McGill’s annual joint Senate and Board of Governors (BoG) meeting, which took place virtually on Nov. 12, addressed the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future challenges of remote learning and in-person instruction. Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier began the meeting by acknowledging the toll that the pandemic and[Read More…]
Tag: board of governors
McGill Board of Governors discuss potential declining international student rate
At their Oct. 1 meeting, the McGill University Board of Governors’ (BoG) passed revisions to the university’s Gift Acceptance Policy, stating that accepting gifts does not mean the university endorses the donor’s positions. It also discussed the status of student enrollment, McGill’s anti-Black racism action plan, and heard reports from[Read More…]
McGill Governance 101
STUDENTS’ SOCIETY OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY (SSMU) What it does: SSMU is McGill’s highest level of student government responsible for supervising undergraduate clubs and extracurricular activities, managing and ensuring the sustainability of long-term operations such as the student bar Gerts’, advocating for student interests in the McGill Senate, and planning social[Read More…]
Board of Governors convenes to discuss commitments to sustainability
The McGill Board of Governors held its first meeting of the year on Oct. 3 to discuss investments and climate initiatives for the coming school year. Although board members were satisfied with the recognition McGill has received for its environmental vision, students advocating for divestment felt that the sustainability initiatives[Read More…]
Divestment should not be decided by an ex-PetroCan executive
“International research results have undoubtedly established that climate change and its resulting socio-economic impacts pose a serious threat to life on earth.” This is the first sentence from the letter that Suzanne Fortier opens McGill’s Vision 2020 Climate and Sustainability Action Plan with. The letter goes on to say that[Read More…]
Governance 101: An introduction to McGill’s governing bodies
STUDENTS’ SOCIETY OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY (SSMU) What it does: SSMU is responsible for supervising undergraduate clubs and extracurricular activities, managing and ensuring the sustainability of long-term operations such as Gerts’, advocating for student interests in the McGill Senate, and assisting in planning social events such as Frosh. SSMU is led[Read More…]
Endless working groups with weak mandates delay progress
For the McGill Redmen, a new year might mean a new name. The Working Group on Commemoration and Renaming released its final report on Dec. 7, closing out a year-long series of consultations with campus stakeholders including students, alumni, community leaders, and indigenous groups. Created in Dec. 2017 at the[Read More…]
Consultation in name only at the joint Board-Senate meeting
On Nov. 14, McGill University held its annual Senate and Board of Governors joint meeting, bringing together the university’s highest academic and financial administrative bodies, respectively. Each year, the two bodies convene to discuss a topic that relates to the university’s mission; I attended as an undergraduate senator from the[Read More…]
Senate should not have to overstep to amplify student voices
On Sept. 12, McGill’s Senate passed a motion endorsing McGill’s divestment from corporations involved in the production, transportation, or sale of fossil fuels. The Senate’s decision puts pressure on the Board of Governors (BoG), which ultimately has the power to divest, but has already refused to do so twice before.[Read More…]
McGill governance 101
STUDENTS’ SOCIETY OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY (SSMU) The governing body for undergraduate and professional students. What They Do SSMU’s mandate includes supervising undergraduate clubs and extracurricular activities, managing and ensuring the sustainability of Gerts and other long-term operations, advocating for student interests in the Senate, and planning social events such as[Read More…]
