The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) released a report titled “Investigation into the SSMU’s Student Fee Policies” on Jan. 21, coming after years of student concerns regarding the levying and administration of ancillary fees. The report revealed a lack of financial due diligence and accountability in current practices and contains recommendations to rectify these issues.
Spearheaded by the SSMU Finance Committee, the report examines the approval process, levying and accountability of student fees directly under SSMU’s control, primarily the Student Society Fees. Student Society Fees include all fees falling under S.52 of the
Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students associations, legislation that governs student societies province-wide and stipulates that new fees, or increasing existing fees, must be approved through a student referendum.
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council assembled on Jan. 28, where they passed several motions and reviewed the Financial Committee’s Investigation into SSMU’s Student Fee Policies (I.S.S.Fee.P). The meeting hosted an organizer from the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC) who presented on the labor conditions in Dollarama warehouses and attempted to gain the Councils support given McGill’s investments in Dollarama. The Council also passed a motion to approve the Academic Wellness Proposal.
Finance Commissioner Sebastien Duckett presented the results of SSMU’s investigation into its existing student fee policies. The report outlined five main issues with how SSMU’s fees are levied and administered, including a lack of due diligence and transparency on the underusage of ancillary fees, the process for fee approval, and information surrounding how fees are spent. Duckett detailed the report’s five recommendations for addressing these issues, wh