An advisory committee was formed in April to find a successor to Principal and Vice-Chancellor Heather Munroe-Blum, whose second term ends on June 30, 2013. The committee will nominate a candidate it feels is best suited for the role, from an administrative and governance standpoint; the following are some key qualities we hope to see in candidates for the principalship, from a student perspective. This search presents an opportune moment for students to reflect on the values they hope McGill’s next principal will embody, and to indirectly influence the direction the university will take in the coming five years.
Munroe-Blum’s 10 year tenure, by no means without its share of controversies, can nevertheless claim a number of successes. Under Munroe-Blum’s governance, McGill has maintained its standing among the world’s top universities despite continual funding shortages. Munroe-Blum has also been a staunch advocate for recruiting new talent—more than 1,000 of McGill’s 1,600 tenure-track, full-time faculty were appointed in the last 12 years.
In the next five years, McGill’s focus needs to be on innovation and interdisciplinarity, and the next principal must take this to heart. McGill faces competition from all angles—larger, better-funded universities like the University of Toronto are outcompeting McGill for national grants, while smaller universities are outpacing McGill when it comes to implementing new and innovative programs. McGill’s traditionalism is often a barrier to both student and researcher achievement. Students are frequently unable to take courses in other faculties; for example, an undergraduate civil engineer wishing to broaden their horizons and take courses in architecture should be supported and encouraged by their faculty to do so. To uphold the mission of the university, productive cross-faculty collaborations must not only be sought out, but encouraged. Candidates for the position, therefore, must demonstrate a commitment to fostering such an exchange of ideas.
The next principal must also strive to achieve a fair balance between research and teaching. Working closely with deans and department heads, the principal needs to value—both in rhetoric and funding—training professors to be good teachers. Munroe-Blum’s successor must prioritize investment in teaching support. This is closely related to the renewed focus the new principal must place on developing student life at school. In 2006, Munroe-Blum established the Student Life and Learning Portfolio in an attempt to enhance the student experience at McGill. This was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. An applicant well-suited for the principalship must set clear priorities for the improvement of teaching and learning.
After the tumult of last year, a new principal, in many ways, brings a fresh start to dialogue on campus. The Tribune encourages the McGill community to approach this situation with an open mind. When choosing a successor, we call upon the advisory committee to choose a candidate who demonstates a strong ability to actively foster discourse among diverse groups on campus— even when the opinions of said groups may be at odds with those of the administration. Relationships are not a one way street, though, and students also need to ask themselves how they can contribute most productively to the discussion at hand. A less polarized campus, one where collegial debate is encouraged and different views coexist, is undoubtedly a more welcoming and productive one.
