by Lexey Burns, Editor-in-Chief
I love hockey. I’ve been skating longer than I’ve been walking and shot a puck before I learned how to write. It has a special place in my heart.
But when Laurentian’s women’s hockey team announced that they’ve recruited seven new skaters for the 2021/22 season I was surprised, to say the least. Why announce the recruitment of new varsity players in a time when a lot of the student population at Laurentian is debating switching schools in fear of the severe cuts the university has to make?
Kristen Mrozewski, a recruited goalie said that “my coach just asked us to not do any interviews.”
Stacey Colarossi, coach of the women’s hockey team, said in an email that when the recruits were approached for an interview they reached out to her as they were unsure how to proceed.
Colarossi said, “They have expressed concern that they are not knowledgeable about the proceedings and therefore are nervous to do an interview. Hence my recommendation to decline an interview at this time”.
“I did not prohibit them,” Colarossi said “I am sure they will be more inclined once a decision is rendered and their individual future is clear.”
She said that the athletes had been committed since before January 2021.
Twitter account, Laurentian.org, has been consistently posting information about Laurentian’s financial situation since the insolvency announcement on February 1st, 2021.
It posted, “Although many are rightfully concerned about next year’s course and program offerings @LaurentianU, as well pending layoffs, the University is very clear in its commitment to #hockey. Fair or foul?”
Many students talk of transferring, or at least applying to other universities, in case Laurentian’s CCAA procedure is not approved, so they have a backup plan, but these girls do not have a backup plan. They’re committed now and have been for months.
Out of the thousands of dollars that I pay for tuition, $31.01 is for Athletic Fees. Every student pays this, it’s a mandatory fee. Varsity hockey is another price Laurentian has to pay, but Administration has said nothing of what will happen to Varsity sports after the CCAA procedure is finalized.
Is the price to keep select students active the cost of every single one of my professor’s jobs on the chopping block?
Out of the six senators involved in the CCAA, none of them are there representing the arts. One of the senators involved in the CCAA proceeding is Amanda Schweinbenz, Laurentian professor and Varsity rowing coach.
I fail to understand how there is varsity representation in the CCAA while no one from any arts related program is involved. It may not have been intentional, but it happened and I refuse to ignore it.
The university needs to sort out it’s priorities before official cuts are made.
*Cover photo by Adam Kalab*