In response to the Quebec Minister of Education Michelle Courchesne’s recent hint that tuition may increase in Quebec, a small group of McGill students gathered in protest at the Roddick Gates on February 18. Some carried signs reading, “Courchesne I can’t afford your lies” while others passed out flyers explaining that since the 2007 deregulation of tuition fees for Quebec and out-of-province students, tuition has increased by approximately $100 per year.
News
News, off and on campus.
Funding cuts may shut First Nations University’s doors for good
The First Nations University of Canada, North America’s only fully accredited Aboriginal university, has had a rough year. The school’s future is up in the air after losing over $12 million dollars in provincial and federal funding cuts in late January and early February.
Ed. students fight for paid stage
Education students from McGill and universities across the province will gather in Quebec City this Thursday for a demonstration as part of the campaign to gain remuneration for their fourth-year practicum – or work placement course. Students pursuing education degrees in Quebec are currently required to complete four unpaid practicums, one in each year of their program.
SSMU to close Haven Books after losses of over $200,000
After sustaining losses of over $200,000 over the past three years, the Students’ Society has decided to close Haven Books. On the recommendation of then-Vice-President Finance and Operations Dave Sunstrum, SSMU purchased Haven Books – a consignment bookstore located on Aylmer Street just below Sherbrooke – from Kevin Bozzo for approximately $40,000, according to Vice-President Finance and Operations Jose Díaz, in March 2007.
Five-alarm fire destroys 117-year-old Franciscan church
On February 6, a five-alarm fire destroyed a 117-year-old abandoned church at 2040 René Lévesque. The blaze raged from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., forcing the Montreal Fire Department to demolish what remained of the building for safety reasons. The fire badly damaged the former convent attached to the church and an historic mansion on the same property.
Senate delays approval on Research and IT Resource policies
The McGill University Senate met for the second time this calendar year on Wednesday to address two policies awaiting approval by its members. Acting as the Senate’s chair, Principal Heather Munroe-Blum spoke about her recent trip to India in her opening remarks.
Five of seven motions pass at Winter General Assembly
Five out of seven motions passed at the Students’ Society’s Winter General Assembly last Wednesday, with only a motion that sought to ban discriminatory groups – specifically pro-life groups – failing, and another being ruled out of order. Unlike last semester’s GA, the assembly managed to address each motion of new business while maintaining quorum throughout.
Land Institute founder Wes Jackson discusses climate change
Wes Jackson, a leading environmentalist and the founder of the Land Institute, a Kansas-based environmental research organization, kicked off his lecture last Wednesday with a harrowing comparison. “I am going to give a talk tonight that may be rough,” said Jackson.
In India, Munroe-Blum secures a new research partnership
McGill is hoping that a new agreement with TERI University in India will put the university at the forefront of climate research. The research memorandum focusses on three different aspects of environmental research: urban transportation, biofuels, and renewable energy.
Queen’s may join other universities in banning bottled water
At Queen’s University, the Water Access Group, a group of students and professors interested in promoting public water and discouraging the use of bottled water, has completed a study of the school’s water fountains. The group found that 84 of 151 fountains were broken or dirty, and only 24 had gooseneck spouts for refilling water bottles, which prompted them to write an open letter to Daniel Woolf, the university’s principal.
