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a, Student Life

Off-campus student housing

by Miina Sasaki on

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Apartment-hunting season for many students is reaching its peak at this time of the year. Choosing the perfect place to live can be tough, whether one is switching from the convenience of a McGill residence or is simply choosing an alternate location to live for the upcoming school year. To ease the process for students and create comfortable, convenient living scenarios, various housing companies have set up private student residences around Montreal.

  • Varcity 515—1430 Rue City Councillors

    Situated in the heart of downtown Montreal, Varcity515 is a student apartment complex that is within a five minute walk to Eaton Shopping Centre, and a 15 minute walk to McGill. Occupied primarily by CÉGEP and university students from McGill and Concordia, it includes 100 fully furnished apartments that accomodate three to five residents, each of whom are given a bedroom. Some bedrooms have blinds instead of traditional walls, creating a stylish window between the bedroom and the living room. Each apartment includes a spacious living room with a couch, a TV, a dining table, one or two bathrooms, and a large closet for storage space. The kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, kitchenware, and a coffeemaker. Residents can either move in with friends or have Varcity515 match them up with suitable suitemates through a compatibility questionnaire.

    Varcity515 has many facilities that are included in the rent. Shared facilities include a fitness centre, a game room, and a movie screening room adjacent to a cozy lounge area. In addition, Varcity515 has a study area that’s been divided into different sections to accommodate various student needs.These include quiet rooms, conference rooms, and an open reading space.

     

     

    General information:

    Lease: 12 months; leases from one month available during summer only (March-August)

    Monthly rent per person: Starting from $699 per month for 12-month leases

    Well-suited for: Students who would like to live in a regular apartment, but still want the security and utilities of a dormitory-style residence

     

     

  • Fonteneige—5615 Woodbury Avenue

    Located about 30 minutes away from McGill by public transit is the quiet and peaceful neighbourhood of Woodbury Avenue, featuring Fonteneige, a residence exclusively for female students. The residence is within a five minute walk from Station Université de Montréal, and includes three living rooms, a dining room, a conference room, and several study rooms. With 15 women living in one large house, Fonteneige is a tight-knit, diverse community that is a great space for women to build supportive and long-lasting friendships.

    Fonteneige provides many opportunities for community engagement and interactive learning. The residence frequently holds academic conferences as well as cultural and spiritual activities to help residents broaden their scope of studies. Such activities include guest speaker evenings, concerts, spiritual workshops, and volunteer events. The building is located next to a Catholic chapel, where residents are welcome to attend weekly worship services, but Fonteneige is open to students of all religions.

    At Fonteneige, all housekeeping duties are taken care of by staff, so that students can fully focus on their studies and social activities. Homemade meals are prepared by the residence’s chefs three times a day, seven days a week.

    Cleaning services are offered three times a week, and laundry and ironing services once a week. Each resident gets her own fully furnished bedroom, aswell as access to high-speed internet. All of these services are included in the rent.

     

     

    General Information:

    Lease: Starting from one semester and can be extended

    Monthly rent per person: Starting from $905 per month

    Well-suited for: Busy female students who want to focus on their learning and live in a socially and academically engaging, family-like environment without having to worry about housekeeping.

     

     

  • Evo Centre-ville—420 Sherbrooke Ouest

    Only a five minute walk from McGill’s Roddick Gates, evo Centre-ville is a former Holiday Inn that was converted into a luxurious student residence last spring. It includes 480 fully furnished rooms, spread out over 19 floors. Residents are granted access to amenities, including a 24-hour fitness center, a large communal kitchen, high-speed internet connection, multiple lounge areas, a study room, and an indoor heated pool, saunas, and tanning beds. Unlimited use of these facilities is included in the rent.

    Residents may choose between a single or a double suite. To accommodate individuals seeking a roommate, evo offers a compatibility questionnaire to provide the best possible match. Evo also provides the option of renting two neighbouring rooms with a connecting door in between for students who want to live with more than one individual.

    Sizes and structures of rooms also vary; while some double rooms have two double beds placed across the room from each other with a large open space in between, others have the two beds pushed together with a large board in the center, creating a cubicle-type sleeping area for those who would like to share a room, but still need their privacy at night.

    Evo offers many amenities such as on-site restaurant Ace Grill & Bar, a coffee bar in the lobby, weekly yoga and kickboxing classes, flat screen TVs in the lounges, a fitness centre, and a laundry room.

     

    General information:

    Lease: Generally four, nine, or 12 months, but open to negotiation

    Monthly rent per person: Starting from $1650 per month (singles) and $850 per month (doubles) for 12-month leases

    Well-suited for: Students who want to live a life of comfort and luxury while staying close to campus

     

     

  • Parc Cité—3440 Avenue du Parc

    Stationed just five minutes away from Roddick Gates, Parc Cité is a former Quality Hotel that has been renovated into a student residence, Parc Cité is one of the closest living options to McGill’s campus. The building has 140 fully furnished rooms with a great view of downtown Montreal. There is a study room and a small kitchen on each of the seven floors. Other amenities include a game room, a laundry room, a computer room, multiple lounge areas, and a 24-hour fitness facility. There is even a Tim Horton’s downstairs that delivers straight to residents’ doors.

    Parc Cité stands out with its unique design. The entire interior of the building has been decorated by EN MASSE, a collaborative street art project based in Montreal. Talented local artists have adorned almost every wall with swirly black-and-white murals. The concept is consistent throughout the entire building: Most of the communal areas are shiny and white, with monochromatic murals along the walls, and a few bold wall designs of vibrant colour. The residence also plans many events to engage the community, such as weekly wine and cheese gatherings and lounge parties with guest DJs. Parc Cité is a modern and trendy residence with a friendly and unique atmosphere.

     

    General information:

    Lease: Two-12 months

    Monthly rent per person: Starting from $999 per month (singles) and $599 per month (doubles) for 12-month leases

    Well-suited for: Students who want to stay close to campus, and are drawn to experiencing another dimension of urban living

     

     

a, Opinion

Commentary: Exercising justice at the McGill Fitness Centre

by Albert Park on

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Controversy stirred on campus last week as Soumia Allalou and Raymond Grafton, two McGill Law students, reached out to the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) asking for endorsement for the implementation of women-only hours at the McGill Fitness Centre. Despite the fact that this is a common feature in many athletic facilities, including the fitness centres at York University, University of Toronto, and Ryerson University, the proposal itself has been met with negative responses. However, a critical look at the matter reveals that McGill Athletics has a responsibility to institute this change in order to remain consistent with the university’s goal of creating a safe and inclusive environment.

At the heart of the issue is the topic of religious and cultural tolerance. The primary reason female-only hours are being asked for is because some women are unable to exercise around men due to religious reasons. From hosting dry frosh activities to educating students about the importance of respecting other’s sexual decisions during Consent Week, the McGill administration and student body work hard to ensure that no student’s experiences on campus are hindered or devalued by his or her personal or religious decisions. The same approach applies to academics; McGill aims to ensure fairness with its policy that students are not to be penalized if they cannot be attend an exam on their religious holidays. Considering all of these policies that McGill has in place, it is odd that the same level of religious respect and promise of equal opportunity is not in effect with McGill Athletics.

Furthermore, the change would not only benefit those with religious restrictions. In fact, many women without religious restrictions may prefer to work out in a female-only setting because they may feel intimidated or uncomfortable using the gym in the presence of men out of fear of judgment or attracting unwanted attention.

The argument that women-only hours are unfair to men fails to realize that some women are completely missing out on a right that all should have as paying students.

The intimidation factor applies especially to the weight section, which is dominated by males. Some females may rarely ever enter the weight training area because of this. Therefore, women-only hours would even benefit the women who already go to the fitness centre by allowing them to experiment with new sections that they may typically not approach. In fact, women-only hours would help divide up the machine usage in general. Anyone who has gone to the Fitness Centre knows that there is a different distribution of men and women in the various areas of the gym. The cardio section is used frequently by females, and is usually the most crowded area of the gym. Women-only hours would help reduce this clog during the high traffic hours. Overall, this would allow for a more equal balance of the different machines between men and women, and would encourage, or at least make it possible, for everyone to try new activities.

Some may argue that women-only hours are unfair to men who would have to pay the same amount of money for fewer howers of service, and that those desiring that those desiring this feature should look for another gym. However, there is a large discrepancy between the student price offered by the McGill Fitness Centre and gyms outside campus. For example, a nearby female-only facility, Energie Cardio Pour Elle, charges $43 a month for students, compared to $25 per semester for the McGill Fitness Centre. Therefore, the argument that women-only hours are unfair to men fails to realize that some women are completely missing out altogether on the right to access fitness facilities that all should have as paying students, while the ones making the argument would only have shortened hours. Therefore, in order to remain faithful to McGill’s goal of creating a safe, tolerant, and community-oriented environment, the McGill Fitness Centre should introduce women-only hours as soon as possible.

a, Opinion

Commentary: Employment insurance ineffective in Canada

by Justin Hatherly on

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Over the past few decades, Canadians have taken steps—from the Canada Pension Plan to universal health care—to make Canada a more caring and equitable society. However, despite politicians’ best intentions, these societal efforts can sometimes produce unintended negative consequences. Nowhere is this more evident than with the current design of the employment insurance (EI) system.

In 1971, the Liberal government dramatically expanded and increased the generosity of the EI program. Under the new system, seasonal workers were insured, benefits were enhanced, and for the first time, the qualifying period for EI was determined on a regional basis. Though seemingly compassionate on the surface, these reforms had a negative impact on large parts of the country.

In order to understand why insuring seasonal workers is a problem, one should start off by examining how insurance operates. People insure themselves against unpredictable events, such as fires or floods. The same principles can be applied to unemployment. Given the risk of unexpected layoffs, it makes sense for workers to band together to insure each other and provide temporary income support. By having all workers in a government-run insurance program, costs can be kept low and coverage broad.

However, seasonal work does not operate in the same way due to its predictable nature. For example, it is a certainty that a ski instructor will be out of work in the off-season.

In the absence of an employment insurance program, seasonal employers would have to pay their workers enough to make them stick around from one season to the next. Moreover, as the government subsidizes seasonal work and unemployment, both of these phenomenon become more prevalent.

In short, EI is an incredibly inefficient and poorly designed program, rewarding a token bout of seasonal work with months of tax-financed idleness.

[Employment insurance] is an incredibly ineffective and poorly designed program, rewarding a token bout of seasonal work with months of tax-financed idleness.

Regional EI entry requirements also impede the functioning of a fluid national labor market. These requirements mean that in regions with unemployment rates above the national average, workers only have to pay into the EI fund for six weeks as opposed to 16. In many parts of Western Canada, robust economic growth has contributed to labor shortages. In Atlantic Canada, there is close to a double-digit percentage of unemployment. One would think that the simultaneous existence of these two situations would be complementary: Canadians in regions of high unemployment could take jobs in areas of the country with demand for workers.

However, some entry requirements in parts of the nation are an active deterrent to unemployed workers in those regions from taking jobs in other regions. For example, if unemployed seasonal workers were to move to Alberta in search of work, and were unable to find it, their sparing work history would mean their contributions to the EI fund would be insufficient to qualify for benefits under these tougher rules. Thus, regionally enhanced EI can deter Canadians from migrating to other parts of the nation to meet labour market needs. This has a detrimental effect on the labour market, and worsens the performance of the economy as a whole.

Easy access to EI for seasonal workers has contributed to a persistent unemployment problem in many areas of the country like Nova Scotia, and a consensus forecast among economists estimates that the system has led to a permanent two per cent structural unemployment gap compared to that in the U.S.

To rectify the situation, EI should return to its original purpose as a government-administered insurance program for workers with one national set of eligibility requirements and benefit levels. To protect themselves, seasonal workers should be forced to save a certain proportion of their income in a specific account to provide a degree of income security when unemployed.

Most people want a fair society, but sometimes, policy making doesn’t work as planned. It is time to reform EI and do away with the unintended negative consequences that result from Canada’s flawed EI system.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Timbuktu : The jarring reality of a not-so distant land

by Alex Bullis on

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In a world where the social fallout from militant and extremist religious groups is often reduced to sound bites and headlines from overseas, it is all too easy for the West to overlook the daily lives of residents in war-torn regions in favour of more glamourized news. In Timbuktu, director Abderrahmane Sissako vividly and harshly illuminates the realities of everyday survival in lands caught in the crossfire of violent Islamist extremism.  

Loosely tied together by the story of a local cow herder unsuccessfully trying to avoid conflict, the film cuts sharply and abrasively between the lives of various locals and their experiences under the occupation of militant group Ansar Dine in Western Africa. Each character has a distinctive and tragic personal angle on the crisis—from an unmarried couple caught and executed for fornication to a young woman arrested and violently lashed for nothing more than singing in her own home.

Timbuktu often focuses on the absurdity and contradiction present throughout the radicals’ occupation of the city. Soldiers proclaim through bullhorns that soccer is illegal before arguing about their favourite Champions League teams in an alleyway. Police quietly debate between themselves whether it is right to arrest a group for playing music if they are doing so to praise Allah. A local worshipper chastises a band of foot soldiers for entering a mosque with shoes and guns. These are the small yet revealing dialogues that allow Sissako to, in a small way, humanize the militants, managing to illustrate their naiveté, confusion, and unrelenting barbarism. The film shows a world where it often appears that not even the oppressive forces themselves fully understand their horrific actions, or the rationale for their behaviour.

The lives and determination of the occupied is portrayed more clearly than the villainy and heinousness of the occupying forces. As more and more restrictive laws are put in place, the citizens of Timbuktu react with subtle and careful acts of defiance. This is showcased in what is likely the most visually striking scene in the film: After a man is lashed for playing soccer, he and his teammates continue to play, but with an imaginary ball so that they cannot be punished. It is a bittersweet triumph for the locals in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

The emotional power of the film comes less from what it shows than from what it leaves off camera. In very few cases is violence directly shown on-screen, but when it is, it is sharp and without significant warning. This caustic and shocking approach to the depiction of violence in the town effectively mirrors the unpredictability within such communities. It also allows Timbuktu to avoid the common trope of modern sociopolitical dramas using graphic depictions of violence alone to create emotional tension, relying instead upon plot and setting to do this work. Repeated shots of masked soldiers proclaiming oppressive regulations through megaphones in the streets, in conjunction with the unease caused by the cinematography, created a powerful sense of dread and fear that violent scenes could not.

This omnipresent sense of dread is consistently reflected in the actors’ faces as well. Facial expressions and body language are used far more commonly than verbal communication throughout the film to illustrate the emotional gravity of situations, and are executed with great precision by all members of the cast. Extended scenes with little to no conversation consistently advance the plot in directions that even the most masterfully conceived dialogue would struggle to achieve.

By clearly and tastefully showing the truth of the human experience of life in cities occupied by extremist radicals, Timbuktu provides a new and conscious perspective on an issue of undeniable relevance to the 21st century. It is a raw and emotionally gripping film that avoids clichés and oversimplifications of issues, consistently encouraging viewers to explore and question their understanding of the implications of violent religious fundamentalism as a whole. 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Deep Cuts: Mellow and meditative

by Evelyn Kaczmarek on

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Weightless

Artist: Marconi Union 

Album: Single

Released: October 16, 2011

 

In 2011, with the help of professional sound therapists, the British artist Marconi Union purposely crafted the most relaxing song of all time. The eight-minute ambient track is a conglomerate of perfectly calculated harmonic intervals, designed to induce a calming euphoria. The continuous pulsing rhythm of 60 BPM can miraculously cause listeners’ brainwaves and heart rate to synchronize with the song in a process called “entrainment.” In a scientific study, it proved to reduce stress by 65 per cent in listeners, so plug in right before your next midterm.

 

Watermark

Artist: Enya 

Album: Watermark

Released: September 19, 1988

 

If you think Enya is just for crying middle-aged women, you’re wrong. Enya is most definitely for crying women at any age. Crying men too. And crying children and crying babies. She is for anyone at anytime, tears or no tears. The Celtic goddess’ ethereal melodies provide the perfect dosage of Zen heaven and ’90s nostalgia. Any of her songs have the power to relax and uplift, but “Watermark” is especially pensive—even without any of her soothing vocals to complement, this Enya composition delivers.  

 

The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is out to get us! 

Artist: Sufjan Stevens

Album: Illinois

Released: July 4, 2005

 

Listening to this piece from Sufjan Stevens’ fifth studio album, Illinois, feels likes exhaling a deep breath. The song varies a lot in tempo and style, but there is a consistent baseline of tranquility throughout.  The three-four beat and nostalgic lyrics joined with Stevens’ hauntingly soothing voice provides a positively soothing masterpiece.   

 

Avril 14th 

Artist: Aphex Twin 

Album: drukQs

Released: October 22, 2001

 

This gorgeous acoustic piano piece presents a departure from Aphex Twin’s better-known work, which is more exclusively electronic. You might recognize it as the sampled track on Kanye West’s 2010 single “Blame Game” featuring John Legend. However, on its own; the piece tells an intimate melodic story—one that is infinitely melancholic but simultaneously quite hopeful. It makes for a reflective and life-affirming listening experience.

 

a, Student Life, The Viewpoint

The Viewpoint: Learning not to settle

by Tiffany Le on

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Although “Rez life” had its perks, I longed for a completely separate, individual space for most of first semester. The outrageous cost of living in Carrefour Sherbrooke was a frustrating experience; paying a ridiculous amount every month made me feel entitled to be treated like an honoured guest. I felt cheated and annoyed at the restrictions imposed on me, such as not being able to have more than two guests over and needing to sign them in. I needed the buffer experience of being quasi-independent for a year, but I was itching to fully take control of my life.

My roommates and I wanted to dabble in apartment hunting as early as possible and started looking online during the winter break. It was pointless. There were no ads for leases that started in September 2015, and therefore no prospect of even considering any of the options. However, it offered us the opportunity to discuss our tastes and agree on the general aesthetics and location of the home we wanted.

When January rolled around, new ads for housing options appeared. We discovered a small company called Werkliv, where we found the listings of  a McGill graduate who renovated duplexes, marketing them towards students. We set a date and visited several of their units all at once. While we were not too keen on the first apartment we visited, the second apartment we visited was an eclectic and modern space that included a vintage lamp and a cozy kitchen with the pots and pans all hung up on the wall. It was perfect. We even chose our rooms; I wanted the one with the fire escape because I watched too many films growing up where fascinating conversations were carried out in that setting—I completely romanticized the idea. The landlord was surprisingly easy-going and helpful—all the pieces looked like they were falling into place. That night I called my parents and told them we found the one. I thought it was a done deal.

But it turned out that one of our roommates did not want the apartment after further consideration. Her parents were not comfortable with the unit being on the ground floor for security reasons, and she realized she could not compromise with her windowless room. I was devastated. I was so stuck on the idea of finally having a home that it felt like an incomprehensibly huge loss.

In retrospect, that duplex was not  really the idealistic space I had initially perceived it to be. I did not have much to compare it to, having only visited one other rental prior. The apartment was tiny and barely had any common space. Although it was beautifully decorated, this only served to mask how narrow the floor plan was. It was not cheap, did not include any amenities, and did not even fall within our ideal location. So many aspects of the place did not comply with my expectations, but the thrill and excitement of the experience made me blind to the imperfections.

A couple weeks later, one of my roommates and I were talking late at night and decided to peruse Craigslist, where we stumbled across another student start-up that manages different apartment units and leases apartments. The company, Flatbook, was unique in that during the summer, it takes care of subletting the apartment. It also included heat, electricity, and wifi in the rent, and furnished all of the apartments. We found two apartments that appeared to suit us. Stylistically, the photographs online did not reveal much, but we could tell that this was a good deal.

When we got around to visiting, the location really caught us off guard. The second duplex was situated in a beautiful old neighbourhood on the edge of the Plateau, complete with wild spindly trees. The interior of the home had a mixture of wood floors, high ceilings, and intricate walls. We had two balconies, lots of room for storage, and an impressive collection of wine bottles. We signed the lease shortly after. 

Throughout the entire apartment hunting experience, I realized that it really is rare to hit the jackpot on the first try, but it is worth it not to settle. Montreal is a huge city; in the end, taking the effort to spend more time seeking out what’s available will lead to a huge payoff. 

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen cling to top seed, split weekend series

by Aaron Rose on

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McGill Redmen
60

UQÀM Citadins
59

It certainly wasn’t a pretty weekend for the McGill Redmen (10-5), but it looks like the squad will head into the RSEQ tournament as the top seed regardless. On Thursday night, the Redmen faced off against a desperate UQÀM (4-10) squad, who needed a victory to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The Citadins gave McGill all they could handle, but the Redmen squeaked out a one-point 60-59 victory to avoid the upset. Two days later, the Redmen traveled over to Concordia where the Stingers managed to defeat a hobbled McGill squad 69-61.

With sophomore guard Dele Ogundokun out of the lineup due to an ankle injury, Head Coach David DeAveiro turned to freshman guard Jawara Pedican to start against the Citadins. Pedican struggled early, scoring just three points before being relegated to the bench for the entire second half. UQÀM certainly wasn’t spectacular, but with Ogundokun and senior forward Rodrigo Imperador out of the lineup, the Redmen struggled to score.

“Defensively, they caused us a lot of troubles with their switching,” DeAveiro said.

Fifth year wing Alexandre Bernard couldn’t go wrong for the Citadins in the first half, scoring 15 of his 25 points in the first two quarters.

“Bernard was outstanding tonight,” DeAveiro said. “We had no answer for him.”

It was only in the second half that the Redmen were finally able to contain the 24-year old star, holding him to 10 points on 37.5 per cent shooting.

After a miserable six-point second quarter, McGill found itself trailing by eight heading into the break. DeAveiro decided to shorten the bench in the second half, a decision that paid off, as sophomore guards Jenning Leung and Regis Ivaniukas combined for 21 second half points.

“My teammates were making good decisions and I was open in the corners,” Ivaniukas said.

Down by two with just under three minutes remaining, second year big man François Bourque found himself open at the top of the arc for a three. Converting at a 23 per cent rate from long range this season, he’s not normally who the Redmen trust to hit threes, but when his team needed him most, Bourque stepped up and nailed it.

UQÀM pulled ahead by one with a minute remaining before Redmen captain Vincent Dufort got to the line and hit both of his free throws to give the Redmen a two-point lead.

With 12 seconds remaining, UQÀM had the ball and was down by one, but McGill smothered the Citadins and forced a contested jump shot that was off the mark.

“We just kind of find ways to win games down the stretch,” DeAveiro said. “We dig down deep and just find a way.”

Unfortunately, the Redmen couldn’t close out the Stingers on Saturday. Again, McGill started out slow with Ogundokun out of the lineup, scoring just seven points in the first quarter. Concordia pulled ahead by 10 in the third, before the Redmen stormed back to take a five-point lead early in the fourth. The Stingers responded with a 10-2 run and never relinquished the lead, beating McGill by eight.

The goal for the squad is to hoist a third straight RSEQ Championship, but for that to happen, they need to get healthy and regain their edge.

“We have to put a full 40 [minutes] together against Laval [next Friday night],” sophomore guard Michael Peterkin said. “Games are only going to get tougher from here on out. We’re a better team than we’re showing right now.”

a, McGill, News, PGSS, SSMU

Senate discusses implementing recommendations of Mental Health Working Group

by Julie Vanderperre on

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McGill’s mission statement and principles

Senators raised concerns about the wording of McGill’s mission statement—specifically the linkage between  academic freedom and responsibility. 

“In fulfilling its mission, McGill University embraces the principles of academic freedom and responsibility, integrity, accountability, equity, inclusiveness, and respect for cultural and individual diversity,” the proposed statement of principles that has been under work currently reads.

Several Senators claimed that this phrasing could put forward the idea that McGill scholars are being directed and restricted by the administration.

University Libraries Senator Marc Richard stated that he was concerned with the use of the term “responsibility” in the mission statement because of its negative connotations. 

“Linking [academic freedom with responsibility] actually constrains what we mean by responsibility,” McGill University Principal Suzanne Fortier responded.

Fortier concluded the discussion of the mission statement by saying that the concerns would be forwarded to the Academic Planning Committee (APC), who will then submit motions to the Senate.  Fortier emphasized her hopes that the APC would bring back a strong mission statement that the Senate would later vote on, and which all Senators would feel is an accurate portrayal of the university’s values.

Budget Planning

Provost Anthony Masi discussed the Budget Planning 2015-2016 Report at the meeting, emphasizing that McGill has taken measures in 2014 that are allowing the university to mitigate current budget cuts. 

According to Masi, McGill went into the fiscal year projecting a $7 million deficit, which was then re-calculated after the Quebec government announced a $20 million budget cut. According to Masi, McGill was prepared for the additional reductions, and will still finish the year with a deficit of $7 million. 

Masi further emphasized that the budget cuts that McGill is facing should not affect any of the university’s actions central to its values.

“We can’t keep doing everything we’re doing,” Masi said. “Something has to give, [but] we just don’t want that ‘give’ to be core to our academic mission.”

Mental Health Working Group recommendations

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs Claire Stewart-Kanigan posed a question to Senate regarding the implementation of recommendations published by the Mental Health Working Group (MHWG) on May 2014. The MHWG is a committee with a mandate to review the current state of mental health, counselling, and student services at McGill, and to make recommendations regarding improvement to Executive Director of services for students Jana Luker and Deputy Provost, (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens.. 

One recommendation was for McGill to create a position dedicated towards implementing the recommendations of the working group.

“[Will] the person who has been hired to implement this plan be empowered to task the university committees […] to look into specific university policies with a mandate of implementing the findings of the working group?” Stewart-Kanigan asked.

Dyens responded by stating that the revision of university policies is the responsibility of the university’s mutual governance structure, which includes the Enrolment and Student Affairs Advisory Committee (ESAC), the Academic Policy Committee (APC), the Committee on Enrolment and Student affairs (CESA), Senate, the Office of the Dean of Students, and several other governance bodies.

 “The actual revising of the policy is our responsibility, members of [the Senate], and others that are responsive to Senate,” Dyens explained.

Stewart-Kanigan posed a supplemental question, asking if the individual tasked with implementing these policies would be affiliated with academic staff, given that mental health issues at universities can be tied to academic practices.

In response, Dyens stated that the person hired for the position would work with academic staff although it remained unclear whether McGill would be hiring specifically for that position.    

“There would be a lot of horizontal discussion, and, if hired, the individual tasked with implementing the policies would work collaboratively and try to implement the most positive changes to regulations to impact students,” Dyens said. “There is a balance that we must keep in mind between helping students and the demanding nature of McGill [….] But there is transparency, there is collaboration; there’s no point in keeping these thing siloed.” 

a, News, SSMU

J-Board publishes recommendations in GA speaker case

by Shrinkhala Dawadi and Cece Zhang on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Judicial Board (J-Board) published a recommendation on the Nadir Khan and Zain Ali Syed vs. the SSMU Council and Speaker case this Friday. 

The recommendation is a result of the mediation session that resolved the case, which Khan and Zyed filed in October 2014 following the Fall General Assembly (GA). The complainants had stated that the Speaker’s practices at the Fall 2014 GA suppressed discussion on a controversial motion that called for SSMU to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

The mediation stipulated that the J-Board was mandated to investigate the meaning of Article 5.2 of Bylaw Book I-5 of the SSMU bylaws.

“Standing rules for the General Assembly which make Roberts’ Rules easier for students to understand procedure must be adopted by Council at least one week in advance of the General Assembly,” Article 5.2 reads. 

The J-Board explained in its recommendation that this bylaw should be interpreted as imposing a positive obligation on Council to adopt standing rules for the GA in order to promote accessibility to the average SSMU member.

“Council must, under Article 5.2 and following, adopt standing rules which seek to make a General Assembly’s rules of order understandable for the average member at least one week in advance of a General Assembly,” the recommendation reads. “These rules must be published at least five calendar days before the General Assembly.”  

SSMU President Courtney Ayukawa previously responded to the original J-Board petition, saying that SSMU convention treated Article 5.2 as a recommendation rather than an obligation.  The J-Board addressed convention but found it insufficient to defend such an interpretation.

“While convention can be helpful in interpreting bylaws it cannot be used to trump clear, express, and non-ambiguous wording,” the recommendation read.

The J-Board was also mandated to investigate if a special two-thirds majority rule for a motion to postpone indefinitely constituted a valid standing rule that could be adopted in lieu of the simple majority rule in Robert’s Rules. In its recommendation, the J-Board distinguished between standing rules and special rules of order. 

“Standing rules are not rules of procedure, but a means of regulating the details of the administration of a society,” the explanation reads. 

The J-Board explained that changing the rule for a motion to postpone indefinitely would constitute a special rule of procedure, which SSMU Council does not have the jurisdiction to amend. 

The J-Board explained that this amendment could be applied to GAs if the SSMU Board of Directors adopted it. The General Assembly as a body would also have the power to amend and suspend rules of order. 

“The J-Board finds a positive obligation on the part of SSMU Legislative Council to create, publicize, and bring to all General Assemblies a set of standing rules that promote an effective and accessible process for students as stated in article 5.2 of SSMU By-Law I-5,” the explanation read.

In response, Ayukawa said that SSMU would strive to adopt standing rules at future GAs.  

a, Soccer, Sports

Taking stock of the Barclays Premier League

by Raphael Uribe Arango on

More in a:

With 12 games left in the Barclays Premier League, Chelsea is five points clear at the top, putting the Blues in prime position to win. This Premier League season has marked the resurgence of Manager Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed ‘Special One,’ and his Chelsea squad. But no one—including Mourinho—is foolish enough to think that Chelsea is going to coast to victory. The Premier League is notorious for wild finishes, and even this late in the season, there are six other teams still very much in the running.

  • Favourites

    Chelsea: It’s not at all surprising that Chelsea is leading the Premier League this season. Mourinho’s coaching has brought consistency on defence and made Stamford Bridge a near impenetrable fortress for opposing teams. On offence, Chelsea has a myriad of scoring options. The team can rely on the League’s top scorer Diego Costa, who is having an outstanding debut season with 17 goals so far. Over Chelsea’s last 20 games, they have conceded goals in only four. That statistic is practically unbelievable—especially in the Premier League—and explains why they are favourites to win the League this season.

    Manchester City: This is a very talented team, filled with perennial stars such as Sergio Agüero, David Silva, and Yaya Touré, but is one that has performed slightly below expectations this season. Manager Manuel Pellegrini has orchestrated a hyper-offensive style of play, which has pumped up the team’s scoring this season. Unfortunately for City, the team has tied far too many games and that has cost crucial points in the race to keep up with Chelsea. Second place for Manchester City would be a step back for the defending champions, but is the most likely outcome at the moment.

    Manchester United: United has bounced back tremendously from last season’s disastrous performance. New Manager Louis van Gaal has rejuvenated the team and has helped his players perform significantly better on both sides of the ball. The addition of Ángel Di Maria from Real Madrid has had a positive impact on the team and has helped United’s attacking options, but fellow newcomer Radamel Falcao is performing well below his usual form, and is unlikely to be staying with Manchester United much longer. If United were to finish third, it would not be a surprise to anyone, but a few slip-ups down the stretch could mean that the Champions League might not be in the cards next season.

  • Still in the race

    Southampton: Southampton is having a phenomenal season. With the departure of key players such as Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Rickie Lambert to Liverpool, the team’s prospects looked grim. However, with the arrival of new Manager Ronald Koeman, the team has defied all expectations on its climb to the top of the standings. Fourth place and a coveted place in the Champions League would be a massive achievement for a team that only returned to the Premier League in 2012-2013 after being relegated seven years prior.

    Arsenal: Since the departure of Thierry Henry in 2007, Arsenal has put together a string of roller coaster seasons. Inconsistency has always plagued Arsenal and if the team does not close strongly, a spot in the Champions League next season is out of the picture. The addition of Alexis Sanchez has been one bright spot for the team this year.

  • Long shots

    Tottenham: The emergence of Harry Kane has been a blessing for the Spurs this season. A stunning victory against Chelsea at White Hart Lane has definitely given the team the confidence it needs to make the leap from good to great. If it can keep its momentum going until it faces Manchester City and Manchester United in the final games of the season, a Champions League berth is within reach.

    Liverpool: A terrible first half of the season has cost Liverpool dearly. The second half of the season has seen a revival from Mario Balotelli and the Reds, but its path back to the top is steep. If Liverpool can keep this run going, they may be able to jump up from sixth. Digging yourself out of a first half hole is hard in any league, but with one of the toughest end-of-season schedules, getting to fourth place will be a true test of this team’s character.

    (Photos courtesy of: Nick Potts / PA; wallabet.fr; thisisanfield.com) 

     

     

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