Latest News

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP University Affairs

by Domenic Casciato & Evelyn Goessling on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) University Affairs represents student interests at level of the university administration. The VP University Affairs sits on the McGill Senate, maintains relations between SSMU and all levels of the university—except for the Board of Governors, which falls within the President’s portfolio—oversees SSMU’s student research endeavours, and operationalizes SSMU’s commitment to equity.

The two candidates for 2017-2018 are Alexander Dow and Isabelle Oke. At the press conference on March 6 and the debate on March 9, candidates were able to elaborate on their platforms.

Oke elaborated on her plans to bring happy lights and both visual and non-visual cues to the library in order to help students understand the health effects of studying. Her platform, which focuses on campus outreach, student rights, and accessibility, spoke about what she thinks is the VP University Affairs’ most important responsibility.

“The university’s process in providing education is something that’s inherited generation by generation,” Oke said. “I see the student body as being an intermediary group that protects the individual rights of students on campus when the university can’t recognize what they are necessarily. That’s the framework with which I see SSMU’s strongest institutional power.”

At the debate, candidates spoke about engaging students, particularly those dealing with mental health issues or sexual assault.

Candidates were asked questions sent in from the outgoing executives, with Chief Electoral Officer Alexander Nehrbass and Deputy Electoral Officer Nicholas Nehrbass moderating the debate. Current VP University Affairs Erin Sobat asked about barriers that block student accessibility to the McGill experience and how the candidates would work to address those. Oke spoke about accessibility challenges in the classroom, the precarious status of student labour, and overhead fees.

Dow’s platform is characterized by the phrase “students first.” He focuses on giving students a voice on campus and rebuilding lines of communication between the student body and SSMU.

“One of most important parts [of accessibility] is advocating to upper administration that if something is wrong you need to have student support within that faculty in order to change those things,” Dow said.

In response to a question from Sobat, which clarified that mental health falls under the VP Student Life portfolio, the candidates focused on different channels for improving the mental health system at McGill. Dow mentioned increasing discussion on healthy study habits and his intention to work with the Library Improvement Fund—overseen by the VP University Affairs—to address related mental health issues.

Oke discussed the overburdening of student health services and the need to extend mental health education and care to the classroom. Increased demand for the newly merged McGill Mental Health and Counseling Services has led to long wait times and complaints this year.

“More accessible teaching practices will result in lesser burden on mental health services [professionals],” Oke said.

An audience member posed a question about the VP University Affairs’ role regarding the new Policy against Sexual Violence approved by the BoG in December 2016. Sobat worked on the policy at the level of the Senate this past year, and the future executive will be working on the implementation phase of the policy as detailed in section 7 of the policy.

“Communication with students on this issue will be key because if students don’t know where to go […] this policy will not succeed,” Dow said. “[….] I want to make sure that students are able to use it in future.”

Oke explained that she would want to provide students with information on how the policy is implemented and so will be able to communicate specifically what implementations should be made.

When asked about the equity portion of their portfolios, Dow spoke about emphasizing delegation to equity commissioners who are knowledgeable and understanding of the policy.

Oke expressed a desire to focus on a specific issue, namely safety on campus.

“I want to focus on one thing and get a lot of traction going on a specific issue,” Oke said. “The idea I want to tackle is safety on campus, what creates it, what sustains it, and what different institutions on campus have a role to play on it.”

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: President

by Domenic Casciato & Julia Dick on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President is the spokesperson of the Society, enforces its constitution and internal regulations, and manages relations between SSMU and McGill. The president is also responsible for coordinating the SSMU executive team.

The three candidates are Lukas Shannon, Helen Ogundeji, and Muna Tojiboeva. At the press conference on March 6 and the debate on March 9, candidates were able to elaborate on their platforms.

At the press conference, Shannon explained how he would create a dialogue committee to promote constructive conversations regarding contentious issues on campus.

Ogundeji described her idea to create an ad-hoc subcommittee that would explore the creation of a code of conduct for student executives.

Tojiboeva spoke on how she will reform the relationship between the Board of Directors (BoD) and the J-Board.

“Most of the petitions [for hearings] are directly against SSMU executives […] and the executives in question do sit on the [BoD],” Tojiboeva said. “In my experience, [executives have] always found a way to slow down the process [….] What I really want to do is to make sure that the SSMU [J-Board] can be called an independent body.”

At the debate, the candidates were asked questions submitted by the outgoing executive, with Chief Electoral Officer Alexander Nehrbass acting as moderator. Ben Ger, who resigned earlier that same day, asked how each candidate would balance support and accountability in their role as leader of the executive team.

Ogundeji reiterated her plan to implement an executive code of conduct, which she said will hold the executives accountable to a specific standard. Shannon stated that he believes there is no conflict between support and accountability.

Tojiboeva answered that she would ensure that minutes from the BoD meetings were posted on the SSMU website.

The second question from Ger asked what the candidates believed to be SSMU’s priorities in terms of advocacy at the level of McGill administration, specifically on the Board of Governors (BoG). The SSMU President is the only undergraduate representative on the BoG.

Tojiboeva responded that she would advocate for an increase of mental health services on campus and, as the only undergraduate representative, would seek feedback from other undergraduates when deciding which other issues to advocate for at that level. Ogundeji said that greater change would be possible if more students had a voice on the BoG and intends to increase representation. Shannon agreed with Ogundeji, adding that he would seek to strengthen his connection with non-student members of the BoG.

In response to a question from the live stream, the candidates elaborated on their ideas for Francophone affairs, which technically falls under the VP External portfolio. Ogundeji proposed the creation of a buddy system between students who are from Montreal and those who are new to the city.

Tojiboeva suggested the creation of a week focused on Francophones. She also proposed the creation of a mentoring system that would support students who are transitioning from a French education system into the English system at McGill.

A member of the audience asked how the candidates would support racialized students on campus. Ogundeji elaborated on her platform, stating that she would seek to create a program with the VP Student Life and the Mental Health Subcommittee that would support such groups.

“I have experience working on equitable governance reform committee, working with committee members to create equity seats on council and to create racialized seats and black student seats, given the colonial and slave-owning history of McGill,” Ogundeji said.

Tojiboeva explained that her proposed changes to the J-Board would help SSMU to better reflect the needs of marginalized students. Shannon stated that he would seek to expands platforms that marginalized students can speak from.

The debate portion of the event focused on the distribution of mental health resources. Students currently pay over $100 per semester to Student Services, which funds services such as the McGill Counselling and Mental Health Services. SSMU’s budget currently subsidizes the Peer Support Centre, Nightline, and SACOMSS.  

Tojiboeva claimed that the 2016-2017 SSMU budget did not allocate any funds to mental health services. After a question from Ogundeji, Tojiboeva clarified that she would use the surplus that SSMU is projected to run this year to streamline the existing system.

“[I would] make sure the system that already exists becomes more effective, [instead of creating] new things because would take more money than that to create a functioning system,” Tojiboeva stated.

A previous version of this article misspelled Helen Ogundeji's name. The Tribune regrets this error. 

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP Finance

by Domenic Casciato & Aaron Rose on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) Finance is responsible for developing and managing the annual SSMU budget, authorizing agreements between SSMU and external groups, and overseeing the disbursement of funds to student groups.

Arisha Khan is the only candidate for the position. Her platform includes plans to update SSMU’s invoice and central booking software, introduce a Customer Relationship Management system, and develop a comprehensive professional development program for students who handle club finances.

Khan described the financial benefits of transitioning to newer software during the press conference on March 6.

“We have around six per cent of our annual budget devoted to IT expenses,” Khan said. “Over the last year we spent an additional $2,100 to migrate […] to Gmail [….The technology] we use to manage our clubs and services […] is early 2000’s at best. The cost of that is having to spend a lot more on administrative costs and rough work that people really shouldn’t have to do.”

At the debate on March 9, Khan emphasized the need for a restructuring of SSMU funds to make sure students can access proper resources when needed.

“We spend a lot of money on overhead and administration expenses, compared to other [post-secondary] student associations [in Canada],” Khan said. “For example, SSMU had the largest number of executives across Canada, but nowhere near the largest [undergraduate] population, so with that in mind, there is obviously structural issues that we should be examining with regards to our resource allocation and ways that we can streamline processes to have less administrative burden.”

A question was posed via the live stream about the Symphonic Band Club’s lost sheet music. Approximately $6,000 worth of sheet music was misplaced when SSMU club offices were cleared out in May 2016 and the Symphonic Band Club has been seeking compensation since. Khan assured audience members that she is prepared to deal with the issue if it remains unresolved next year.

“[….If] the sheet music issue is still ongoing if and when I assume the role, I would consult with the appropriate bodies, such as our insurance companies and our legal team,” Khan said.

She plans to increase SSMU transparency by making budget information easily accessible.

“I’d like to create a website that has all of our financial resources and snapshots of our expenditures so that students can be engaged,” Khan said.

In conclusion, Khan said that her previous positions will allow her to raise SSMU to one of Canada’s premier student unions.


“I hope that I can bring my range of experience to integrate here at McGill so that we can be competitive with our peer institutions,” Khan said.

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP Operations

by Domenic Casciato & Jackie Houston on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) Operations is responsible for managing the SSMU building, operations including Gerts Bar and Sadie’s, and overseeing SSMU’s sustainability efforts.

Anuradha Mallik is the only student running for election as VP Operations. Her platform includes reviewing SSMU’s unethical and unsustainable investments, continuing the SSMU Environmental Committee, and expanding the Crash Pad project, which allowed students to stay overnight in the SSMU ballroom during the Fall 2016 Frosh.

“There are a lot of commuter students who have early exams that stay at the library late, and wouldn’t want to make their commute late at night,” Mallik said. “So I think that introducing the Crash Pad for academic purposes like that would be beneficial to the students.”

Mallik also answered questions and presented her platform at the March 9 SSMU candidates’ debate. Mallik emphasized utilizing feedback from constituents on SSMU building space use, continuing to work on revenue-generating ventures—such as Gerts, Sadie’s, and SSMU MiniCourses—and maintaining sustainability across SSMU operations.

To increase revenue generated by Gerts, Mallik proposed continuing to hold the Faculty of Science BARmacy at Gerts. She also intends to introduce further employee training to help combat bystander culture.

On the relationship between the portfolio and the McGill Office of Sustainability, the candidate emphasized ongoing communication and utilizing existing connections with representatives from the office.

Responding to a question on increasing Sadie’s revenues—the student-run cafeteria that operates on the second-floor of the SSMU building—the candidate promised to maintain and build upon the work done by this year’s VP Operations, but left the option of bringing more external vendors into the SSMU building.

“Student involvement with Sadie’s is important, but vendors are an important input to Sadie’s in terms of the institutional knowledge that they bring,” Mallik said.

Additionally, Mallik expressed her intention to consult with students on what they want out of SSMU MiniCourses. She promised to rework the management of MiniCourses, and suggested introducing more dance and exercise workshops—however, SSMU is currently unable to offer services in these areas due to overlap with McGill Athletics.

In terms of qualifications for the job, Mallik referred to her past experience organizing model United Nations events at McGill and her work on various sustainability projects. She emphasized her ongoing passion for and commitment to sustainability throughout the discussion.

“One of my big passions […] is sustainability and I started working on a lot of big sustainability projects from the 11th grade onwards […],” Mallik said. “A lot of the passion I have towards operations and sustainability started a long time ago. [I will] do whatever I can with this position and shape it in a positive way for the McGill community.”

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP External

by Domenic Casciato & Nicholas Jasinski on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) External represents the society’s interests to local and provincial governments, other student associations, and groups, including McGill labour unions. The VP External is also in charge of SSMU’s political campaigns and mobilization efforts.

After Mazin Gasim withdrew from the race after the press conference on March 6 and Noah Century withdrew on March 12 after being censured by Elections SSMU, the remaining candidate for the position is Connor Spencer. At the press conference and the debate on March 9, the candidate was able to elaborate on her platforms.

During the press conference, Spencer said that McGill should join the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ) and collaborate with other universities in order to fight provincial and federal austerity measures. In the Winter 2016 Referendum, SSMU members voted against joining AVEQ. SSMU has continued to participate in AVEQ as a non-voting member with observer status.

Spencer also plans to overhaul the VP External website in order to promote the outreach of the office.

“The website for the VP External right now is off the [SSMU] page a little bit,” Spencer said. “[…] It would be great if we had a campaigns tab […] with a regularly updated [page] that goes into what has happened this week at the provincial level that specifically would affect McGill students as members of the Montreal community.”

In her opening statement at the SSMU Executive Candidates’ Debate, Spencer stressed integration with the larger Montreal community and student movements, improving accessibility for students, and the implementation of a gendered and sexualized violence policy for SSMU.

The moderator and audience questioned McGill’s role in the Montreal community and Quebec student movements, the candidate's experience and qualifications for the role, and the candidate's specific plans for the indigenous affairs aspect of the VP External portfolio.

“It’s something that I hope to really, really work towards including,” Spencer said. “At the same time, [I] recognize that I don’t come from those communities and it’s important that I don’t have a stance on what that should be because it’s about opening a dialogue with those communities about what they want to see and how we can make that happen.”

Several members of the audience expressed their approval of Spencer’s answer by snapping.

In her closing statement, Spencer emphasized that she wanted to continue her work in student activism and affecting change at McGill.

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP Internal

by Domenic Casciato & Selin Altuntur on

More in Elections:

Maya Koparkar is the only candidate running for the position of Vice-President (VP) Internal, which is tasked with overseeing the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) first-year outreach activities, communications, and student engagement. Koparkar aims to expand the portfolio of VP Internal in order to diversify the events offered to promote first-year engagement.

The VP Internal’s first major project is overseeing Frosh at the start of the Fall semester. Koparkar proposed to act as a mediator between frosh coordinators in order to facilitate collaboration with smaller faculty froshes. In addition, she proposed ways of promoting health and wellbeing through frosh, in line with recent years’ efforts to make frosh more accessible and put less emphasis on drinking and partying for new students with other interests.

“I want to speak to departmental internals about creating cohesive programming [and] better guidelines for student about how to Frosh,” Koparkar said. “For example, taking naps, rest, drinking water, [and providing] accessible food options and [beverage] options besides alcohol during Frosh. Maybe Frosh [would want] to organize morning zumba or yoga, that could be looked into as well.”

Tofunmi Odugbemi, President of the McGill Political Science Students Association (PSSA), raised the issue that the SSMU listserv neglects to include content relating to departmental events. Current VP Internal Daniel Lawrie has sought to reduce the amount of content included in weekly listservs, making selections based on content that he believes will appeal to the largest amount of the student body. Koparkar suggested collaborating with departmental organizations in order to facilitate communication with SSMU.

“A lot of the standardized process for submitting content to the listserv is set in stone, but I would look forward to working with departmental organizations,” Koparkar said. “[There are] lots of things [departments] can offer to students that [SSMU] can effectively promote [….] For example, I want to work [with] departmental organizations to better engage them with SSMU events.”

Furthermore, given recent scandals involving SSMU executives, Koparkar intends to mend the relationship between the society and its members.

“I want to create channels for students who don’t usually get involved with SSMU,” Koparkar said. “[….I will] create engagement in terms of diversifying the events portfolio. [Something] I learned as a member of the [Students’ Society Network Program (SSPN)] for two years [is that] events don’t need to be large to engage students. [They] could be small, [like providing] food during exams. [I aim to] collectively engage campus away from politics.”

In her closing statement, Koparkar explained the importance of mending SSMU’s image.

“[I have] lots of passion for providing students with [a] great connection to SSMU,” Koparkar said. [I want to] humanize SSMU by taking away the bureaucratic elements. People see the role of VP Internal as a party planner, but there’s more to offer students. Building from the ground up with first-year engagement can create a more unified SSMU and student body moving forward.”

Elections, News, SSMU

SSMU Election 2017: VP Student Life

by Domenic Casciato & Audrey Carleton on

More in Elections:

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) Student Life manages relations between SSMU and its clubs, services, and independent student groups. In pursuit of this, the position is tasked with helping student groups coordinate events, assisting student groups with resources, managing the Society’s mental health initiatives, and collaborating with university staff from Student Services.

Jemark Earle is the only candidate for VP Student Life. His platform features a significant focus on projects that complement student mental health services, including training all faculty student executives in Mental Health First Aid and creating a Mental Health minor.

During the press conference on March 6, Earle described the specifics of his plan to address mental health on campus.

“Right now we have the Career Support Centre […] which deals extensively in helping destigmatize mental health and allowing students to speak when speaking to a professional is too intimidating,” Earle said. “[Training student executives in mental health would] create a space where [executives] would be […] more approachable, more empathetic to situations, and create a space to talk.”

At the debate on March 9, Earle spoke more on his emphasis on mental health.

“My platform deals extensively with mental health and this is because I’ve seen how detrimental this can be on campus,” Earle said. “What’s missing from the equation is student input and as your VP Student Living I plan on dealing with the administration because I don’t believe they’re being transparent in how they deal with students.”

Incumbent VP Student Life Elaine Patterson asked Earle about conflict mediation, with Earle explaining his approach.

“What I believe helps or is beneficial in dealing with student conflicts is sitting with both parties and acting as mediator between them, ask them to say what the conflict is […], working towards asking them what they want from the other party, and what the other wants from them,” Earle said.

Patterson also inquired into how Earle will balance his time between supporting his personal projects, mental health, and over 150 student groups on campus—Patterson believes that the latter is the largest part of the portfolio. Earle clarified his priorities.

“In the first few months I know a lot of the job is going to be dealing with clubs and services, we have activities night so I’ll have to be responding to a lot of emails and talking to a lot of clubs and services representatives,” Earle said. “So I think that dealing with the mental health and the clubs and services […is] what I will prioritize over my personal projects.”

Private, Student Life, The Tribune Predicts

The Tribune Predicts: March Horoscopes

by Catherine Morrison & Jacqueline Casson on

More in Private:

        Image Credit: Winnie Lee     

        Capricorn: As you enter into the month of March, you are still feeling the effects of the solar eclipse that occurred on Feb. 26. Enjoy the enchanting mood the eclipse leaves as you enter the new month and make your return to school after reading week. This eclipse phase can aid you in making your personal dreams a reality if you focus on your natural talents and strive to be the best you can be. You will find that this opens up new opportunities in your romantic and financial life, and the new connections you’ll make this month will help with this. The Pisces Sun is also moving through your social third house, so make sure to find time to reach out and meet new people. Although you may enjoy your close circle of friends, you will draw energy and happiness from expanding your horizons. Perhaps joining a new club as the final months of school arrive will allow you to get involved and branch out.
        Activity to try this month: This month is full of energy for you, but try taking a minute to focus on an important topic by attending the Muslim Student’s Association (MSA) McGill’s discussion on Women in the Quran on March 17.     

             

        Aquarius: This month is alive with an energetic spirit for you, Aquarius! Midterms might be over for you, and your social life will pique: You will find yourself travelling and making time for exciting days and nights out with friends. The Pisces Sun will also be moving through your diplomatic and career-driven zone making this a work-hard, play-hard month. Be aware of new job opportunities—within your current workplace, or a new one—as this is the perfect time to make advancements in your employment. However, don’t let the potential stress of focusing on your career stop you from enjoying the cosmic energy you’re feeling and ringing in March with some memorable experiences.     

Activity to try this month: Support a McGillian musician, Jillian Blair, by bringing your friends out to her upcoming show at Club Balattou on March 12.     

    

             

        Pisces: Prepare yourself, Pisces: The energy flowing from the February solar eclipse will continue to affect you into March. March is also a birthday season for your sign, so use this continued enlivened spirit to prepare for fun and excitement as you celebrate. The sun is also moving through your second house of luxury and decadence—even more good news for your birthday month. March may be the month to upgrade your closet, try a new popular restaurant, or invest in purchases that will serve you into the future, such as a new spring coat!     

        Activity to try this month: Treat yourself to a birthday present that is sure to be a blast and buy tickets to the Lumineers concert at the Bell Centre on March 18.     

             

        Aries: Embrace this month as a time for reflection. As the the sun in Pisces will be illuminating your house of solitude and relaxation, make sure to take time for yourself and remain restful as you make your return to McGill after reading week. Take care of yourself by going for a run, putting on a face mask, or reading that book you’ve been waiting to pick up. Venus will also be in retrograde in your sign this month, so be open to new love interests as your alluring spirit will send many new admirers your way!     

Activity to try this month: Learn how to make the household products you use for self-care—like shampoo, toothpaste, and toiletries—more eco-friendly at the Science Undergraduate Society’s DIY Household Products workshop on March 13.

    

Taurus: This is the month for you to get involved! This March, the sun is flying through Pisces and your eleventh house of community, so enjoy the energy of returning to your McGill community. Participate in a club by messaging executives or signing up for their listservs, attend an event, or even make plans with your circle of friends. However, Venus, your governing planet, will be in retrograde, so there may be some complicated roadblocks to come in your personal life. Prepare for these obstacles by remaining on top of homework and by focusing on maintaining good relationships with your loved ones. Most importantly, take time to reflect and take care of yourself when necessary.

Activity to try this month: Take the time to get in a good laugh with some friends at Bring Your Own Juice, McGill’s sketch comedy group’s Three Nights of Live Sketch Comedy show from March 16-18.

    

             

Gemini: March is an exciting month for you, Gemini! As the sun shines in Pisces, it brightens your tenth house of success. This month will put a spotlight on you and your career accomplishments. Now is the time to network and explore opportunities for employment. It looks as though this month holds a prestigious chance to advance yourself professionally; remain confident, and don’t forget that whatever opportunities come your way, you’ve earned them!

;Activity to try this month: Staying engaged on campus can be essential to your professional development. Attend the McGill Indigenous Student Alliance’s (ISA) one day conference, “The Power of Indigenous Arts: Resistance and Revitalization” on March 18 to learn more about the importance of Indigenous representation in the arts.

    

             

        Cancer: With the sun in Pisces enlivening your 20th house of travel and wanderlust, now is the time to explore some new places! Forget staying at home and relaxing; get out and seek some adventures. Look for an affordable weekend travel plan to cities such as Burlington, Quebec City, or Boston. Or perhaps, as midterm season is still in full swing, plan a daytrip to a neighbourhood you’ve seen in the Greater Montreal area to enjoy a relaxing staycation. The recent solar eclipse may also afford you success in your career. Look out for club applications and call-outs for new volunteers, as these exciting opportunities could help you climb the job ladder.

        Activity to try this month: Shred the gnar with some fellow ski and snowboarding lovers at SSMUSki’s Jay Peak Overnighter from March 17-19.

    

             

Leo: This month will be a steamy one for you, Leo. Make sure to be your outgoing self for the first couple weeks of March as the Pisces sun will be shining in your seductive and private eighth house. However, remember to guard your feelings as a spiritual activation of your chart will heighten your emotions. Although this month may not be one to be thinking of deep romantic relationships, it is certainly one for spontaneous dates and fun! Take this time to explore your sexual and romantic sides by putting yourself out and joining the dating pool of eligible singles in the Montreal area, maybe by creating a Tinder account or asking a friend to be your personal matchmaker. This month will surely guarantee a spark.

Activity to try this month: Make a first date exciting this St. Patrick’s Day at Gerts Bar’s celebration on March 17.

    

             

Virgo: This month is all about romantic relationships for you, Virgo. With the sun shining in your romantic 7th house all month long, prepare yourself for a fairy tale romance to sweep you off your feet. As the sun meets Neptune—your planet of fantasy—you may feel a bit overwhelmed with passion, so make sure to follow your intuition and innate feelings in difficult situations. Through the excitement of a new potential romance, make sure to remember that self-love is the most important type of love and be your own soulmate in case this new lust fades more quickly than you had hoped.

Activity to try this month: As love is in the air for you this month, take this opportunity to bring your date to Effusion A Capella’s show, Iridescence, on March 19 at Le National!

    

             

Libra: This month opens with feelings of excitement, chaos, and inspiration with Jupiter in your sign opposing Uranus in March. This may incite some stress, but remain rooted in yourself and your well-being to combat negative vibes that may come your way. The sun in Pisces is also beaming into your 20th house of wellness. With spring right around the corner, this is the perfect time to begin daily health regimens. Whether that be going to the gym or eating healthier, focus on your health and energy this month.

        Activity to try this month: Attend McGill’s Comparative Health Systems Program’s informative and interactive workshops to learn about different clinical and social aspects related to women’s health at their annual conference on March 11.

    

             

        Scorpio: With the sun in Pisces illuminating your fifth house of flamboyance, don’t be afraid to be a little “extra” this month, Scorpio. Be reassured in your amazing self and show off just how much you have to offer! This is the month to show some self expression through art, work, or parties. Enjoy yourself this March—you have cosmic permission to extend your spring break a little longer. However, at the beginning of the month, Jupiter will be in Libra throughout the month—opposing Uranus—your house of responsibility. This will lead to a loss of motivation that may ultimately cause you some stress at school or work. To overcome this obstacle, try new strategies for managing your time and focus, like to-do lists and calendars, in order to continue to be your determined self.

        Activity to try this month: Discover your artistic side at the Chagall: Colour & Music exhibit at the Musée des beaux-arts all month long.

             

    

        Sagittarius: As you enter March, the family and home sector of your chart will be beaming, Sagittarius. Take time to enjoy quality bonding with your relatives and loved ones. Make your family your priority and build your relationships when you can. This month will also be a month of surprises in your social circle as your ruling planet Jupiter opposes Uranus. Expect your social network to expand—a new exciting and opportunistic person may enter your life.

        Activity to try this month: Take the time to to learn and participate in the discussion of a very important issue at the “Yemen Conflict Panel Discussion – A Forgotten Emergency” hosted by McGill Students for UNICEF on March 14.

News, SSMU

SSMU President Ben Ger resigns, citing personal reasons

by Nicholas Jasinski on

More in News:

This is a developing story. Please check back for details, as more information becomes available.

The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Ben Ger resigned from his position on March 9, citing personal reasons. He is the second member of the SSMU executive team to resign in a matter of weeks, following Vice-President (VP) External David Aird’s resignation on Feb. 22 after multiple allegations of sexual assault.

“Due to personal reasons, he felt that he was unable to continue in his duties as a representative of members of the Society,” read a statement released by the rest of the executive committee on March 9.

The president is the chief executive of SSMU and coordinates and supports the actions of the rest of the executive board. The president is also responsible for the wider vision of SSMU and represents the society on bodies including the McGill Senate and Board of Governors. For the remainder of the semester, Ger’s responsibilities will be divided between the remaining five members of the SSMU executive committee and other permanent staff members.

“These positions in general, from the very beginning, are very heavy positions to take on,” SSMU VP Student Life Elaine Patterson, who will be taking on spokesperson duties for the society, said. “While recent issues have been particularly trying for all of us on the exec team, all of us have had nine months worth of being in [our positions] since last June and all of that building up can create a lot of pressure, especially on the president.”

SSMU has been at the centre of controversy on campus this semester since former Arts Councillor and Director Igor Sadikov tweeted “punch a zionist [sic] today” from a personal Twitter account on Feb. 6, leading him to resign on March 8. Ger’s resignation also comes after Science Senator and Director Sean Taylor stepped down from the SSMU Board of Directors (BoD) due to a loss of faith in the body, from which Sadikov resigned on Feb. 23.

According to Patterson, Ger’s resignation creates problems for the BoD as Directors were in the process of choosing next year’s board, but no longer have quorum after the vacancies caused by Taylor, Sadikov, Aird, and Ger’s resignations.

SSMU executive elections for the 2017-2018 academic year are currently in progress with the voting period lasting from March 13-16 and results due to be announced on March 16 at 3 p.m. The winners of the President and VP External positions will be given the option to assume their portfolio in a managerial position ahead of the normal May 1 turnover date.

“Whether or not they choose to do that is entirely up to them,” Patterson said. “It’s still kind of up in the air, who wants to take on the responsibility while being a full-time student. They will be remunerated for doing those jobs. It’s entirely up to them if they want to take it on.”

It is currently unclear whether Ger will be helping in the transition and producing an exit report

On Feb. 21, the Community Disclosure Network (CDN), a group of sexual assault survivors and allies, released a statement calling for Aird’s resignation from his position. The CDN wrote that Aird had committed gendered and sexualized violence—based on testimonies from survivors—and called for SSMU to undertake a number of supportive initiatives to address future cases. Aird stepped down on Feb. 22 and issued an apology for his behaviour on Feb. 23, although the apology was removed when he deleted his Facebook account.

Sadikov faced many calls for his resignation and votes by the BoD and the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) Legislative Committee to remove him from his positions. BoD voted on Feb. 13 to retain Sadikov in his position as Director, but issued a formal censure against him and released a statement from Sadikov apologizing for his actions. Sadikov subsequently resigned from the BoD on Feb. 23, citing pressure from the McGill administration.

“Due to the interference of the administration, my continued membership on the [BoD] is, at this juncture, a legal liability for the Society, and it is in the Society’s best interest that I resign my position,” Sadikov wrote in a statement on Feb. 23. “It has been a privilege to serve the Society as a director, and I hope to continue contributing to the Society’s activities through other avenues.”

On Feb. 22, AUS Legislative Council voted 22-16 not to remove Sadikov. A motion to remove him was due to be voted on at the March 9 SSMU Legislative Council meeting but Sadikov resigned as Arts Councillor on March 8. His decision came a few days after allegations surfaced that he had been abusive in a previous relationship with another McGill student. His statement of resignation cited his mental health and personal reasons for his departure.

Patterson explained how Ger was a key part of the SSMU executive team and that his presence will be missed by the remaining members.

“I think that Ben was a really good teammate. I’m sad to see him go,” Patterson said. “It’s gonna be tough. He’s just a very good person in terms of listening and he was always there to listen when I vented. I think that a lot of the other execs would agree with me. [It’s good to see someone] in a presidential role who can also be a support system.

1 … 670 671 672 673 674 … 1,364

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue