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…]
Editorial
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…]
Textbook costs need more than a textbook solution
Post-secondary textbooks are expensive. Any McGill student can attest to this: For many, spending hundreds of dollars at the bookstore is an unfortunate reality of every semester. Others turn to scouring the internet for alternatives and older editions of required texts, or pawning off last year’s gargantuan, intro-level books on[Read More…]
Renaming buildings: One step toward a more inclusive campus
Recently, McGill struck the Working Group on Principles of Commemoration and Renaming. The group will develop guidelines to consider whether McGill should rename campus buildings that honour historical figures whose legacies no longer seem worth commemorating. As with any debate on how to best memorialize the past, the Task Force[Read More…]
Task Force on Respect and Inclusion must start and end with student experiences
The Principal’s Task Force on Respect and Inclusion held an open forum on Jan. 24. It was the first of a series of student consultations about diversity and respectful expression at McGill, and how to best ensure that student life is inclusive of all students. The Task Force is to[Read More…]
An apolitical BoD is in everyone’s best interests
On Jan. 14, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Board of Directors (BoD) ratified the Judicial Board (J-Board) ruling on the case of Glustein v. Koparkar. The J-Board received an appeal after the Oct. 23 Fall General Assembly (GA), when students passed a motion to vote on each BoD member’s[Read More…]
