Graduate students expressed concerns about the People, Processes, and Partnerships (PPP) plan to restructure the administrative organization of Leacock Building at the Dec. 4 Council meeting of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University (PGSS). The project was introduced in Fall 2012, but has seen various revisions over the past[Read More…]
Articles by Emma Windfeld
The Master Plan
Bike gates, a pedestrian-friendly campus, and a car-free McTavish Street are more than just factors of everyday life at McGill. They are all guided by the university’s Physical Master Plan, a document adopted in 2008 that outlines priorities for the development of McGill’s downtown and Macdonald campuses. The Physical[Read More…]
Students vote “yes” to Midnight Kitchen, SSMU Daycare fee increases
Undergraduate students voted “yes” to all four questions in the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Fall 2013 Referendum. As a result, SSMU has adopted their revised constitution; the Midnight Kitchen will remain in existence and raise their opt-outable student fee by $1 to $3.25 per semester; and the non-optoutable[Read More…]
PGSS seeks to withdraw from Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Federation of Students legal case Graduate students at McGill are seeking once more to leave the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). On Nov. 6, the Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University (PGSS) heard from a group of graduate students who have started a petition to withdraw from the national[Read More…]
Fire at Macdonald Campus destroys storage barn, two silos
A storage barn and two silos at Macdonald Campus were destroyed by a fire that started just before 6 a.m. Thursday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation. Employees and students performing morning chores in the cattle barn spotted the flames and shut the firewall[Read More…]
McGill Senate discusses need to reform structure and operations
The McGill Senate could face changes to its membership and operation following a discussion about its purpose at its Oct. 16 meeting. Principal Suzanne Fortier said a working group of senators will be formed to create recommendations about potential changes to Senate’s structure and operations, which will then be voted[Read More…]
New $2,500 Dentistry student fee to help fund faculty relocation
Incoming Dentistry students for Fall 2014 will pay a new mandatory $2,500 fee per semester to contribute to the Faculty of Dentistry’s $18 million relocation project. The fee is the result of a student-initiated referendum question run through the Dental Students’ Society (DSS), and will not affect current students. Announced[Read More…]
Court denies McGill request for discretionary power over ATIs
The Commission d’accès à l’information has ruled against granting McGill the discretionary power to deny Access to Information (ATI) requests. The Oct. 7 ruling comes after McGill submitted a motion last December asking for the ability to deny ATI requests that it deemed “overly broad” or “frivolous,” saying that an[Read More…]
PGSS Council discusses supervision, upcoming referendum
Review of supervision Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney announced two major projects that PGSS is currently working on. The first is the improvement of the quality of supervision for students in all departments by clarifying students’ and supervisors’ rights and responsibilities. The second project focuses on ensuring that[Read More…]
Campus Freedom Index received with skepticism at McGill
Last Tuesday, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) released their Campus Freedom Index for 2013, with the McGill administration receiving D’s in both policies and practices and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) receiving a D in policies and an F in practices. Since its release, however, the report has become the subject of debate on campus, with members of the McGill community criticizing the JCCF for its methodology and political background.
McGill releases principal’s contract for first time
On Sept. 25, McGill’s Board of Governors released Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier’s contract. The release marks the first time the Board of Governors has voluntarily made the contract of a McGill principal public.
Dean of Medicine discusses challenges facing the faculty
Board of Governors meeting includes update on Medicine admissions process review, new mental health initiative
Senate addresses Quebec Charter, MUHC relocation
Fortier addresses Quebec Charter of Values, university rankings, and frosh In her opening remarks at the Sept. 18 Senate meeting, Fortier addressed the impact of the Quebec Charter of Values at McGill and the implications of two recently-released university rankings. Regarding the charter, Fortier re-stated the university’s commitment to creating[Read More…]
What happened last week in Canada?
Residents of Pictou, Nova Scotia, are demanding that the Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation mill be held accountable for damages to health and to the environment caused by its pollution since its opening in 1967.
Principal Suzanne Fortier’s first week on the job
Having completed her B.Sc. and PhD at McGill, Suzanne Fortier returned to her alma mater on Sept. 5 as McGill’s first francophone principal, second female principal, and 17th principal overall. After her first few days, Fortier sat down with the Tribune to discuss how being an alumnus has influenced her[Read More…]
Principal Suzanne Fortier discusses research funding, rankings, and her first week on the job
Dr. Suzanne Fortier became McGill’s 17th principal and the second woman to hold the position on Sept. 5, when she started her five-year term. In an interview with the Tribune on Wednesday, Fortier discussed her approach to research, the value of a degree from McGill, and how being a McGill[Read More…]
McGill rules in student’s favour in harassment case
McGill University’s Committee on Student Grievances (CSG) recently ruled in favour of former McGill graduate student Amr El-Orabi, who returned to his native Egypt last November after alleged harassment from his supervising professor, Gary Dunphy. According to El-Orabi, the harassment included a death threat and comments on his religion, some[Read More…]
Hearings continue on McGill’s ability to deny ATI requests
Last Thursday, the first hearings took place regarding a motion in which McGill requests the ability to deny past and future Access to Information (ATI) requests. Filed last December, the motion seeks to deny ATI requests submitted by a total of 14 present and former McGill students, as well as the power to deny all future ATI requests that are similar in nature to those of the respondents.
Meet your SSMU executives
Katie Larson: President What have you accomplished this summer? This summer really felt like it got going around the end of July. Transitioning into the role of a SSMU executive is not easy, and I think we all finally have the basics under our belts. In my portfolio, the main[Read More…]
EUS Emergency Fund will not be replicated by other faculties
During the EUS 2013 election period, undergraduate engineering students voted in favour of introducing the Engineering Undergraduate Support Fund (EUSF) in Sept. 2013. The $200,000 per-year fund will be raised through a mandatory fee of $80 per year for full-time engineering students and $40 per year for part-time students. The[Read More…]
Year in Review
September, 2012 – PQ Elected On Sept. 4, 2012, the Parti Québécois (PQ) was elected into a minority government. The elections occurred after months of student protests against the former Liberal government’s proposed tuition increases. As part of their platform, the PQ promised to cancel the tuition increases. The new[Read More…]
Students worried about employment opportunities at McGill
15 people attended an open conversation about McGill’s budget cuts and Quebec tuition indexation in the Lev Bukhman Room in the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) building on Mar. 26. The event was hosted by SSMU Vice-President External Robin Reid-Fraser, and many of those in attendance were elected student[Read More…]
What happened last week in Canada
Canada withdraws from UN drought convention Last Wednesday, the Government of Canada informed the UN of its withdrawal from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)—an initiative that builds resilience to land degradation and drought in developing countries while increasing security of essential resources. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird suggested[Read More…]
Candidates go head-to-head in final Liberal leadership debate
On Mar. 23, liberal leadership candidates – Martin Cauchon, Deborah Coyne, Martha Hall Findlay, Karen McCrimmon, Joyce Murray, and Justin Trudeau – met for the fifth and final debate of the 2013 federal Liberal Party of Canada leadership race at the Palais des congrès in Montreal. The afternoon featured several[Read More…]
Highlights from the Mar. 20 PGSS Annual General Meeting
The Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the Thompson House Ballroom last Wednesday evening with students, McGill staff, and PGSS members in attendance. Six motions were passed before the meeting lost quorum. PGSS Council Before the AGM began, PGSS held a Council meeting[Read More…]
What happened last week in Canada?
Hundreds arrested at Montreal anti-police brutality protest
Ford conflict-of-interest case to go to Supreme Court
Canada slips in UN human development rankings
AUS GA discusses changes to VP Finance selection process
Reform to the nomination process for the position of the AUS Vice-President Finance, the fate of McGill’s Industrial Relations program, and students’ ability to decide whether McGill recognizes their advanced standing credits were among the topics discussed at Monday’s General Assembly (GA) of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS). With between[Read More…]
Top ten little-known study spots
Studying for endless hours, surrounded by a sea of desks under fluorescent lighting can wear away the spirit. In the midst of midterm season, these refreshing study spots around campus will remind you there’s a world out there that doesn’t consist exclusively of papers, Apple products, and textbooks. 1 –[Read More…]
AUS General Assembly fails to reach quorum of 150
Reform to how nominees may run for the position of the AUS Vice-President Finance, the fate of McGill’s Industrial Relations program, and students’ ability to decide whether McGill recognizes their advanced standing credits were among the topics discussed at Monday’s General Assembly (GA) of the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS). [Read More…]
Students share ideas for newly open space in SSMU building
Last Friday, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) held a strategic summit on student space to assess students’ priorities for the SSMU Building. The summit kicked off SSMU’s month-long campaign to determine how the building’s space will be used after Voyages Campus’s sublease ends in May. Possibilities presented at[Read More…]
First Idle No More teach-in at McGill fosters discussion
McGill’s Thomson House Ballroom was filled to capacity on Friday afternoon during McGill’s first Idle No More teach-in. The event focused on educating attendees about the Idle No More movement, which draws attention to the socio-economic, political, and cultural relationships between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian government. Friday’s teach-in represented[Read More…]
What happened last week in Canada?
New HST in PEI to affect universities, colleges In April, Prince Edward Island will introduce a 14 per cent Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) that leverages a large amount of money from colleges and universities, according to media reports last week. Similar to the HST in place for Atlantic Canada and Ontario,[Read More…]