Queen’s Graduate Award (QGA) funding, the university research plan, and peaceful protest guidelines were top concerns at October Senate.
Following an incident at last month’s Senate where a protestor threw glitter at Provost Mathew Evans, the University opted for an online format for Senate this month. Meetings in November will also be conducted on Zoom, with a review to discuss when to return to in-person meetings later on during the school year.
READ MORE: Glitter thrown at Provost Evans during Senate protest
Principal Patrick Deane was unable to attend Senate, due to his attendance at the Magna Charta Observatory Anniversary event, a conference which focuses on the theme, “Universities, Governments and Democracy: International Challenges and Lessons Learned.” In Deane’s absence, Duncan Hunter, associate professor of Public Health Studies, acted as Chair in Lieu.
Provost Report
After a lengthy battle between the University and its graduate students over the funding for QGA, a universal financial aid award for all Master’s students, a recent announcement declared no changes will be made to the QGA this academic year.
READ MORE: BREAKING: Graduate students score victory as the University halts cuts
Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Matthew Evans explained in his report that he’ll be conducting a review of how Master’s funding is distributed. He outlined potential adjustments to the QGA, such as moving it from a universal award to a need-based one, as well as reviewing how they can strengthen financial aid packages for PhD students.
“My objective is that the review will help us understand how we can best support graduate students with the greatest financial need. At the same time, Queens will continue to assess options that will address our structural operating budget deficit to ensure long-term financial sustainability,” Evans said.
He also clarified any changes made in this review will only apply to students enrolling in the 2026-2027 academic year and not the 2025-2026 academic year.
Emils Matiss, president of the Society of Graduate and Professional Students, asked Evans if the public would be able to participate in the review process. Evans responded saying the review will be conducted by a committee of faculty members, along with some representatives from the student body, though the specifics are still being decided.
Research Report
Vice-Principal (Research) Nancy Ross provided an overview of Queen’s Strategic Research Plan, which outlines the University’s key research priorities for 2024 to 2029.
The plan identifies six key research themes: understanding the earth and the universe, reducing the burden of disease, promoting health and well-being, innovating in humanistic inquiry and cultural expression, developing materials for the future, and advancing next-generation computing and analytics to build productive, inclusive, and sustainable societies.
READ MORE: Charting a course for innovation, Queen’s unveils ambitious five-year research plan
Senators Jacqueline Davies and Adnan Husain requested an extension for feedback on the plan, arguing faculty members need more time to thoroughly review it and provide their input. The current deadline for feedback is Oct. 25.
“The Committee as a whole is a great opportunity to hear from folks across the University, so I’m truly open to what’s customary here at Queen’s in terms of the dialogue and expectations, but I don’t want to put our researchers in peril because we delay the document,” Ross replied.
Guidelines for Peaceful Protest
Following the glitter protest incident, the Gazette released an article surrounding the guidelines for peaceful protests on campus. Some of the prohibited activities in the guidelines include excessive noise that “obstructs Queen’s University activities from continuing,” blocking access to doorways or roadways on campus, affixing signs outside of designated areas, and more.
READ MORE: Glitter-throwing incident pushes Queen’s to threaten consequences over protest misconduct
Senate allowed a questioning period for this release, during which Senator Philip Jessop asked how faculty and staff should respond to protestors.
“If we’re in the middle of teaching a class and the protestors come in, what are the expectations for how we deal with that? What should we look for in terms of when to call in security or should we tolerate protestors as long as they don’t do X, Y, Z? Where’s the guidance?” Jessop questioned.
Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning) Gavan Watson shared resources with faculty members on managing protests, including a link to the relevant policy for further details. This policy allows professors to either allow protestors to speak for a set time of their choosing or request they leave. If necessary, campus security can be involved as a next step.
Senator Husain asked if there were any public guidelines for how security is supposed to deal with protesters when called, following up his question by wanting to ensure if these guidelines do exist, they’ve been properly reviewed.
Hunter explained Husain’s questions, along with other similar questions that arose, would be noted and given to the Principal’s office for a proper response.
Tags
Protest, Provost, Research, Senate
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