It was so nice to see our newly admitted grad students this morning on Zoom. On behalf of Prof. Strachan, Associate Dean (Graduate Education), our Mac OGS staff, our Graduate Program Directors, and MCGSS President Mohammed Antar, welcome to McGill and to the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences!
As we move closer to September 1st, Mac OGS is still operating primarily remotely but we will be returning to the office in the very near future, as directives allow. You can continue to reach us by email in the meantime.
Presentations
Both the Graduate Studies Welcome presentation shown today by Prof. Strachan and the Introduction to Macdonald Campus Graduate Student Society presented by Mr. Antar will be sent to all newly admitted students by email very shortly (even if you were not able to attend). Students will also receive a copy of the Student Services Presentation which was held following the Graduate Welcome.
Q & A
Several questions were submitted to us prior to the Welcome Session which we addressed very briefly during the session. We’d like to share with students those questions here, along with detailed answers and links to resources. You will find these at the end of this blog entry.
Participate!
In the meantime, we encourage all students to take part in the remaining Orientation sessions sponsored by our Local Wellness Advisor, MCGSS, PGSS, Campus Life and Engagement, and Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and to explore beyond, as well!
Safe travels to those still “en route” to McGill and see you soon.
- Laura
Orientation Questions Received from Students, with Corresponding Answers:
I am enrolled in a class in the fall semester, will these classes be recorded?
McGill is offering instruction primarily in-person. Recordings are not guaranteed and are determined by individual course instructors. If you arrive late for the start of the term or if there is a situation that prevents you from arriving to campus (e.g. travel restrictions), you will have to contact each course instructor directly to advise them of your situation, and to see about ways to manage to keep up with your material and to ask for recommendations on how to manage until you arrive (mid-September the latest for non-thesis students).
By what date should I decide whether I will be able to start my program in Fall 2021?
MSc non-thesis students should arrive by mid-September to avoid course failures, so the decision to withdraw should be made by that time if you cannot arrive by then (unless your program has special accommodations). For both thesis and non-thesis students, the last day to withdraw from your program with full refund (less withdrawal fee of $200) is Sept. 21, 2021, so that is the very last date by which you should make that decision. Please contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to ask how to do this (prior to Sept. 21, as much as possible).
Is it difficult to book a seat on the inter-campus shuttle since there are limited vacancies due to COVID?
The inter-campus shuttle is for full-time students. You present your ID card when you are boarding. Currently the capacity is 24 per shuttle, but there are increased departure times to help compensate for reduced capacity. Frequency varies from every 15-20 mins to 30-45 minutes. These shuttle arrangements may change with evolving government directives. For updated information on the status of the shuttle bus, consult the shuttle bus schedule page.
What is the most current information on use of the campus gyms, transportation from downtown, and access to healthcare services?
1) Your McGill ID gives you access to Macdonald Athletics. Safety protocols in place, please check their web page.
2) You may travel via inter-campus shuttle bus or public transit (STM).
3) Healthcare services – Please see Student Services web page and Wellness Hub page.
What are the mental health resources available to Mac Campus-based graduate students?
Student Wellness Hub Through the Student Wellness Hub (Macdonald Campus location), students can:
- Access care from a health professional: meet with a doctor, nurse, dietitian, or counsellor
- Consult self-help and support resources online
- Meet with their Local Wellness Advisor to learn about mental health and well-being, tools to deal with stress, and more!
- Keep.meSAFE is a mental health counselling service, offered to students in partnership with SSMU and PGSS, that provides 24/7/365 access to licensed counsellors through telephone and mobile chat in over 60 languages. To access this service, download the MySSP app for Apple iOS or Android. Keep.meSAFE is completely free and unlimited for all McGill students.
What are some of the ways that student groups at McGill are organizing to have safe social events during the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic? How can we, as incoming students, help the process and get involved?
Operational Status of McGill re: coronavirus: Permission needs to be obtained for student groups to hold in-person activities, even outdoors, and the plan to follow covid protocols must be shown and carried out. As students, you can get involved with our faculty's student society, MCGSS or other groups on campus. Please contact mcgss.pgss [at] mail.mcgill.ca to reach MCGSS directly and check out their web page!
Where can I find a part-time job on campus?
McGill's Career Planning Service has a jobs database for students. You can also contact individual professors to see if any research assistant positions may be available.
Which types of services does McGill provide to assist with the adversity of the situation for international students? (i.e., Quarantine resources at McGill)
Here are some resources to help international students entering Canada:
McGill's Quarantine Bursary Program
You can request financial aid via Minerva, for special circumstances due to quarantine-related financial challenges.
Latest Updates on Entering Canada by McGill ISS:
Self-Quarantine Resources
Please reference:
4) I will not be living in McGill Housing. Where can I self-isolate/quarantine?, which gives a list of suggested reduced rate accommodations downtown and West Island.