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Erin Sobat

Apply to Sit on a McGill Committee: April 6th Council Report

Have you ever wanted to see how McGill works behind the scenes? Are you passionate about campus issues like student services, academic programs, or equity? Do you have a great idea to improve student life? Then apply to sit as a student representative on a university committee! This is your opportunity to get involved on campus and work with the McGill administration and SSMU. Apply by Monday, April 17th at 5:00pm.

This week also marks the final Report of the VP University Affairs to the Legislative Council. However, the current executive term runs until May 31st, so stay tuned for a year-end report! In the meantime, check out some recent UA portfolio highlights:

  • Student working group released open letter regarding issues with campus mental health services
  • McGill’s Provost is holding drop-in hour at Gert’s this Thursday, April 6th from 4-5pm
  • Student senators are submitting April Senate questions on campus Islamophobia & student diversity
  • Library Improvement Fund Committee made final allocations & is reporting to Council
  • Nominations for AVEQ executive elections are open now until Friday, April 7th
  • Open forum on Tuesday, April 11th regarding improved reporting for complaints of sexual violence
  • We are preparing to train the incoming executive team in May!

Winter goals completed to-date (italics = since last report):

  • Launched 2017-18 university committee recruitment
  • Equity Policy revisions approved
  • Made final Library Improvement Fund allocations
  • Sent monthly UA listservs
  • Submitted charter case on academic accommodations
  • Launched sexual violence policy committees & campus study
  • Formed working group on academic accommodation policies
  • Prepared May executive training schedule
  • Released first generation students research report
  • Create Indigenous course content advocacy plan
  • Developed long-term student staffing plan
  • Organized Student Senator Info Session
  • Hosted Add-Drop “Know Your Student Rights” campaign
  • Released foster care students research report
  • Launched University Affairs staff hiring
  • Policy against Unpaid Internships approved
  • Indigenous Solidarity Policy revisions approved
  • Internal Regulations for Board of Directors approved
Erin Sobat

Spring Soon? March 23rd Council Report

Spring is (technically) almost here! We hope that the longer daytime hours are helping you make it through that midterm-paper grind. Just a reminder that we’re currently hiring for a University Affairs Secretary General and two Equity Commissioners. Apply by March 31st!

Highlights from this week’s Report of the VP University Affairs to Legislative Council include:

  • SSMU Equity is hosting a Comedy Night with Hari Kondabalu this Monday, March 20th at 6:00pm
  • Our Students from Care Researcher is organizing a Cafe Collab consultation session with the Social Equity & Diversity Education (SEDE) Office this Tuesday, March 21st at 4:00pm
  • McGill Senate will be discussing the university budget, proposed revisions to Policy on Intellectual Property, strategic enrolment management & student aid this week
  • The Library Improvement Fund Committee is reviewing project proposals for final allocation decisions
  • Nominations for AVEQ executive elections open on Monday, April 3rd

Winter goals completed to-date (italics = since last report):

  • Policy against Unpaid Internships approved
  • Indigenous Solidarity Policy revisions approved
  • Internal Regulations for Board of Directors approved
  • Released first generation students research report
  • Create Indigenous course content advocacy plan
  • Developed long-term student staffing plan
  • Organized Student Senator Info Session
  • Hosted Add-Drop “Know Your Student Rights” campaign
  • Released foster care students research report
  • Launched University Affairs staff hiring
Erin Sobat

Winter is Here: Term Goals & January 12th Council Report

Happy New Year and welcome to the Winter term! I hope that you enjoyed your holiday break and are feeling refreshed. This week, we’re running our semesterly “Know Your Rights” campaign to inform students of their academic rights at McGill. You can check out our website and Facebook event to learn more.

In addition, if you’re interested in learning more about the role of a student senator and/or SSMU Executive, we’ll be hosting info sessions on both topics later this month! The Student Senator Info Session will be on Monday, January 23rd from 5:30-6:30pm and will feature a presentation on university governance, the senator role, and perspectives from your 2016-2017 senators.

Start-of-year highlights:

  • Submitted Senate question regarding McGill governance best practices;
  • Launched Winter Add-Drop “Know Your Rights” campaign;
  • Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) holding a Ratification General Assembly for their new collective agreement on January 9th;
  • Providing feedback on terms of reference for Sexual Violence Policy advisory committee (implementation plan) & campus study panel (review of existing policies e.g. Code of Conduct);
  • Preparing research report on support for students coming from foster care;
  • Library Improvement Fund made first round of allocations in early December;
  • Met with staff from Office of Innovation in December regarding adopting a humanitarian licensing framework for health innovations (as per our Global Access to Medicines Policy);
  • Met with project manager for Promenade Urbaine construction to discuss accessibility issues;
  • Hired Harmful Military Technology Researcher to begin work this term.

Check out our January 12th Council report to learn more about plans for the Winter term.

 

Link Rene Iwo

Senate Caucus Biweekly Report for Sept 26-Oct 10, 2016

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Add-drop is over, and as we students get more serious, so do the Senators! Here is the biweekly report of the SSMU Senate Caucus for September 26-October 10. You can also find our previous biweekly reports here.

A few highlights:

  • The Senators discussed in length the draft Policy Against Sexual Violence that was recently circulated. Some Senators also worked with their Faculty Associations to gather faculty-specific feedback.
  • One of the Senators, Casarina, have started doing research under the McGill Library regarding students’ experience with textbooks and open-access educational resources. Fill out her survey here.
  • The North Wing of the Stewart Biology Building is planned to undergo renovations starting the Winter 2018 term.

Minutes of each Senate Caucus meeting is available upon request via email.

If you’re interested in attending a Senate Caucus meeting to learn more about what the Senators do, feel free to email me (the UA Secretary) to get more information. Senate Caucus meetings are held every Monday at 6:30 PM in the SSMU Office.

Erin Sobat

Executive Goals & Objectives 2016-2017

As an undergraduate student on the downtown campus, you are automatically a SSMU member. SSMU defends your interests to the University, the local community, and the government. It’s your advocate and support, providing you with resources and opportunities, ensuring that your money is put to good use, and voicing your concerns to the University and other groups.

Do you want to know what each Executive does? What are their plans for this academic year? Check out the SSMU Executive Goals & Objectives (2016-2017).

Some highlights from the Vice-President (University Affairs) include:

  • Working for the smoother integration of Mental Health & Counselling Services;
  • Combatting abuses of ancillary fees, including ending central overhead deductions;
  • Advocating for an effective McGill Sexual Violence Policy;
  • Implementing a Fall Reading Break in the academic calendar;
  • Passing a SSMU Policy Against Unpaid Internships;
  • Establishing dedicated racialized student support resources;
  • Developing a more consistent & equitable model of academic accommodations.

Have questions about these objectives? Watch for bi-weekly reports from the VP University Affairs to the SSMU Legislative Council, or get in touch now.