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The Wizards of ID

Streamlined ID Centre processes students in a fraction of the time

At McGill, student IDs give holders access to an incredibly wide range of services. The good news? Improvements to the ID Centre means that waits are a thing of the past. Rob Welch gives TESL student Alexis Belair a form to fill out while she waits in line.
Kate Hutchison

Imagine a world in which one laminated card would allow you to fulfill your most basic needs, such as food and shelter, as well as providing access to education, technology, leisure activities and communications. The premise of a bit of Orwellian sci-fi? No, just the brave, (not so) new world of McGill, where ID cards are the open sesame for students to everything from libraries and residences to cafeterias, athletics and even their McGill email account.

"The ID card is a student's key to McGill," says Jocelyne Younan, assistant registrar. "Not only is it the actual key to their residence door, it also opens the whole of the university to them."

Older students like to trade war stories about the bad old days of getting their ID card. Ask just about any McGill veteran and they will regale you with tales of three-hour waits in the rain, plagues of frogs and, of course, the infamous Swarm of New Rez Arrivals.

When New Residence opened in 2003, the students who were moving in hadn't been fully informed as to the significance of having an ID card — namely, they wouldn't get into residence or be able to access Food Services without one. Needless to say, once these hungry and homeless new arrivals understood the gravity of the situation, they descended upon the ID Centre in biblical numbers, creating a logjam that seemingly went on forever.

"It was crazy," remembers Kathy D'Alesio, a supervisor at the admissions, recruitment and registrar's office. "The line was so long that I had to cut it off and send people home with priority passes to jump to the front of the line the next day. Otherwise, we never would have finished." Disaster was averted when arrangements were made with New Residence to feed and house the ID-less refugees.

Horror stories like that belong to the past. Now, thanks to improved technology and an earlier kickoff date, the average student will spend between 10 to 15 minutes in line. "Now we start issuing the cards the day after registration begins," explains D'Alesio. "This means all the local people can get their IDs long before out-of-town students start showing up." In fact, the process has been going so smoothly this year that students don't have time to finish filling out a questionnaire while waiting in line.

Traditionally, the busiest time for the ID Centre is the two weeks leading up to the start of classes. From August 18 to 31, they expect to issue some 5,000 cards. During this period the ID Centre will be temporarily relocated from its regular James Building digs, to the spacious confines of the Trottier Building at the top of Tech Alley. Better laid out to handle heavy traffic, the new locale also permits other student services to set up shop.

On top of getting their ID, new students can meet with resource people from International Student Services, McGill Libraries, Network and Computer Services, Account Services and First-Year Office. As well, they can sign up for university and library orientation sessions, set up their email account and pick up the necessary paperwork to get student bus passes and international health cards.

Buddy, can you spare a research grant?

RGO helps researchers land the big bucks

For even the most seasoned faculty members, applying for a grant can seem akin to one of the Labours of Hercules — both take sagacity and superhuman strength and, even when you're successful, you can still end up smelling like a stable. With this in mind, the Research Grants Office will be conducting its own new faculty orientation sessions on August 29 (Natural Sciences and Engineering), August 31 (Biomedical Sciences) and September 2 (Social Sciences and Humanities).

Each meeting is designed to introduce researchers to the RGO and its resources. Grants officers in charge of each discipline will outline exactly what pre- and post-award procedures need to be respected. Some of the more fundamental questions will be answered like: What is a research grant? Where can I get information regarding internal and external funding? Who can assist me in the preparation of my application? What technology and databases are at my disposal?

In all, organizers are expecting more than 30 participants for each session and, although it is designed for new faculty, established faculty looking to brush up on existing guidelines are more than welcome to attend. To register or to get more information, call Maria Capizzi at 398-5114.

Office targets first-year students

Karen Herland

First-Year Office Coordinator Leslie Copeland helps out first-year management undergrad, Laura Devlin.

Today, on August 25, you can witness a chow-down when approximately 975 pizzas will be served to 4,000 brand new McGill students for Discover McGill orientation day.

Ordering the pies, with the appropriate number of vegetarian, kosher and cheeseless for the lactose-intolerant, is just one of the many tasks of the First-Year Office.

"Lots of people say 'It must be so quiet (on campus) in the summer,' but it's our busiest time," says Leslie Copeland, coordinator of the First-Year Office.

Copeland has been in the office since its inception eight years ago. Back then, she worked alone, easing the transition for the 5,500 or so students who enter McGill each year. Now, she has two other full-time staff, and student casuals preparing for the upcoming weeks when new students are most likely to need support.

Copeland says her office is not just for out-of-towners. Locals, especially students from Francophone CEGEPs, also benefit from the services. Copeland's office coordinates a buddy program for new students. From 600 to 900 new students take advantage of the program that puts them in email contact with a returning student during the summer before classes begin.

In addition, the office runs a three-week orientation centre and resource room in the William & Mary Brown Student Services Building. Campus services are promoted alongside information on local "businesses, banks and bike paths," she says. In short, pretty much anything a new student might need.

A newsletter is emailed each month to all new students who register with the office. Copeland developed the newsletter as a way to keep in touch when she was operating on her own, and the project stuck. The office also takes it upon itself to phone each and every student who registers with them at some point during the semester, just to check in.

Copeland says students can drop by the office any time with a question, "Often they have a limited lunch hour, at least here they won't get bounced around." She tries to answer the question on the spot, or at least have only one more stop before they know what they need to.

Also on hand are full-time staffers Wendy Brett, assistant for francophone students to help the thousands of francophones who enter McGill each year, and Naomi Neuburger, administrative coordinator. They are greatly assisted by part-time student casuals Ashley Fallow, Rachel Marcuse and Gosia Radaczynska.

First-Year Office, open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. William & Mary Brown Student Services Building, Suite 2100. Call 398-6913 or email.