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Deep Saini
FRSN
ਹਰਗੁਰਦੀਪ ਸੈਣੀ
Saini in 2019
18th President and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 1, 2023
ChancellorJohn McCall MacBain
Pierre Boivin
Preceded bySuzanne Fortier
12th President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University
In office
January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2023
ChancellorRustum Southwell
Preceded byRichard Florizone
Peter MacKinnon (interim)
Succeeded byKim Brooks
5th President and Vice-Chancellor of University of Canberra
In office
September 1, 2016 – December 24, 2019
Preceded byStephen Parker
Succeeded byPaddy Nixon
Personal details
Born
Hagurdeep Saini
EducationPunjab Agricultural University
University of Adelaide
OccupationPresident and Vice-Chancellor, McGill University
Scientific career
FieldsBiology
Institutions
ThesisPhysiological studies on sterility induced in wheat by heat and water deficit (1982)
Doctoral advisorsBryan Coomb
Don Aspinall

Hargurdeep Saini (Punjabi: ਹਰਗੁਰਦੀਪ ਸੈਣੀ) is an Indian-Canadian scientist and university administrator.[1] He is the president and vice-chancellor of McGill University in Montreal.[2] He was previously the president and vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University,[3] a vice-chancellor and President of University of Canberra, a vice-president of University of Toronto, and principal of the university's Mississauga campus.

Early life and education

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Saini was born to a family from Nawanshahr in Punjab, India, where he grew up. He completed his Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Master of Science (Honours) in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.[4] He then moved to Australia, where he earned his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of Adelaide, followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Alberta in Canada.[4]

Career

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Saini began his academic career at the Université de Montréal, where he spent 18 years as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, later serving as the director general of the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (Plant Biology Research Institute) from 1996-2001.[5]

He then moved on to leadership roles at other Canadian universities, including dean of the Faculty of Environment (formerly Environmental Studies) at the University of Waterloo, as well as principal of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and vice-president of the University of Toronto.[6] During his time as principal of UTM and vice-president of the University of Toronto, Saini oversaw the expansion of program offerings and several multi-million-dollar construction projects on the UTM campus, notably the development and launch of UTM’s medical school, the Mississauga Academy of Medicine.[7]

In 2016, he relocated to Australia to take on the role of vice-chancellor and president of the University of Canberra.[8] Under his leadership, the University rose to the 58th position among young universities in the world and inaugurated the University of Canberra Public Hospital and Canberra Specialist Medical Centre.[9]

In January 2020, Saini returned once more to Canada to begin his mandate as the 12th president and vice-chancellor of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[10] During this time, he led the University at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated the conversion of all in-person learning at Dalhousie to remote instruction.[11]

In December 2022, it was announced that Deep Saini would be the incoming 18th president and vice-chancellor (formerly principal and vice-chancellor) of McGill University. He began his five-year, renewable term on April 1, 2023.[3][12] He has since emphasized the transformative potential of education.[13] Saini is McGill's first principal of colour.[14]

In October 2023, Saini was inaugurated as chair of the board of directors for Universities Canada; prior to that, he was vice-chair and served as a member of the board since 2021.[15] In his inaugural address as chair, Saini emphasized the unique role of universities in maintaining a prosperous Canadian society.[16] Saini is a member of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada since 2023.[17] Saini appeared on the Maclean's Magazine Power List for education in 2024.[18]

Quebec Tuition Issues

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In 2023, Saini expressed concern over proposed changes in Quebec’s tuition policy for out-of-province students, and a potential revenue loss between $42 million and $94 million. In issuing his concerns, he urged collaboration with the government to promote French while maintaining the university’s inclusivity.[19][20] To that end, he also stated that he would consider potentially moving some McGill operations out of Quebec.[21] In February 2024 it was announced that McGill University and Concordia were both taking legal action against the province in response to a significant drop in applicants. McGill stated at the time that it had seen a twenty percent drop in applicants. At the time, Saini was quoted as saying “we are undertaking this legal action because we believe that these measures are illegal.”[22]

Protest encampments

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See also: McGill University pro-Palestinian encampment

During an early test of his presidency, McGill saw protest encampments established on the campus during the Hamas-Israeli conflict of 2023-24, which Saini denounced.[23] Three days after the encampment, Saini called upon the police to break up the protest, however the police told him that no crime was being committed. He also called upon the court system to disperse the encampment, and was again told that this would be inappropriate.[24] About this time, a professor at the school stated of Saini that the faculty was "strongly opposed to our university administration's relentless campaign against the students."[25]

The Globe and Mail reported that as of the end of May 2024, Saini continued to push the law enforcement to try and intervene despite them informing him that nothing illegal was occurring.[26] During this time at his previously university, University Affairs wrote that in comparison the president that had come after him (Kim Brooks) had instead decided to take a conciliatory approach and not involve law enforcement at all in response to similar protests on her campus, citing her respect for peaceful protest.[27] Saini, alternatively, accused protest of being antisemetic, though Jewish students, as well as Independent Jewish Voices, dismissed the accusation as part of a smear campaign against the encampment, citing that there are Jewish students playing a key role in the protest encampment.[28]

On 6 June 2024, Saini requested police intervention to clear the protest occurring in the James administration building.[29] Riot police pepper sprayed, tear-gassed, and used batons and shields against students protesting around the building.[30][31] 15 student arrests were made for their role in the protest.[32] Saini later thanked the police for their intervention in clearing out the protest.[29] However, in July 2024 The Breach wrote that Saini supported his position that led to the police violence by peppering his statements to the press with misinformation, planting false stories that students called for violence and had prevented administrators from leaving the building.[33]

References

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  1. ^ Advances in Agronomy, pp ix, Volume 68 By Donald L. Sparks, San Diego [etc.] : Academic Press, cop. 2000.
  2. ^ "McGill University appoints H. Deep Saini as new Principal and Vice-Chancellor". 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Important announcement regarding President Deep Saini". Dalhousie News. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "PAU alumnus Prof H Deep Saini appointed Vice-Chancellor of Canada's prestigious McGill University".
  5. ^ "Introducing Deep Saini, Dalhousie's 12th president".
  6. ^ "Deep Saini". The Globe and Mail. 5 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Deep Saini named next vice-chancellor of University of Canberra".
  8. ^ "UC welcomes new Vice-Chancellor and President". 31 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Professor Deep Saini resigns from UC". 17 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Introducing Deep Saini, Dalhousie's 12th president".
  11. ^ "Parting Deep thoughts: A Dal News Q&A with outgoing President Saini".
  12. ^ "Important announcement regarding President Deep Saini".
  13. ^ "Deep Saini: "There are so many opportunities out there for McGill. We must be bold"". McGill Reporter. 15 December 2022.
  14. ^ McCabe, Daniel (11 April 2023). "A new principal for McGill's third century". McGill News. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Universities Canada welcomes Deep Saini as board chair". 25 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Universities Canada - October 25, 2023 Mission Critical: The Role of Canada's Universities in Today's (and Tomorrow's) Complex Society".
  17. ^ "Advisory Council". 25 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Maclean's Power List".
  19. ^ Leduc, Louise (14 December 2023). "Droits de scolarité pour étudiants canadiens: Une politique « basée sur des impressions », dénonce McGill". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  20. ^ News, McGill (20 November 2023). "Principal's Perspective: A serious threat to our special culture". McGill News. Retrieved 14 November 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  21. ^ Andy Riga (8 December 2023). "McGill won't rule out moving some operations to another province". Montreal Gazette.
  22. ^ QMI, Agence (23 February 2024). "Frais de scolarité des étudiants canadiens: McGill et Concordia se tournent vers les tribunaux". Le Journal de Montréal. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  23. ^ "'Please leave the site now,' McGill tells pro-Palestinian encampment, threatening to bring in police".
  24. ^ JOE FRIESEN and FRÉDÉRIK-XAVIER DUHAMEL (30 April 2024). "McGill University calls on police to break up pro-Palestinian encampment". Globe and Mail.
  25. ^ Joe Lofaro (6 May 2024). "Pro-Palestinian encampment members say little progress made in meeting with McGill". CTV.
  26. ^ "McGill University president decries lack of police action against pro-Palestinian encampments". The Globe and Mail. 29 May 2024.
  27. ^ HANNAH LIDDLE (31 May 2024). "Timeline: Protest encampments". University Affairs.
  28. ^ "'IJV Canada Salutes the Victories of Student-led Encampments Across Canada'".
  29. ^ a b "Occupation of the James Administration Building".
  30. ^ "'SSMU Members Brutalized by Police'".
  31. ^ "'Cops Off Our Campus: A Response to the Police Brutality of June 6, 2024'". 11 June 2024.
  32. ^ "'Police spray tear gas, break up pro-Palestinian occupation of McGill building".
  33. ^ "Universities, police spread 'jaw-dropping' misinformation about encampments".
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