Accessibility barriers are, unfortunately, part of the McGill University experience. Students at McGill have repeatedly reported a lack of silent study spaces on campus, and the closure of the Schulich Library and the University Centre—among other construction currently taking place on campus—exacerbates this problem. While the initiatives of on-campus advocacy[Read More…]
Opinion
Opinions from our editorial board and contributors.
Campus should be a safe space
As final exams approach and the sun sets earlier, more students will be walking to and from campus after sunset. The many construction projects around McGill’s campus make navigating the area more difficult and reduce the amount of well-lit areas for students to traverse. Consequently, McGill’s administration has a responsibility[Read More…]
Canada needs a high-speed rail system
In November, VIA Rail, the Crown corporation that controls passenger train travel in Canada, unveiled plans for a “high-frequency” train project along its Quebec City—Windsor corridor. Although the project will no doubt make travelling by train more pleasant, it is not a sufficient solution. Canada should avoid quick fixes and[Read More…]
The lecture hall: The space where my two cultures met
I was born in Iran, but my family and I moved to Canada when I was four-years-old. Although Farsi was my first language, English quickly became my dominant one and, even though I was surrounded by Iranian culture at home, at school I was being exposed to a completely different[Read More…]
SSMU Executives are not paid enough
Many McGill students do not seem to hold Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) executives in high regard. In fact, one can easily find criticisms of these officials in student publications and on social media. What is more, the majority of students cannot even be bothered to vote in SSMU[Read More…]
The Wellness Hub needs more than a makeover
Only four months after its official opening, the Student Wellness Hub has received frustrated criticisms, including a recent tweet by a student expressing disappointment about having his appointment rescheduled despite waiting over 80 days to meet with a therapist. Even after receiving a $14 million donation for the Hub, McGill[Read More…]
Lessons from my hometown
I grew up in a trailer park in Upstate New York. Having moved several times throughout my early childhood, I remember moving into the trailer with my mother and brother as an exciting moment: Even though I had to share my bedroom, it was the largest one that I had[Read More…]
Scrooge was right
Although no consensus exists on what marks the beginning of the holiday season, I believe it occurs sometime between the first snowfall and the release of Starbucks seasonal drinks. The season marks the end of the year, and for students, a highly anticipated winter break. Though celebrated by many as[Read More…]
Bill 40’s differential treatment of Anglophones demonstrates CAQ’s troubled agenda
Public hearings for Bill 40, which would remove all school boards in favour of service centres, began at the National Assembly on Nov. 4. While the bill fulfills one of the CAQ’s election promises, its provision to maintain elections for the board of directors of Anglophone, but not Francophone, service[Read More…]
Students’ reliance on technology is increasingly distressing
Upon entering the typical McGill classroom, a sea of screens makes it clear that the use of laptops and tablets for note-taking has become commonplace. In response to this phenomenon, professors tend to clarify their technology policy during their first lecture of the semester: Even if they permit the use[Read More…]
