October 12, 2021
Dear Mr. Desjardins,
As the Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), we would like
to inform you about two motions which were voted and approved by our members at the
General Assembly held on September 29th, 2021. Since these motions were approved
by the highest decision-making body of our union and relate to health & safety on
campus, we request you to consider these as part of the University’s planning in regard
to providing a safe working environment for Teaching Assistants and Invigilators on
campus.
The two motions voted and approved by the AGSEM General Assembly are:
1.1. BIRT AGSEM requests McGill university to continue to encourage its communities
to get vaccinated or get frequently tested when coming to campus. In addition, McGill
should make rapid testing equipment available and free to its community members.
1.2. BIFRT AGSEM requests McGill to improve ventilation in buildings, enforce social
distancing and mask throughout both campuses.
1.3. BIFRT AGSEM request that McGill case management include TAs on the class
email notifying of a positive case of Covid-19 in their classroom
2. BIRT that AGSEM supports the implementation of a vaccine mandate for members of
the McGill community who are on campus who AGSEM members would come in
contact with in person to protect our union members, with the alternative of regular
(weekly) rapid testing, provided by McGill.
The first motion passed encourages the administration to continue its efforts to
communicate to members of the McGill community the societal benefits of mass
vaccination. We also request improved ventilation in indoor settings, as well as social
distancing and masks on both campuses. Along with these measures, the union
requests that McGill’s Covid-19 Case Management include adding Teaching Assistants
to class emails notifying about a positive case of Covid-19 in the classroom.
The second motion supports the implementation of a vaccine mandate for those
members of the McGill community with whom AGSEM members would come in contact
when on campus. The rationale for this request is for McGill to demonstrate to its members that we are part of a community and each individual decision related to
vaccination has an impact on other community members.
To quote Dr. Anthony Fauci, who gave the 2021 Beatty lecture at McGill:
“You are a member of society and as a member of society reaping all the benefits of
being a member of society you have a responsibility to society [...] There comes a time
when you do have to give up what you consider your individual right of making the
decision of getting vaccinated] for the greater good of society.”
One of the priorities the union is advocating for the 2021-22 academic year is safety of
our members and implementing a vaccine mandate is an effective step towards
achieving this goal. We encourage you to consult our website www.agsem.ca for more
information in regard to the union’s priorities for its members in the current academic
year.
Regards,
Mario Roy
AGSEM President
on behalf AGSEM
In solidarity:
MURA (McGill University Retirees Association)
PGSS (Post-Graduate Students' Society McGill University)