Being a Guelph Gryphon means being a part of a community. As a member of the University of Guelph community, we are all faced with a responsibility and duty towards one another—to respect, include, and innovate.
With the upcoming academic year under way, school spirit and pride has been evident all throughout campus. From the large number of O-Week volunteers helping direct traffic on move-in day, to the students wearing vintage U of G sweaters on their way to class, representations of what it means to be a Gryphon are unique and varying.
Throughout O-Week, students, staff, and volunteers came together to create a welcoming and engaging environment with the aim of providing accessibility to valuable knowledge and resources in preparation for the upcoming year. Events like the pep rally and homecoming truly solidify the incredible atmosphere that comes along with being a Gryphon.
The Ontarion caught up with Brenda Whiteside, the associate vice-president of Student Affairs, at homecoming this past weekend and asked her about what it means to be a Gryphon.
“It’s all about community values—being caring, respectful, and being engaged,” said Whiteside. “Gryphons are always so engaged and wanting to be a part of the community. Being a Gryphon is about being yourself—you don’t have to be part of a mould, you’re authentic.”
For many, the symbol of a Gryphon perfectly articulates and encapsulates the spirit of the university. With the recent addition of the Gryphon statue on the corner of Stone Road and Gordon Street, the mythical creature stands as a guardian and protector of the university.
However, it is important to note that while being a Gryphon encourages feelings of pride and community, there is also a responsibility placed upon the individual to upkeep. This past homecoming weekend, these responsibilities were blatantly ignored and taken advantage of by students.
In a video posted on Facebook by a University of Guelph police officer, it was explained that students during homecoming celebrated in a truly distasteful way. In one instance when responding to a call, a campus police officer was assaulted. sent to hospital, and required stitches. Among student residences looking completely trashed, vulgar chants aimed at the campus police, and inappropriate behaviour in downtown Guelph, the dangerous mix of alcohol and poor decisions has left a bitter taste in the mouths of all members of the Guelph community. This behaviour is unacceptable.
If you are acting in a way that is disrespectful or harmful, your behaviour is not only indicative of your own character, but it is also a reflection of how you feel and act towards other Gryphons. Gryphons are respectful, kind, helpful, and genuinely engaged—the amount of inappropriate behaviour and the mistreatment of vital campus staff members that took place this past weekend, needless to say, are not indicative of what it means to be a Gryphon. In the coming weeks, we as a university community can only hope to repair the damages caused this weekend by regaining the trust of U of G staff members and the citizens of the city of Guelph.
About
The Ontarion publishes independent, student-produced news, opinion, and commentary for University of Guelph students so that they can make informed decisions in their lives. To do this, The Ontarion provides learning opportunities and training in journalism, media production, leadership, board governance, and other aspects of nonprofit news.
The Ontarion is the University of Guelph’s independent student newspaper. It began in 1951 as part of the Ontario Agricultural College and then began to represent the entire University of Guelph once it amalgamated in 1964. The Ontarion incorporated in May 1970 as The Ontarion, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation registered with the province of Ontario.