Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Reprt f the Vice-President (University Affairs) t Legislative Cuncil Octber 1, 2015 The wrk in this reprt is a summary f all areas f the University Affairs Prtfli. All activities are the prduct f the hard wrk f many peple including, but nt limited t, ther Executives, Senatrs and student staff. University & Academic Affairs General Updates Fall Reading Week Ø The results f the survey sent ut in the winter semester shwed that apprximately 70% f students were in favur f a Fall Reading Week after reviewing the tradeffs. A prpsal was brught frward t the Enrlment and Student Affairs Advisry Cmmittee (ESAAC) suggesting a 5-day break in cnjunctin with Canadian Thanksgiving. There has been reprtedly sme resistance amng Faculty t the idea. The prpsal will be discussed again at the next ESAAC meeting this cming Tuesday (Octber 6 th ) Enrlment Services: Inclusive Registratin Frms Ø Fllw-up meeting regarding inclusive registratin frms ccurred. Changing the frms t include a nn-binary gender has already been submitted t IT. A frmal prpsal will be submitted this year t allw students f certain identities and grups (e.g. student with dependents, students with disabilities) t self-identify. The purpse f allwing fr selfidentificatin wuld be t cnnect students t services and t cllect statistics n recruitment and retentin f certain ppulatins f students. Ø IT prjects tend t be slw mving hwever in the interim we hpe t change the survey McGill sends t students wh accept r decline their ffers f admissin t include demgraphic questins Senate Senate Ø Senate dcuments can be fund nline: https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/senate-2015-2016/senate-meeting-dcuments. All Senate meetings are pen t the public and can als be watched ver the livestream Ø Student Senatrs received respnses frm the 3 questins that were submitted t Senate and asked fllw-up questins during the Senate meeting
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Questin regarding McGill s Alleged Bill 100 Vilatin https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/files/senate/6a._q3_respnse_bill_100.pdf Questin regarding McGill s Respnse t the Truth & Recnciliatin Reprt https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/files/senate/5._questin_regarding_mcgills_respns e_t_the_truth_and_recnciliatin_reprt_and_respnse.pdf Prvst Manfredi suggested McGill culd becme a leader in the West in terms f supprting Indigenus students and develping an Indigenus studies curriculum Questin regarding Physical Accessibility n Campus https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/files/senate/7._questin_regarding_physical_accessi bility_n_campus_and_respnse_0.pdf Ø Other items that were discussed included the current usage statistics f the Plicy n Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Discriminatin and ptential barriers twards accessing the plicy as well as funding fr investigatr and discvery driven research, specifically in Bimedical research Senate Caucus Ø Agenda items f Senate Caucus included: Senate debrief Appintments f undergraduate students t serve n the advisry cmmittees fr the appintment f the deans f law and music and ther members f the senir administratin Ryal Victria Hspital site A Principal s Task Frce has been struck t review the use f space if the University chses t acquire the site. Cntact Erin Sbat at artssenatr2@ssmu.mcgill.ca if yu are interested in further infrmatin and stay tuned fr upcming effrts t slicit student input n this matter Statement regarding the decisin f the DPSLL t appint a new Interim Directr f Student Services Senate & University Cmmittees Ø Makeup training was scheduled fr cmmittee representatives. A Cmmittee Representative Agreement and PwerPint slides were sent t all cmmittee reps. We are greatly emphasizing the imprtance f reprting and have already seen imprvements frm past years. Reprts frm representatives are critical t ensuring the imprvement f SSMU s institutinal memry with respect t McGill gvernance, which is severely lacking at the mment
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Memrandum f Agreement Negtiatins Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Ø Submitting list f negtiables t McGill this week in clse cnsultatin with all ther Executives Library Relatins Ø Met with the Libraries and the LIF Crdinatr t tuch base fr the year Ø The libraries are hsting an pen frum t present the Library Master Plan n Octber 15 th at 2:30. The Library Master Plan is a $180 millin prject that wuld greatly increase student study space n campus and transfrm the Redpath/McLennan library space int mre f a student center. If yu wuld like mre infrmatin n the pen frum r the Library Master Plan I invite yu t cntact Evan Vasall at lifc@ssmu.mcgill.ca Ø Access t the law library during exams was briefly discussed with the hpes that SSMU, LSA and the Libraries will be able t arrive at a cmprmise and arrive at a slutin amenable t the needs f all students McGill Academic Rund Table (MART) Ø Hsted the first MART meeting f the year and agreed t meet n a mnthly basis t discuss pssible cllabratins and updates n prjects. In the meantime there will be cmmunicatin via Facebk and email t stay in tuch and encurage crss-faculty cllabratins and the sharing f infrmatin Student Academic Summit Ø The first-ever Student Academic Summit was hsted last weekend. The event allwed fr the prfessinal develpment and netwrking f the VP Academics f faculty and departmental assciatins with fellw student representatins. The Summit was wellattended and received generally psitive feedback frm participants, hwever sme felt that the Open Discussin was t shrt and rushed. Ø Final schedule included the fllwing presentatins: Accessibility and Universal Design Principles (Office fr Students with Disabilities) Mre than just Curse Evaluatins (Teaching & Learning Services) Open Surce Textbks (SSMU VP University Affairs) Advcacy & Change at McGill (Dean f Students) SSMU Library Imprvement Fund and Library Master Plan (LIF Crdinatr) Knw Yur Academic Rights (Arts Senatr) Mental Health Awareness and Advcacy (SSMU Mental Health Crdinatr) Open Discussin Frum
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) University Relatins Prjects/Gals t Cmplete in Fall 2015 Present MA negtiables t the University Organize the Student Academic Summit fr VP Academics and Presidents f Faculty and Departmental Assciatins Re- stablish the McGill Academic Rund Table (MART) Launch the SSMU Knw Yur Rights Campaign Cmpile a binder f cmmittee reprts at the end f the semester Advcacy & Research Plicy-Wrk Sexual Assault Plicy (SAP) Ø The wrking grup met ver the weekend, hwever unfrtunately I was ut f twn and unable t attend Ø The wrking grup will be engaging in cnsultatin effrts in the near future, specifically targeting grups that have nt yet been cnsulted in the writing f the SAP Student Advcacy Plicy Advcacy & Resurce Cmmittee (PARC) Ø The purpse f PARC is t facilitate and empwer students t advcate n behalf f themselves. Members f PARC are trained in the University rganizatinal structure and assist students in navigating bureaucracy t frward their advcacy prjects and create systemic change. Currently the nly ther resurce mst students have t help them navigate McGill bureaucracy is the Office f the VP University Affairs. Imprtantly PARC is meant t be a resurce fr all students wishing t create change, indiscriminate f plitical affiliatins. Ø Currently recruiting tw c-chairs t revive PARC. Details including respnsibilities f the psitin can be fund here: http://ssmu.mcgill.ca/wp-cntent/uplads/2015/09/parccall-ut.pdf. Interested candidates shuld email myself at ua@ssmu.mcgill.ca
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Advcacy & Research Prjects/Gals t Cmplete in Fall 2015 Re- establish the University Affairs Cmmittee Re- establish the Plicy Advcacy & Resurce Cmmittee (PARC) Prvide training t PARC c- chairs and assist in training the cmmittee members Hst a Sciety Research prject cmpetitin Increase the visibility f student research prjects Wrk with the SAP wrking grup t incrprate stakehlder feedback and intersectinality int the plicy Mental Health & Well-Being Student Services Many changes are being prpsed that wuld transfrm Student Services and have the ptential t simultaneusly increase efficiency and quality f service prvisin. A Mental Health Strategy Cnsultant has been hired, many f the Services have undergne internal and external reviews recently and the Student Services unit as a whle is scheduled t be reviewed in Nvember. My jb is ensuring that student needs and the student vice is the primary driver behind these changes. Ø Cntinued meetings with multiple stakehlders regarding service prvisin and increasing preventative measures and upstream services Ø Have been in discussin with Executives f PGSS, MCSS and MCGSS regarding the decisin f the Deputy Prvst (Student Life and Learning) t appint a new Interim Senir Directr f Student Services. We intend t release a statement n this matter vicing ur disapprval with the lack f student cnsultatin. Ø Regular meetings with Mental Health Services, Health McGill and SSMU are cntinuing t discuss pssible cllabratins including the expansin f peer supprt services. Ø The VP Clubs & Services and myself are lking int the creatin f a rm that can be used t facilitate grup supprt sessins (as well as cllective meetings) and the creatin f a Mental Health Space that wuld allw the Peer Supprt Centre t perate in ur building. We are lking int rm 429 and 430. We are als lking int establishing an agreement with Mental Health Services t allw them t perate their Wellness Recvery Actin Plan (WRAP) grup supprt sessins. The WRAP sessins are a new prject that was funded thrugh the Student Services Innvatin Fund
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill SSMU Mental Health Initiatives Includes updates n the implementatin f SSMU s Mental Health 5 Year Plan Website & Scial Media Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Ø The McGill Mental Health Hub website (mcgillmentalhealthhub.ca) will be launched this weekend. It is designed t be a resurce fr students struggling with mental health issues and fr students wh wish t educate themselves n mental health. Ø Will be adding a page t include infrmatin n all the events f Mental Health Awareness Week. The plan is t direct students t the website which will als be a lnglasting resurce fr students beynd the campaign. Mental Health Cmmittee Ø Call-uts fr the Cmmittee are being sent ut. Interested students shuld email mentalhealth@ssmu.mcgill.ca The Outreach Wrking Grup will fcus n raising awareness fr mental health and mental illness thrugh scial media, events, tabling and ther creative means. The Advcacy Wrking Grup will fcus n advcacy based n research and student cnsultatin and will draft dcuments t prpse changes t existing McGill plicies and practices. Mental Health Awareness Week Ø Mental Health Awareness Week is cming up frm Octber 15-23! Ø Prmtinal materials are being drafted in cnsultatin with Healthy McGill. We hpe t have a series f psters that remind peple f the upcming events but als include destigmatizing and educatinal messaging. We are trying t create inclusive messaging that will spark dialgues n campus. We als want t adpt the #EmbraceYurMind frm campaigns at UBC. Ø Events are being planned with a variety f student grups n campus (Jack.rg, McGill Psychlgy Students Assciatin, AUS) as well as Student Services units (Mental Health, Cunselling, Office fr Religius and Spiritual Life)
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Mental Health & Well- Being Prjects/Gals t Cmplete in Fall 2015 Revise the Mental Health Cmmittee structure Plan a successful 2 nd annual Mental Health Awareness Week Liaise with Mental Health & Cunselling Services Expand current mental health awareness utreach Establish a SSMU Happy Lights rental prgram, Equity SSMU Equity Initiatives Equity Cmmittee Ø Recruiting cmmittee members. We re planning n expanding the diversity f SSMU's equity utreach initiatives this year. Interested students shuld email a CV and cver letter t equity@ssmu.mcgill.ca #CnsentMcGill Ø SSMU hsted tabling sessins at ur frnt kisk as part f #CnsentMcGill, a Trivia Night at Gerts and a panel event titled Creating an Inclusive Dialgue surrunding Cnsent Educatin and Sexual Vilence Indigenus Affairs Ø The dream catcher frm First Peple s Huse will remain in ur building fr the rest f the week in hnur f Indigenus Awareness Week Ø It was suggested t have an Indigenus Awareness Mnth in March t cntinue campuswide discussins and strengthen McGill s cnnectins with lcal Indigenus cmmunities Ø See abve fr McGill s respnse t ur questin regarding the Truth and Recnciliatin Reprt Accessibility Ø See abve fr McGill s respnse t ur questin regarding physical accessibility n campus and fr summary f the meeting with Enrlment Services t allw students with disabilities t self-identify in rder t imprve service prvisin
Students Sciety f McGill University Assciatin Étudiante de l Université McGill Office f the Vice-President (University Affairs) Equity Prjects/Gals t Cmplete in Fall 2015 Liaise with rganizers f #CnsentCampaign and hst a panel as part f the week- lng event Expand the diversity f SSMU equity event prgramming beynd typical educatin events such as speaker series and wrkshps Strike an Ad- Hc Indigenus Affairs Cmmittee SSMU-Wide Outreach & Cmmunicatin Scial Media & Website Ø SQ SSMU- Wide Prjects/Gals t Cmplete in Fall 2015 Present a public, detailed wrkplan and prvide updates tasks cmpleted thrugh Cuncil reprts Increase scial media presence thrugh Twitter and Facebk Create a University Affairs website with a Senatr s Crner tab t include infrmatin and updates abut the UA prtfli Update all website cntent related t the UA prtfli Cllabrative wrkplans with all student staff Imprve institutinal memry particularly with respect t Senate and University Cmmittees Respectfully Submitted, Chle Rurke, Vice-President (University Affairs)