Student can’t tell difference between FSS and F&S
Photo: Remi Yuan, edits: Marta Kierkus
After multiple incidences of students confusing the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) building with the restaurant Father and Sons (popularly known as F&S), the Coalition of Frustrated Students (CFS) has formed to advocate for a name change.
CFS president Brian Quintedski told the Tomato: “It’s an easy mistake to make. Someone says, ‘Meet me at FSS,’ someone mishears them and shows up at Father and Sons. It may seem trivial, but this has become a pervasive problem at the University of Ottawa, especially for first-years who are unfamiliar with the campus layout.”
For some, this confusion has even resulted in academic decline. “I could have sworn my study group was supposed to meet at F&S,” said second-year economics student Zak Brown. “So when I showed up and no one was there, I figured, ‘Well, I’ll just grab a drink and wait.’ Next thing I know, I’m on my fourth beer, and still no one. So that wasn’t very productive at all.”
Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled sitting down in the lobby of FSS and wondering why no one arrived to take his order.
“I only realized I was in the wrong place because I happened to check Facebook and saw dozens of pictures of my friends at the bar.”
He said he waited for an hour, and even sent an email to the university administration complaining about the slow service.
“It really ruined my night,” he adds.
The CFS put forward a resolution to change the name of the Faculty of Social Sciences building at the recent General Assem- bly. However, their bill died when the GA didn’t meet quorum. Quintedski called the failure of the bill “a disappointment,” but holds out hope that they will be able to achieve change through other channels.
Despite their seemingly harmless intentions, the CFS initiative to change the name of FSS has garnered some detractors.
“Instead of changing the name of a building, why don’t we just call the restaurant by its proper name?” said third-year political science student Lyra Wilkins. “How difficult is it to say Father and Sons?”
First-year arts student Natalie McGeenly said it’s part of a larger systemic problem.
“There are far too many acronyms on campus—FSS, DMS, UCU, and now ARC. And that’s not even considering all the student associations, who seem to go by increasingly complex acronyms. Specifically targeting FSS oversimplifies this whole issue.”
Quintedski doesn’t dispute this critique.
In a phone interview with the Tomato he admitted: “It’s true that FSS is far from the only confusing acronym on campus. Heck, I don’t even know what my student association is called anymore. This fight is just a first step in a larger effort to make campus more easily navigable.”
The group is now faced with a new challenge, having recently received a cease and desist order from the Canadian Federation of Students, who accused them of unauthorized use of their initials.
