Media releases

• Brock to welcome thousands of students over Move-in Weekend

  Tuesday, August 29, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: Aug 29 2023 – R0073

  The annual tradition that sees Brock’s main campus quickly spring to life for the new school year will return this weekend as thousands of students move into the University’s residences.

  From Saturday, Sept. 2 to Sunday, Sept. 3, more than 2,700 students — many with family and friends in tow — will arrive to Brock’s residences with their dorm-room essentials, ready to either start or continue their university experience.

  Like a well-rehearsed dance, the complex move is carefully choreographed, with each student given a one-hour window of move-in time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

  The new arrivals are welcomed to campus by hundreds of Brock staff and student volunteers, who not only assist with the heavy lifting but also offer guidance on all aspects of university life to help make the transition easier.

  “For many students, this is their first time living away from their families, which can be both an exciting and daunting experience,” says Cindy Chernish, Director, Housing Services. “We want to reassure them that they’re not alone as they begin this new chapter and that there’s a network of support here to help them find success each step of the way.”

  Departments and services such as Dining, Parking, IT Help Desk, Brock Card, Campus Store and the Walker Sports Complex will all be open various hours throughout the weekend to help students find their footing.

  While many students moving into residences this weekend will be starting their first year in September, demand for on-campus housing continues to rise for second- and upper-year students as well as graduate students.

  “We’re seeing students who began university last year returning to stay on campus for a second year in hopes of continuing that experience,” says Chernish. “More upper-year students are also looking to live on campus, close to their classes and Brock’s many amenities.”

  To address this growing need, the University has recently expanded availability at Brock Suites, which is exclusive to upper-year and graduate students, she adds.

  All of Brock’s eight residences will be operating at near capacity for the Fall Term. The University guaranteed a space in residence to full-time undergraduate students in any year of study who applied and paid the residence application fee by the June deadline.

  Move-in Weekend kicks off a packed lineup of events for Brock’s Welcome Week, which runs until Sunday, Sept. 10 and includes a variety of events and activities hosted by the University as well as the Brock University Students’ Union, including the New Student Welcome and Academic Orientation, a live burn fire-safety demonstration, consent workshops and the annual Brock Cares Day of Service, which will see Brock students and employees head out into the community to volunteer with a variety of organizations.

  With an influx of traffic expected on campus during Move-in Weekend, parking and access will be limited. People visiting the University for other purposes are asked to park in Lot 1 (formerly Zone 1).

  NOTE: Media are invited to attend Move-in Weekend. Brock University President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg will be available for interviews Saturday, Sept. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, will be on site Saturday at Residence 8 to help co-ordinate interview and photo requests. 

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock research warns of birth control pill risks for athletes

  Tuesday, August 22, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: Aug 22 2023 – R0072

  Female athletes who are long-term oral contraceptive pill users have up to five times the amount of a marker identifying cardiovascular disease risk than those not on the pill, says new Brock-partnered research.

  Taking the pill for more than a year increases basal levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that raises the risk of inflammation and cardiovascular conditions, which could lead to heart attacks, strokes and other diseases, says the study’s senior author Toby Mündel.

  The Professor of Kinesiology at Brock University says the risk is over the long term and does not necessarily present an immediate danger.

  “For most people, it’s less of a singular event like a heart attack or a stroke,” he says. “It’s more like a build-up where, at some point in your life, you’re going to be told by a doctor, ‘hang on, you need blood pressure medication.’”

  The study, “Does chronic oral contraceptive use detrimentally affect C-reactive protein or iron status for endurance-trained women?,” compared eight naturally menstruating females and eight females who had been continuously taking the monophasic combined oral contraception pill for more than 12 months.

  Monophasic pills contain the same amount of synthetic estrogen and progesterone throughout the four-week cycle, with one week of placebo or sugar pills.

  The research team, which included first author Claire Badenhorst from Massey University of New Zealand and Andrew Govus at La Trobe University in Australia, ensured the two groups of females had identical diet and exercise routines that meant they were well rested.

  At certain points during the menstrual cycle, the researchers gathered and tested blood and urine samples from all participants.

  “We found that according to their blood CRP levels only one out of the eight females who had a normal menstrual cycle had an intermediate risk of cardiovascular disease, whereas in the group of females taking the oral contraceptive pill, five out of the eight females had an intermediate risk, and two were at a high risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Mündel. “Some might see these results as counter-intuitive, since exercise protects against cardiovascular diseases.”

  Mündel notes that the body produces CRP, found in blood plasma, as low-grade inflammation. He says researchers are unclear about how and why the oral contraceptive pill brings about inflammation.

  “One of the thoughts is that oral contraceptives contain synthetic hormones, which may not have the protective effects of naturally occurring estrogen,” he says, adding that some scientists say synthetic hormones could trigger “something negative” that affects cells lining blood vessels.

  Mündel recommends that female athletes deciding whether or not to take the oral contraception pill view his team’s research findings in a larger context, especially for females prescribed the pill for reasons other than contraception.

  “There are real advantages and benefits from taking the contraceptive pill, be it for birth control at a certain stage in their career or to control heavy menstrual bleeding and other negative conditions,” he says. “People need to be informed of any consequences as they determine the balance between risks and benefits.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases