| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.32 |
| Liaison | Karen Oberer |
| Submission Date | Dec. 11, 2020 |
McGill University
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.75 / 3.00 |
Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which the following stakeholders can regularly participate in the governance of the institution?:
| Yes or No | |
| Students | Yes |
| Academic staff | Yes |
| Non-academic staff | No |
A brief description of the institution’s formal participatory or shared governance bodies:
McGill is governed by both a Board of Governors and a Senate.
Board of Governors:
The McGill Board of Governors has general jurisdiction and final authority over the conduct of the affairs of the University. The Board’s mandate is focused on ensuring the sound governance and trusteeship of the University’s assets: financial assets, property assets, and human resources. It also makes all contracts and all appointments on behalf of the University. The Board is composed of twenty-five voting members and two non-voting student observers, and out of the 27 members, the appointment of 12 members, is within the sole purview of the Board. The other 15 are appointed or elected to the Board by other university associations or constituent groups.
Administrative and support staff elect 6 representatives to the Senate and 2 representatives to the Board of Governors of the University.
The Board has ten standing committees (including a Sustainability Committee), which play a fundamental role in helping the Board and its Governors fulfill their mandate.
The following Board of Governor committees include staff representation:
- Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR)
- Information Technology (IT) Committee
- Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee
- Committee on Sustainability
The following Board of Governor committees include student representation:
- Building and Property Committee
- Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR)
- Executive Committee (observer)
- Information Technology (IT) Committee
- Committee on Sustainability
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/committees-0
Senate:
The McGill University Senate is a governing body tasked with general control and supervision over the academic matters of the University.
The following Senate Standing committees include staff representation:
- Academic Policy Committee (observer)
- Committee on Libraries
- Senate Nominating Committee
- Committee on the Rights of Senate
- Committee on Student Services (observer)
Students elect representatives to the Senate and the Board of Governors of the University. Students also appoint student representatives to various Committees of the Board and of Senate, as well as to Committees arising out of University regulations. In addition to the 13 SSMU student representatives, there is one student representative from the McGill Association of Continuing Education Students (MACES); one from the Macdonald Campus Students' Association (MCSS); and four from the Post-Graduate Students' Society (PGSS).
The following Senate Standing committees include student representation:
- Academic Policy Committee
- Committee on Enrolment and Student Affairs
- Honorary Degrees and Convocations Committee
- Committee on Libraries
- Senate Nominating Committee
- Senate Committee on Physical Development
- Committee on the Rights of Senate
- Senate Steering Committee
- Committee on Student Services
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/committeesofsenate/senate-standing-committees
Student Society of McGill University (SSMU):
"There are 13 Student Senators representing the undergraduate student body on the McGill University Senate. Each Senator is elected for a one-year term by their respective constituents, typically the undergraduate students in a specific Faculty or School.
"The 13 Undergraduate Senators convene every Monday at 6:30 PM in the SSMU Office for the weekly Senate Caucus meeting. These meetings are an opportunity to strategize and discuss the state of their various advocacy efforts, committee meetings, and constituency projects. These meetings are open to all SSMU members: any student can attend to observe or to raise a topic concerning student life."
Total number of individuals on the institution’s highest governing body:
Number of students representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
Number of academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
Number of non-academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
Number of women serving as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
Percentage of official members of the highest governing body that are women:
Website URL where information about the institution’s highest governing body may be found:
Does the institution host or support one or more formal bodies through which external stakeholders have a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them?:
A brief description of the campus-community council or equivalent body that gives external stakeholders a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them:
Community Sessions (multi-stakeholder forum):
The Board has developed practices that aim to strengthen its presence in the community and increase transparency and accountability when it comes to Board business.... The majority of Board business in conducted in open session and meeting documents are available online in advance of the meeting. In addition, any member of the community wishing to send communications to the Board may do so through the Secretariat. Members of the McGill community may also submit nominations for member-at-large positions on the Board.
What is more, the Board provides students, staff, faculty alumni and members of the community an opportunity to submit written questions to the Board on matters within its mandate. Community sessions are held twice a year, once in the fall session and once in the spring session.
Sessions are held following the Board meeting.
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/community-sessions
Moreover, the Statutes of McGill University allow for the appointment or election of various stakeholders (or "members at large") to the Board of Governors and to the Senate, as well as to their respective Committees. The Statutes and the Terms of Reference of all Board and Senate Committees set out the composition of governance bodies that intends to ensure that various community stakeholders are able to serve on governance bodies. The Recruitment and Succession Planning (RSP) Subcommittee endeavors to reflect the cultural diversity of the broader community, and encourages the nomination of candidates who reflect the diversity of our larger society.
Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/committees-0/nominating/member-large-nominations
Number of people from underrepresented groups serving as official members of the institution’s highest governing body.:
Website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.