Conflict between two StFX residences threatens to cancel TriMac
February 25, 2010 9:00 AM
Students from MacPherson and MacDonald had a confrontation on the night of Friday February 19 that threatens to cancel the annual TriMac hockey tournament.
MacDonald residents reportedly stole MacPherson’s mascot from the residence on Friday evening, which prompted angry MacPherson residents to walk over to MacDonald to get it back.
Cory McBean, first year human kinetics student and MacDonald resident, was in the building when his room was vandalized.
“Someone just threw a rock through my window, so I went upstairs to talk to the other guys and get an RA,” he explains.
When they returned to the main entrance of MacDonald they found several MacPherson residents outside, at which point MacDonald RAs stepped in and refused them entrance into the residence.
McBean did not state that any violence happened, but VP Student Relations Alex Gosselin commented otherwise.
“In terms of physical violence, I know there was physical violence but I can’t report specifically on what it was,” she says.
The details of the confrontation remain unclear because the matter is currently being investigated. Director of Residence Services Noreen Nunn declined to comment on the situation for this reason.
For now, MacDonald and MacPherson residents are prohibited from entering the other building through TNT.
“They’re actually not allowed to pass through TNT,” Gosselin says. “They are literally not allowed to step foot in each other’s houses.”
At the moment, any resident from MacDonald or MacPherson found in the opposite house can be written up by RAs on duty.
The confrontation that occurred has partially been blamed on the house rivalry between MacDonald and MacPherson.
“You don’t see that significant of a problem in houses that don’t have these strong traditions,” she continues. “It escalated to a point that was really unnecessary, all because of the rivalry essentially.”
On Monday February 20, Gosselin met with Director of Residence Services Noreen Nunn, Students’ Union President Sandy MacIntosh, and VP Campus Police Rory Campbell to discuss the situation and possible solutions.
“So far, the solutions that I can say are definitely happening are conflict mediation between the house councils. I think right now as a result of this there has been a significant bridge burned between MacDonald and MacPherson,” notes Gosselin.
A third party has been contacted to run the conflict mediation sessions between the two houses after the break.
“I think that it is important that we let these two groups calm down a little bit. I think that everyone is really frustrated right now, they are really fired up, and I don’t think it would be a good idea to bring a mediator into that atmosphere yet,” she says.
The TriMac hockey game has not been cancelled, although the possibility remains open.
“There are a lot of things that need to be considered here, [and] I think the students’ union needs to seriously consider what this would do to our image if we allow or condone this type of behavior,” she explains.
“I think the students’ union needs to step up and take a stand and do something about it because it’s just getting to a point that if peoples’ safety and RAs’ safety are at risk then there’s a problem and something needs to be done.”
“It could happen; the game could definitely be cancelled,” Gosselin adds.
“We have to be really careful about what happens now, because TriMac is an important event in our houses and we don’t want to lose it,” comments McBean.
The result of this confrontation is unclear for what will happen to house rivalries in the future. “I don’t know what it will do for all house rivalries on campus because I think there are some rivalries that are positive,” Gosselin argues. “I don’t think that it will necessarily affect everyone else because that really wouldn’t be fair, but I think that for these students [they] need to realize where to draw the line in terms of what’s a fun rivalry and what’s getting to the point of hatred.”
“It’s really disappointing that this happened,” she concludes.
