Editorial
PGSS Executive Year In Review 2017-2018
Open secrets and closed doors: McGill must do better in handling abusive professors
“After Concordia, McGill faces its own #metoo moment,” an April 4 CBC headline reads. McGill is failing in its response to allegations of sexual abuse. The Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) April 4 open letter on sexual violence and harassment allegations against McGill faculty names five specific Arts departments in[Read More…]
Behind the picket line: Accessible education requires a concrete action plan
Today’s university graduates are suffocating under record-high student debt. A 2015 survey by the Canadian University Survey Consortium indicates that approximately 50 per cent of graduating students have debt and carry an average of $26,819 in tuition debt. Debt delays or impedes important life milestones, such as buying a home,[Read More…]
Uncontested SSMU executive: Show students why you deserved their votes
The results of this year’s Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) executive elections are out. The short of it: Nearly every candidate on the ballot won, because nearly every candidate ran uncontested. For the presidency—the only contested position—Tre Mansdoerfer edged out Corinne Bulger by only 69 votes. Voter turnout was[Read More…]
Winter 2018 Referendum Endorsements
Motion Regarding the ECOLE Project Fee Levy Renewal: “Yes” The Educational Community Living Project (ECOLE) is an independent student group that provides living and work space at 3559 University Street. Every year, resident facilitators adopt eco-friendly living habits such as sharing vegan meals, composting, and minimizing their heat and energy[Read More…]
SSMU Elections 2018
Toward a weed-friendly campus: Let’s set the bar high
It’s no secret that many university students smoke weed, including at McGill. With marijuana set to be legal in Canada by the end of the summer, schools no longer need to turn a blind eye. In preparation for the new industry, McGill’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has already[Read More…]
Inclusive hiring requires more than a quota
Dalhousie University has recently come under fire for limiting its search for a new vice-provost student affairs to “racially visible persons and Aboriginal peoples,” in an effort to boost minority faculty representation. Critics have condemned the policy as discriminatory against white people, and argue that hiring based on race, rather than[Read More…]
McGill must prioritize learning outside of the classroom
University students often struggle to find stable employment in their field of study post-graduation, but incorporating experiential learning into post-secondary education can give students the marketable skills and valuable experience they need to succeed. In its essence, experiential learning means learning-by-doing, rather than acquiring knowledge through lecture and reading-based instruction.[Read More…]