McGill Tribune Vol 32 Issue 18

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Volume No. 32 Issue No. 18

TRIBUNE THE mcgill

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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

McGill releases new documents on how to deal with protests Operating Procedures to bypass Senate, Board of Governors; administration continues to collect feedback

McGill will host two Consultation Fairs to discuss the new Statement of Values and Operating Procedures. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) Andra Cernavskis & Erica Friesen News Editors McGill released the latest set of documents regarding protests and demonstrations on campus on Monday. Originally a draft protocol on demonstrations, these documents consist of a Statement of Values and Principles on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and a set of Operating Procedures regarding demonstrations, protests, and occupations on McGill University campuses. Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Michael Di Grappa and Provost Anthony Masi first announced that the administration would take this course on Jan. 16, following consultation for the draft protocol in December and January.

The documents are meant to eventually replace a provisional protocol that has been in effect since Feb. 12, 2012, since the five-day student occupation of the 6th floor of the James Administration building. According to the second document, the Operating Procedures will serve as guidelines for determining “when attention or intervention may or may not prove necessary in the case of demonstrations, protests, occupations, and actions that contravene internal policies or the law.” “In general, tolerance is expected for the expression of dissent, and for a certain degree of inconvenience arising from the means by which dissenting opinions may be expressed,” the document reads. “At all times, decisions will be sensitive to context and will reflect the exer-

cise of sound judgment by those in charge.” The document then outlines in what contexts demonstrations, assemblies, and protests are considered to be peaceful, which include the consideration of “intensity, intentionality, duration, and location.” While both the Senate and the Board of Governors (BoG) were originally intended to vote on the draft protocol, the Operating Procedures will not face a vote in either body. Di Grappa has said that this is common procedure for university administration, because the Operating Procedures are an “administrative document,” rather than a matter of academic or fiscal policy. Both the Senate and the BoG will vote on the Statement of Values and Principles on Mar. 20, and Apr.

26, respectively. “The Statement of Values will be an over-arching statement that will influence how McGill responds to events on campus, including the implementation of the Operating Procedures,” Di Grappa said. The email that announced the release of the documents on Monday notes that the administration created the Statement of Values to closely resemble the preamble to the draft protocol. “Based on consultation on the draft of a revised protocol circulated to the community before the Holiday break, we concluded that the preamble of the proposed protocol was generally well received,” the email reads. Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Josh

INSIDE: Editorial on Statement and Procedures (P6) Redel said he felt the new documents were “a step in the right direction” for McGill, although he questioned the administration’s decision to forego discussing the Operating Procedures at Senate or the BoG. “Does it belong at Senate? Does it belong at Board?” he said. “I can see some Board members saying that ‘this is management and we usually deal with governance’ … but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t go there at least for discussion.” Although Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) SecretarySee “New documents” on p. 2


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