SSMU History
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THe Student’s Society of McGill University Celebrating 100 years © Student’s Society of McGill University 2010 van Eyken, Eric; B.A. ’05; B.C.L./LL.B. ’09; Scarlet Key ’09; SSMU VP Finance 05-06 2 We can see how li!le ma!er " smal $%ute, 'e pe!y quarrels of " day or h(r, how much " long achievement of a century. )e cole* la+s lon*r 'an we do; no single mind, no single life controls it. 3 Forward 100 years. A century of student leadership, of helping Leacock’s words, of “how little matter the small disputes, clubs and services, of pushing for a more democratic and the petty quarrels of the day or hour, how much the long equitable university, of throwing parties and fighting for a achievement of a century.” The history of SSMU is, as quality education. Where does one even begin to cover the these pages document, one where bad decisions are history of a student society, a society that has been the sometimes made, but is for the most one of progress and collective success of hundreds of executives, thousands of growth. The controversies of SSMU are quickly forgotten. I students, and millions of hours of labour? decided to do my best to present them as the entertaining McGill thankfully provided the answer. On the day I anecdotes that they have become with time, stories to started my research, the Faculty of Arts hosted its annual amuse us and make current students prouder of the SSMU Cundill Prize lecture that began with the nominees talking of today. on “Writing History for a Popular Audience.” These Delivering history in context and being useful to the historians spoke about their duty to write with integrity and reader. The 12 month term of a SSMU executive is one that responsibility. They stressed the importance of accepting requires executives to take up many long running controversy in their findings. Most importantly, they talked struggles, master their history quickly and propose about the importance of history delivering lessons in solutions. Many SSMU councillors are elected with little context and being useful to the reader. knowledge of SSMU’s past or the nature of long running Writing with integrity and responsibility. I embark on disputes. This project is written with the goal of informing this project knowing that most SSMU history, as found in future generations of student leaders of some of their the archives of the McGill Daily, the McGill Tribune or even history and providing them the context through which they Old McGill is written through the glasses of reporters can think about their own decisions. This particular goal learning about stories at SSMU council meetings. I read has made this task to be a slightly more manageable one, their stories knowing that what happens at council, and as it has allowed for me to focus on the last 30 years of even what executives may say in candid interviews is not SSMU history, the decades that bear the greatest always candid. I also have the benefit of both my own relevance to the SSMU of today. individual impressions of 7 years at McGill and the oral This document is comprised of two types of sections. history of executives from both during and before those There are three parts that look at the achievements of days. And yet, like all oral histories, those stories may have SSMU in the 80s, the 90s and the 2000s. Additionally, changed and evolved with each telling. In writing this then, there are a number of analysis and focus pieces on the I am cognizant that the truth of SSMU’s history is one that recurring topics of SSMU history. As Mark Twain is credited is, and always be, only partially known. My job was then to, with saying, “history may not repeat itself, but it rhymes a with integrity and responsibility find those events that tell lot.” As such, the selection of in depth topics was made to our story. score together the ensemble of issues that SSMU has Accepting controversy. As every McGill student knows, repeatedly dealt with. student politics is filled with scandal and controversy. Special thank to VP (Clubs & Services) Sarah Olle for Some are personal, the resignation of executives and the her many comments and edits. faux-pas of decisions not fully thought out. Others are the controversy of the SSMU as a whole, from censorship to Enjoy, fights with the McGill Daily. And yet, despite being told to accept controversy, I was also mindful of Stephen 4 EARLY DAYS 1902-1903 1905 1908 1909 The Alma The first The Student SSMU was Matter Society student union Society of recognized as was founded. building was McGill the official It was the opened in what University was student first campus is now the created. government by wide society. McCord Museum. McGill. MID-CENTURY 1931 1963 1965 1968-1969 Female PGSS was The new Students students brought under University occupied become members the aegis of Centre was offices and of SSMU. The SSMU. opened to disrupted first women students. meetings to president was gain seats on Sharon departmental Sholzberg in committees and 1965. senate. NOT THAT LONG AGO 1973-1974 1975 1977-1978 1980 SSMU was SSMU was put SSMU was re- The McGill incorporated in trusteeship born as a Daily became as a distinct and student department of independent entity from life was McGill. from SSMU. McGill. administered by the University. ONLY YESTERDAY 1991 1992-1993 2003 2008-2009 PGSS became SSMU was re- SSMU was SSMU turns independent incorporated accredited as 100. from SSMU. at the urging the official of McGill. It student negotiated its society first MOA & federation for lease with McGill. McGill. Table of Contents in the S SSMU in the 80s SSMU in the 90s SSMU in the 2000s P. 8 P. 21 P. 32 Building History External Affairs Politics of Blood P. 13 P. 16 P. 26 SSMU Finances SSMU Democracy P. 27 P. 37 Page 6 Table of Contents Food Politics A History of Service Free Speech P. 40 P. 42 P. 44 James McGill’s Burnside home. Page 7 The StudSoc of the 80s At a glance non-campus issues. The rivalry represent all Black students Called “The StudSoc” by the between the Tribune and the McGill regardless of ethnic and national McGill Tribune, a newly formed paper Daily was strong from the beginning. origin. It supplemented various African in 1981, the Society of the 1980s Travel Cuts moved into the and Caribbean student associations. would be recognizable to the students University Centre in 1981. The travel and executives of today. It’s offices agency was part of the service arm of are in the back area of the first floor of the National Union of Students, a the University Centre. Many of the precursor to the Canadian Federation services that exist today were created. of Students. The underfunding of McGill lead to the The M a t u r e S t u d e n t ’ s creation of ancillary fees. Association was founded in 1979 to Foundations of the present act for freshman students at least 23 Many of the institutions and years of age. hallmarks of the SSMU of today were Gertrudes II, aka The Alley founded during the 1980s. We opened in the basement of the Q-PIRG McGill was founded as a highlight both the achievements and University Centre in October of 1982. club in 1987-1988. It became an events which are still with the SSMU The Alley was a plush carpeted wood independent student group with space today and mention a few of the paneled bar and café aimed at the outside of the university center the lessons learned from the decade. daytime crowd of sophisticated jazz following year. It’s first initiative was loving students. It avoided the loud Services, Publications & Operations the successful institution of a paper The McGill Tribune was founded recycling program at McGill. as a weekly newspaper publication In 1989 the M c G i l l L e g a l in 1981. While it had a student editor, The 1980s saw the Information Clinic also became many of the articles were written by independent from the SSMU after its SSMU executives and councillors. creation of budget was cut by 50% without The VP internal had a strong role in independent student consultation. Despite this the paper’s production. The Tribune’s independence, the Clinic continued early goal was “to cover student groups on campus. to frequently publish student government, student activities, The McGill Daily was oriented legal information articles in student clubs, student’s societ[ies], the McGill Tribune. The logo they and to provide a forum for joined by CKUT, adopted is still in use today. presenting, explaining and MLIC & Q-PIRG. CKUT was created out of Radio discussing the Society’s positions.” McGill after receiving an FM The paper emerged from a SSMU transmitting license. In 1988-1989, it newsletter started in 1979-1980 which top 40s music of Gertrudes upstairs required a $4/semester fee to cover a gave way to the “Informer,” edited by while holding events every evening. $229 000 debt to McGill from previous the VP internal in 1980-1981. Over its Upstairs at Gertrudes, beer prices operating loses. first few years, the Tribune underwent increased from $1 to $1.10 ($1.30 in Plans for a new Bookstore were many masthead and layout changes the evenings) in an attempt to make drafted in 1986. SSMU negotiated as well as moving from a paper the bar profitable again.