A new mental health website and hiring a Mental Health Coordinator are top priorities for the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), according to a new mental health policy to be approved at the Feb. 20 SSMU Council. Other goals of the policy are to be implemented in the next[Read More…]
News
News, off and on campus.
AUS to launch laptop lending program in March
The Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) will unveil a new laptop lending program this March. The new initiative comes in response to the termination of a similar program run by the university in the beginning of the academic year due to budget cuts. “Given that some funds had accumulated since Winter[Read More…]
PGSS Council approves four questions on fees for March referendum
Fees regarding graduate applications, the restructuring of Rutherford Park, the Midnight Kitchen, and the Health and Dental Plan will be voted on by graduate students during the upcoming Winter Referendum period for the Post-Graduate Students Society of McGill University (PGSS). The four referendum questions were approved in PGSS Council last[Read More…]
SEDE facing financial woes, unable to secure adequate funding
McGill’s Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) office may experience reduced programming in the future due to provincial budget cuts announced last winter. “Like other departments and units on campus, we have been affected by a reduction in resources and staffing provoked by a number of factors,” SEDE Administrative Coordinator[Read More…]
Thomas Mulcair criticizes rising cost of education
New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Thomas Mulcair tackled issues facing the younger generation and the country during an event hosted by NDP McGill on Feb. 14. Mulcair, who received his law degree from McGill in 1977, expressed enthusiasm for returning to his alma mater. “I’m thrilled to be back here[Read More…]
QPIRG workshop critiques mainstream concepts of self-care, forgiveness
The accessibility of mainstream methods of self-care was the topic of a workshop during last week’s Social Justice Days series. Hosted by the McGill-Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), the event was called “Self Care: Critical Perspectives on Oprah, Capitalism, and Happiness.”[Read More…]
Tensions run high over freedom of dress at SSMU GA
The Winter General Assembly (GA) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) featured extensive debate regarding freedom of dress within the SSMU Building. Held on Feb. 5, the event met quorum, with over 100 attendees throughout most of the night. Freedom of dress Developed by the engineering student group[Read More…]
Conference on fossil fuels interrupted by occupation protesting lack of representation
McGill’s Petrocultures 2014 conference faced criticism last Friday, when participants were forced to relocate following an occupation of the Faculty Club by a group called “LockOut Petrocultures.” Later that day, student campaign group Divest McGill demonstrated outside the conference as well. At 8:00 a.m., approximately 30 members of the Montreal[Read More…]
Faculty of Arts faces 50 course cuts due to reduced budget for course lecturers
The Faculty of Arts will terminate approximately 50 courses in the 2014-2015 academic year, as announced on Jan 29. The decision is a continued effect of provincial budget cuts announced in December 2012, in response to which the Office of the Provost called for a 10 per cent cut in[Read More…]
Ethical economics: assessing the effectiveness of university divestment campaigns
Divestment campaigns at universities have targeted a diverse range of issues in the last several decades, varying from South African apartheid in the 1970s to companies involved in fossil fuels today Divestment is the reduction or elimination of investment in a particular company or sector for ethical and social reasons.[Read More…]