Sixth Report of the University and Academic Affairs Coordinator

It's been a typically busy month for me, but not overwhelmingly so (that is, I've actually done some research :-) Here's the low-down on my activities.. comments, etc to academic@pgss.mcgill.ca.

Happenings

Equity Commissioner

Please take the time to read this discussion paper on a proposal for an Equity Commissioner for the PGSS, and forward me your comments. I'm hoping to address this issue at December Council.

Committee Reps

We have had one or two cases where a committee rep has been unable to fulfill his or her duties on the committee. In these instances, please contact myself or Johanne without delay so that we can appoint a new representative. Also, please avoid discussing these matters with administrators. There is an inaccurate perception among some senior admins that the PGSS is in the midst of some sort of crisis.

All that being said, we do our best to give you a sense of the time committment required for each committee- if you are unsure about taking on a new position, feel free to discuss it with myself or Johanne.

On a related note, our Services Coordinator deserves special mention for the extraordinary job she's done in maintaining the committees webpage. Don't forget to submit your reports!

Supervision Seminars

The first of our seminars on improving your working relationship with your supervisor was held on November 13. The workshop was packed, and the feedback we received was very positive. Special thanks go to the FGSR and Dean Crago, as well as CUTL for the resources they've contributed. I'm looking forward to future versions of the workshop (next one November 27, the night I'm writing this).

Supervisor Evaluations

The supervisor evaluations consultation process is progressing. We have made some minor adjustments to the pilot proposal with a view in mind to protect student anonymity and maintain the confidentiality of the data. I feel that this is a positive first step towards full disclosure of supervisor performance, which will take some time to achieve. The pilot project will be instituted over a three year period, at which time it will be reviewed. The committee is expected to report back to APPC in January.

Senate

The first senate of the month (November 8) had a light agenda, but included the appointment of honorary degrees in confidential session.

The annual senate-board joing meeting was held on Nov 20 at the Faculty Club. On the agenda was the proposed entente between McGill and the MEQ. The deal in short is that the MEQ will inject $48 million into the university provided that we first draft a plan for how to spend it. What is lost in the details is the fact that most of the money comes in year 3 of a three year plan, and I'm cynical about whether we'll ever receive it. I will post the English summary of the MEQ agreement as an accompanying document to give you a sense for how the money will be spent. The priorities are very similar to last year's tradition and innovation document.

Academic Issues

The committee has been investigating daycare opportunities on- and off-campus. Any feedback from graduate students who are parents would be most welcome. We are seeking methods for reducing the wait time for new students.

Meetings

Robert Sim, UAC