to the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) last winter, a string of emails hit Luo’s inbox. COVID-19 was about to bring the world to its knees. He had to come home.

Roy Luo in the process of experimenting with a homegrown solution for dying garments. Pictured is fabric dyed with onion skins. (Courtesy Roy Luo)

With in-person classes now impossible, Luo, Ryerson and AMFI could have left the exchange. Other schools certainly did. One of Luo’s group members from South Korea, Seojin Kim, saw her institution decertify the program, when it determined a move online wouldn’t give students the requisite experience. She had no choice but to drop out.

Ryerson and AMFI, however, navigated the logistical minefield and moved the exchange online, marking the birth of a new era in international study.

“We have a much closer relationship with our international partners because of this shared experience,” says Sadia Kamran, Ryerson Faculty of Communication and Design’s manager of international development. “We see it as an opportunity to rethink what’s possible.”

In Luo’s case, this rethinking meant finding a way to continue with the seminal group project that he started in Amsterdam. Consisting of five physical outfits, four looks comprising five “blank canvas” garments meant for customization by the end buyer and five outfits made digitally on a fashion design software called CLO, the project would culminate in a complete collection featured on AMFI’s website. To complete the five physical looks, a sort of international assembly line formed between Luo and his four fellow group members — Yongju Jun, Kiki van der Weerd, Gabriela Syzdek and Morgan. Boxes containing partially constructed garments sent by Luo’s partners in Scotland or the Netherlands would arrive on his doorstep throughout what remained of the semester. Each one held a different garment. Luo would add a pink bodice here or a flowing off-white pant there and then ship it off to the next person, sometimes including national snacks or a postcard with the shipment.

Luo said the group incorporated the excitement that the unknown brings into their collection. He likened what happened to an exquisite corpse, the process of creation invented by the Surrealists whereby each artist contributes one part of a piece, and then the entire thing is revealed. “As we were working on our components, we wouldn’t share our process with the other designers,” Luo said. “It wasn’t until we shipped the garments that we could see what other people were working on.”

Luo and his partners’ work resulted in a complete collection of 15 custom looks, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. “There was a point in the semester where I was just tired of it all,” he said. “I wanted to quit exchange because I was like, ‘What’s the point of doing this? I’m not getting the same physical experience.’” The different time zones also wreaked havoc on his semester. “Sometimes I didn’t even sleep,” he said. “I had to wake up at 5 a.m., and that would be the end of their day, but the start of mine.”

But when it got challenging for Luo, he discovered he could rely on his newfound friends in Utrecht, Amsterdam and Edinburgh. As the end of the semester drew near, meetings morphed into intercontinental game nights. “It was nice to be able to have those moments where we were able to bond and connect despite being so far away,” he said.

Roy Luo fabricated the pink top for this outfit at home in Toronto using biodegradable fabric. (Courtesy Amsterdam Fashion Institute)

Sandra Chung, who works with Kamran as FCAD’s international co-ordinator, acknowledges there are drawbacks to virtual exchange. “Because students in the past have only been able to do in-person exchanges, it’s a really small number of students that have been able to take part in a very enriching intercultural experience,” Chung said. “What virtual exchange can provide now is more students being able to take part…and get that exposure that not only helps them for their personal growth, but also their professional growth.”

That’s because this unique take on student movement is much cheaper than a full-on exchange trip, as it eliminates airfare and housing costs. Virtual exchanges open to Ryerson students can be found here.

Ryerson is also hosting virtual exchange students. Fifty students from around the world have taken courses at Ryerson since the pandemic began.

While, at first glance, a virtual exchange looks like something far removed from a truly international experience, some professionals believe that it provides cultural enrichment. “In some ways, with a face-to-face exchange, students don’t come back with that much of an intercultural experience because they don’t interact that much with the locals,” said Allison Broadbent, the University of Guelph’s study abroad manager. “The guided aspect that’s possible with a virtual exchange…helps students delve deeper into cultural differences and perspectives than maybe they would even get on a physical exchange.” Broadbent helped organize a virtual exchange for Guelph students with Farm Radio International in Africa.

Across Canada, students have swapped studying abroad for studying in bed. Even post-pandemic, however, expect virtual exchanges to remain an option. “Virtual exchange is a model to continue to explore and expand beyond COVID,” Kamran says. “The traditional exchange model will always exist, but virtual exchange as an alternative will continue to develop and enhance.”

May 4, 2021

COVID-19 Features Media Pandemic Tales Podcasts

COVID-19 can’t stop tech-savvy journalists

by V Merianos April 21, 2021

written by V Merianos

Reporters and producers forced to come up with ‘creative solutions’

Amanda Cupido, a podcast producer and a Ryerson School of Journalism instructor, sits in her Toronto apartment, using her yoga ball as a chair. Cupido is no longer able to go to in-person events and interviews due to the pandemic, so she listens back to some of her previous episodes, thinking about the best way to replicate the auditory experience — all while living and working remotely.

“I’ve created stories in ways that I had never been pulled to before,” she says, adding that it’s given her work a wider range.

Last August, Cupido produced a podcast episode for Ryerson’s virtual Pow Wow. Pre-pandemic, when Cupido could record sound bites and interviews in-person, she says she felt more in control of what her work could look like. For the 2020 live-streamed event, she was sent a YouTube link instead, where she snipped parts of the audio and layered it throughout the episode, attempting to bridge the gap restrictions caused in production.

“I’m being forced to come up with creative solutions,” she says, adding that she considers the challenges an opportunity for growth. “I’ve become a better producer because of the pandemic.”

***

The world seemed to stop moving in 2020: schools Zoomed, businesses closed and quarantines ensued. We were faced with gripping fear and uncertainty as we were thrown into a swift and indefinite lockdown. For journalists, there were no more in-person networking events where you can shake hands with fellow reporters, no more colleague collaborations in the editing suite before going live, and no more quick check-ins to flesh out new ideas while you pass by your editor’s office. All of these changes affect journalists, Ryerson students and staff, every day.

***

CBC education reporter Deana Sumanac-Johnson also had to find alternatives to the way she’d been doing her job for years. She says she misses collaborating with her colleagues, landing in a new city, doing her hair and makeup in the airport bathroom and going live. Now she sits alone, with her iPad on the dining room table in her townhouse. There is no cameraperson to help direct her, nor colleagues just down the hall. Now she has to light, frame and shoot her setup shots alone. Back when she was in the field, Sumanac-Johnson always received direction from the cameraperson. As she puts it: “In terms of providing you with the shots you need, really getting a feel of the scene and of what something is like, our camera people are absolute heroes.”

She says Google Meet and Zoom cannot replace the feeling of being in her element at the studio and on the job. “I think for most reporters who are such people, who love leaving their house, and love meeting new people and feeling the environment…(the isolation) is tough,” says Sumanac-Johnson. Sitting alone, waiting for the right light to come streaming through the windows of her home for her to do her standup, if anything, makes her appreciate every member of her CBC team more.

As with Sumanac-Johnson, these technologies cannot replace in-person collaboration for Anand Ram, a producer for CBC. Ram even had to teach some of his colleagues how to record their guests on Zoom and Google Meet. The bustling CBC newsroom has been reduced to a lone webcam on his desktop in his basement. At the end of the day, “It’s not just what you file — it’s how you help people do their jobs,” Ram says. “It’s who you connected with that day; it’s how you helped other people be able to succeed and put some journalism up.”

Cupido teaches the Advanced Podcasting and Radio Documentary course at Ryerson and says being able to report both remotely and in-person will make her students assets in the workplace. “I predict that they will be going into interviews where they might even know more than their employer.”

Third-year journalism student Masih Khalatbari says he thinks about the lost ride-alongs he planned with Toronto’s police force, as part of his freelance reporting. He laments how the pandemic has affected his journalism program, including lost networking opportunities, as isolation creates barriers for student journalists to find each other and themselves. “This is the stage where we’re supposed to kind of find ourselves and where people say it’s gonna be the best years of your life. And we’re experiencing something completely different than other generations are,” says Khalatbari.

For Julia Sacco, a second-year Ryerson journalism student, the flood of pandemic headlines can be inescapable. “I do think there’s limitations on both the quality we can produce and the quality that we can consume,” she says, though she admits reaching out to editors online about writing opportunities is easier than in person.

Khalatbari says he worries that online classes leave out the best part of Ryerson’s journalism program. “It’s pretty much all application and putting you into the field, and we’re just blatantly missing out on that,” Khalatbari says. “All these programs are learning to kind of compensate for it; this might not be the most helpful thing for the industry once we get out of the pandemic.”

***

Last winter, Cupido stood in the cool Canadian breeze interviewing a subject. This would be the last in-person interview she would do for the foreseeable future. Mask and mic on, she slipped a small mesh cover over the microphone for sanitation — something she only started doing in the last year. She interviewed the subject outdoors, disposing of the mesh afterwards. In this way, Cupido has found that there are feasible solutions to the technical problems brought on by the pandemic. “You have to be creative to work around obstacles,” she says. “You’re not going to approach the story in the same way, but the journalistic integrity is not any different.”

With files from Pia Araneta

April 21, 2021

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