November 2023 Edited by: Devin Andrade

Dear Colleagues,

With the holiday season upon us, I noted an article flagging an interesting trend. It seems that more people, particularly younger consumers, are choosing to do things, rather than buy things. The “experience economy” has seen a sharp rise in demand for concerts, sporting events, tours, etc.

While an experience may not necessarily be a green choice per se, (flying on a private jet for example) I’m hopeful this preference may signal a shift away from the materialism that is so often intertwined with the holiday season. News stories during this time often focus on what consumers spend at malls and retail stores, with the implicit assumption that high consumer demand is a positive.

But, as the award-winning scientist and environmentalist David Suzuki writes, there is so much more to life than the benefits that come from spending money. Unfortunately, this fact is not reflected in the way we have traditionally measured the health of our economies.

Suzuki argues that Gross Domestic Product, which measures the total value of goods and services produced in a country in a given period, emphasizes continuous, endless growth. That, he says, is bad for people, and the planet.

“Today’s economy is growing not in spite of some of the greatest challenges our society faces, but because of them,” he says. “More people than ever are struggling to make ends meet, while the twin biodiversity and climate crises threaten the very future of humanity. Yet we continue to focus on growing GDP, as if that ever will translate into greater human and ecological well-being.”

Suzuki suggests other ways of measuring economic value, such the Kingdom of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index, or the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare. The ISEW takes into account income inequality, environmental damage, and depletion of environmental assets.

If we want to break the vicious cycle that results from chasing economic growth above all else, we need to redefine our economic purpose,” he says. “We need to pursue well-being as if it’s the only thing that matters. Because ultimately, isn’t it? Don’t we all want greater health and more time to raise our children? Or meaningful jobs that keep us satisfied?”

This will be the last newsletter for 2023. I hope to see all of you at our upcoming holiday celebrations. I wish you all a relaxing break and all the best for 2024.

Stay well and stay safe,

Kurt

Animation professors Werner Zimmermann, Sam Braithwaite, Steven Chien, and Adamo Lupusella took students on a field trip to the Royal Winter Fair to take full advantage of the cornucopia of animals the farm has to offer.

Even though they study from the human model in the classroom, comparative anatomy is part of the courses. This was a chance to get up close with everything from small rabbits and ducks to massive Belgian and Percheron horses. As much fun as it is to get out and sketch, the purpose is to test what is learned in the studio out on the street.

Fashion professor Sabine Weber was featured in an investigation from CBC Marketplace about the misleading promises that consumers are led to believe about how fast-fashion companies are recycling clothing.

Excerpt:

Weber says that when it comes to taking our old clothes and turning them into new ones — or recycling in the way most consumers think of it — brands are still in the very early stages.

That's because "recycling is a lot of work, very labour-intensive and you need to have the right technology," said Weber.

A short documentary by Conrad Coates, a professor in the Acting for Camera & Voice program, was in the top 10 for the Audience Award at the Shorts Not Pants film festival! He joined the Documentary Filmmaking Institute (DFI) this summer as an emerging filmmaker. His film, I & I, is a POV of one man’s quest to find the members of his father’s family that he never knew.

Shorts Not Pants is a Toronto-based festival that celebrates short films. Since 2018, the annual festival has celebrated films from all over the world.

Jordan Burke, a recent graduate of the Event Management - Creative Design program, celebrated the Seneca Sting becoming the first Ontario-based squad to win the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship in women's soccer.

As co-captains of the team, Jordan Burke and Carley Uddenberg, a student in the Honours Bachelor of Child Development program, spoke with CBC about how the team has always had talent, but hard work and mental toughness led the team to gold. Uddenberg has played for the team for five years while Burke has been with the team for four years.

"Honestly, it felt surreal. The last couple minutes of the game, I just kept looking at the clock and I was panicking," said Jordan Burke. "I was like: 'Are we really about to win a gold national medal?' As soon as the final whistle blew, I was just instantly in tears. I was so happy, being around my teammate and my coaches. It was an insane moment."

Seneca Radio students were a part of the Ontario Association of Broadcasters annual convention held in Toronto. Scott Pettigrew from Acadia Broadcasting in Halifax spoke to Radio and Journalism students on potential employment opportunities with his and other broadcasting companies. This talk and Q&A gave valuable insights into the current state of the audio space.

The next day, two Radio students, Jack Mancini and John Fairbrother, attended the convention as guests of Acadia Broadcasting. They were there to see the annual awards and were a part of the many panel discussions that day. A truly unique experience for two students about to enter the workforce.

The big takeaway from these two days was employers are looking for students that can tell a story, be versatile and solve problems collaboratively. Acadia Broadcasting and others are part of a strong PAC for the Radio program and we thank them for helping our students.

Event & Media Production professor and program coordinator Tim Abbott shared the surprise he received from his students on Halloween this year.

"I know that you are all aware of what a great group of students I have in third semester," he said. "You may also be aware that my standard dress code is jeans with either a black Seneca polo, red Seneca polo or Hawaiian shirt. I can generally be seen holding a Timmy's cup as well. My standard kit also includes keys on a lanyard and a gold chain.

I hope that this makes you smile! It certainly did for me."

Shannon Ross, a professor of Social Media and Sports Marketing at Seneca, spoke to The Globe and Mail about the changing nature of fandom.

“They [teams] put their efforts in other areas because the fanatics do such a better job of it,” said Shannon. “Having real fans talking to real fans, that’s way more powerful than anything facilitated through an official [organization]. They have a lot more heart and passion.”