The Tribune’s Editorial Board presents its midterm reviews of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) executives. Tribune editors researched and communicated with each executive before leading an Editorial Board discussion on the executives’ work and accomplishments. Editors with conflicts of interest abstained from discussing, writing, and editing relevant reviews.
PGSS Secretary-General: Satish Kumar Tumulu
Tumulu’s goals as Secretary-General included funding for graduate students, better health care, and addressing governance issues at PGSS, such as more transparent communication. When he stepped into the role, he felt and heard that the communication between McGill and PGSS had been inefficient. While Tumulu wanted to engage in better communications between PGSS and the McGill administration, he has yet to take concrete steps to improve channels for executive and student communications. He says he has not received any communications from students when it comes to graduate students’ concerns regarding divestment from the Israeli state, law professors’ striking, and the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill rights—claiming that it is difficult to know students’ stances on key issues without them voicing it directly to PGSS executives. However, Tumulu has succeeded in increasing funding—at least $12,000 CAD last and this year—alongside awards for graduate students and has engaged in continuous discussions to find ways to increase appointment availability at the Student Wellness Hub. His priority for next semester is to bring a new governance structure for discussion to executives.
PGSS Financial Affairs Officer: Dhanesh Patel
As Financial Affairs Officer, Patel has focused on expanding PGSS’s financial transparency and accessibility, ensuring current budgets are up-to-date and available online. Patel reports that he has revamped the PGSS Travel Awards Program, which provides funding to PGSS members to attend conferences or competitions, by making both the Travel Award evaluation rubric and feedback on rejections easier to interpret. Moreover, in collaboration with the McGill Office of Sustainability and the PGSS Environment Committee, Patel has chosen the Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project as the best carbon offset program option for the PGSS. Into January 2025, Patel hopes to continue refurbishing the PGSS website to make it more user-friendly and future-proof, noting that the site may currently fall out of compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 which help make content clearer for people with audiovisual disabilities. Patel also plans to continue crowdfunding for the Needs-Based-Bursary program, as the university matches PGSS member contributions to this fund, and to keep PGSS health insurance plans as affordable as possible. Next semester, he will decide between two virtual mental health providers to add to the PGSS’ health program. Patel’s evident commitment to improving existing PGSS structures could be strengthened by creating new initiatives throughout the winter semester that effectively “future-proof” Financial Affairs protocols from broader budget cuts at McGill, where possible.
PGSS Member Services Officer: Ambre Lambert
As the Member Services Officer for the PGSS this fall, Lambert aimed to investigate the status and relevance of the Telehealth and Virtual Care services, improve communication with the graduate student body by ensuring transparency and inclusivity in the PGSS’ initiatives, and support the new Graduate Community support program which she successfully launched. Lambert hired a community support coordinator and a BIPOC coordinator, and, together, they have worked to help students navigate their needs. Along with the Mental Health Commissioner and the Health Commissioner—the members of the Health Team—Lambert has launched the Health and Wellness Survey. One of her accomplishments this term has been helping hire facilitators for the PGSS’ French conversation circle which she told The Tribune has seen high student engagement.
Lambert is currently working on securing the addition of more mental health services through the student health plan, which has not been confirmed yet. Other initiatives include the addition of Grammarly for graduate students which she hopes will be finalized in the upcoming semester. Going into the winter term, one of her priorities will be to focus on finalizing and implementing the Grammarly MOA to ensure that its benefits reach students by next September. Yet, while Lambert cited this as a goal moving forward, strengthening the health program and especially focusing on mental health support services should be pushed at the forefront. The Tribune recommends Lambert complete discussions around Student Care-related services.
PGSS University Affairs Officer: Racchana Ramamurphy
As University Affairs Officer, Ramamurthy has focused primarily on improving graduate student funding and addressing supervision issues. Her most significant achievement has been successfully advocating for the implementation of recommendations from the 2022-2023 McGill Graduate Student Funding Report, which revealed that 88 per cent of graduate students live below Quebec’s minimum wage. These accepted recommendations include a 10 per cent top-up for students with external funding, expedited conference reimbursements, and cash advances for travel. Ramamurthy has also pushed for a standardized funding letter template to provide clarity on take-home amounts, though she told The Tribune this has faced faculty resistance.
For the upcoming semester, she plans to organize an academic bullying awareness week in January to educate students about their rights and reporting procedures. While she chairs the Library Improvement Fund Committee, specific initiatives beyond a planned January campaign for proposals have yet to be detailed. Similarly, discussions about obtaining Quebec clinic status for the Student Wellness Hub to increase doctor availability remain in the preliminary stages. Regarding international student concerns about recent Post-Graduate Work Permit requirement changes, Ramamurthy’s approach has primarily involved bringing these issues to McGill President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini, who has committed to raising them at Universities Canada meetings. Moving forward, these initiatives would benefit from more concrete action plans and measurable outcomes to better serve the graduate student community.
PGSS External Affairs Officer: Naga Thovinakere
Thovinakere has made commendable strides this semester in addressing critical issues such as student mental health, graduate funding, and housing. Partnering with the Observatory on Student Mental Health, she spearheaded a campaign to assess and promote mental health resources, which included a large-scale survey that received significant student engagement, she told The Tribune. Her collaboration with the Quebec Student Union (QSU) led to the development of a policy document advocating for increased funding from Fonds de recherche du Quebec to align with federal graduate scholarships. As a member of the QSU Board of Directors, Thovinakere has cultivated strong relationships and contributed significantly to discussions on housing, work-life balance, and postgraduate opportunities. Her leadership in drafting an evidence-based document on student housing demonstrates a proactive approach to tackling pressing issues. Although participation in the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations’ Advocacy Week was limited by logistical challenges, Thovinakere’s strategy to pursue focused meetings showcases adaptability and resourcefulness.
However, balancing the diverse needs of PGSS members while navigating McGill’s structural constraints remains a challenge. Ensuring equitable representation across disciplines and maintaining continuity in advocacy efforts beyond her term are areas for improvement, but overall, Thovinakere’s contributions to PGSS have been productive and impactful. To build on her successes, The Tribune recommends prioritizing institutional memory by documenting ongoing initiatives and creating a roadmap for successors.
PGSS Internal Affairs Officer Cindy García could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
