12 Master of Public Policy Program
If you need assistance of any kind, please contact us. Note that the Program office is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm and closed for lunch daily from 12:00 – 1:00 pm. The office is located in L. R. Wilson Hall (LRW), room 5021.
- Vass Bednar, Executive Director, vass.bednar@mcmaster.ca, Ext. 21408
- Greg Flynn, Acting Academic Director, flynngl@mcmaster.ca, Ext. 23890
- Laura Johnson, Coordinator, pubpol@mcmaster.ca, Ext. 21873
Laura Johnson is your first point of contact for questions on items ranging from McMaster policies to program procedures.
Attendance Policy
The MPP is a synchronous virtual program. To benefit from the class teachings and discussions, which all happen live, it is necessary to be present and to participate. Consequently, attendance in class is mandatory unless there is a good reason for a student to be absent, such as illness. It is the student’s responsibility to notify instructors regarding any absence, and to provide the reason for that absence.
While many classes include a participation component in the grade, the program discourages participation grades for simply being present, in keeping with our policy that attendance is a baseline, mandatory expectation.
Bereavement Leave Policy for Students
If a student experiences the death of a loved one during the course of an academic term, the student may request to utilize the Bereavement Policy for Students. We recognize the impact that a loss may have on the emotional and academic well-being of a student and wishes to support the student during this stressful time. We also understand that grief impacts every student differently and, therefore, this policy is not an attempt to quantify the impact of the death of a loved one or in any way address the nature of the grief process. Rather, the purpose of this policy is to provide a formal process to allow grieving students the time to attend the bereavement services, as well as the opportunity to be available for their families during times of death and grief.
Under this policy, a student will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations. A student is entitled up to five (5) consecutive academic days of bereavement to mourn a death in the immediate family as defined below. For a death outside the immediate family as defined below, a student is entitled up to two (2) consecutive academic days of bereavement. While this policy excuses a student from class attendance, the student remains responsible for all material covered in class and must work with each individual professor upon return to complete any required work.
The immediate family includes:
- Parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
- Siblings
- Spouse or partner
- Children
- Other relatives living as members of the student’s household
Relationships outside the immediate family may include, but are not limited to:
- Grandparents
- Aunts or uncles
- Cousins
- Nieces or nephews
- In-laws
Disclaimer: The Program reserves the right to review specific situations to determine if exceptions to the established bereavement policy are warranted.
Scope of Applicability
This policy is applicable to all full-time Master of Public Policy Graduate Students.
Travel Days
In addition to the aforementioned excused academic days, students may be granted up to three (3) additional calendar days to account for travel considerations.
Process and Notification
The student or a representative (family member, room/suitemate, on-campus faculty/staff) must notify the MPP Program Office at pubpol@mcmaster.ca prior to the start of the bereavement leave. The Coordinator will notify the MPP Program Directors and relevant course instructors of a student’s bereavement leave and anticipated return date. The student is required to provide appropriate documentation to the MPP Office. Upon return to the institution, it is the responsibility of the student to communicate with their instructors about any missed assignments and arrange to complete missed work. In keeping with this policy, instructors shall excuse the student from class according to this policy and provide an opportunity for the student to complete missed quizzes, exams, papers, other required work and/or alternative assignments. Students who have followed this policy should not incur academic penalties.
Documentation
Any student who wishes to utilize this policy is required to provide documentation to the MPP Program Coordinator at pubpol@mcmaster.ca. Acceptable documents may include: a funeral program, obituary, signed letter from funeral home, or death certificate. Failure to provide documentation will result in the absences being considered unexcused.
Appeal
If an instructor fails to follow this policy, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision in writing to MPP Program Academic Director.
Counselling Services
McMaster University’s Student Wellness Center is available to assist students and provide counselling services if so desired by the student.
Camera Policy
Good graduate education is interactive and participatory; generative discussions require active presence, and in an online program, that means being on-camera. Your learning experience, and the experience of your classmates, will be better if you are visibly taking part in the class. Not only does appearing on camera enhance the classroom dynamic but it also offers an opportunity to develop more substantive relationships with your instructors which is also to your benefit, as when your instructor is asked to provide you with an employment reference they will know you better. (then the same final two paragraphs
The MPP Program appreciates that it is exhausting to have to appear on camera for every synchronous session. There are some ways to mitigate this, including strategies to mitigate Zoom fatigue, including hiding your self-view and changing or blurring your background if you wish. However, as you move forward professionally you will be expected to appear on camera at least as often as you are being asked to do in this program. Appearing on camera during meetings when working remotely is a standard in most professional settings and acquiring the capacity to manage those expectations is an important professional skill.
Sexual or Gender-Based Violence Policy
What to do if you receive a disclosure:
McMaster Zoom Activation and Course Set-Up
McMaster provides an institutional license to Zoom, which is supported through University Technology Services.
Sign in with your MacID@mcmaster.ca and your MacID password to activate/configure your zoom license account. Failing to sign in via the McMaster portal or without your MacID will prevent the use of features such as breakout rooms.
Please inform us at pubpol@mcmaster.ca once you have activated both your Mac ID and Zoom account.
Set up your course in Zoom
- Login to Zoom using your web browser (not the app!). Select the Meetings tab on the left sidebar, and then select Schedule a Meeting.
- Begin entering the details of your course.
- When you select the “Recurring meeting” option, ensure you set the recurrence to “Weekly”, repeat every 1 week, occurs on your scheduled day, and the end date is after 14 occurrences (or select your end date manually).
- A unique security passcode will be generated for you
- Finish entering the details of your course and select the following:
- Waiting Room
- Host and Participant videos “On”
- Computer Audio
- Select the options: “Allow participants to join any time” and “Mute participants upon entry”
- Enter an alternative host if required. If you have an alternative host to add, type their full name to select them (they must have activated their MacID as well for their name to be located).
Once you click the Save button, you will be able to select Copy Meeting Invitation. Send this meeting invitation to Laura Johnson, MPP Program Coordinator, at pubpol@mcmaster.ca. Your recurring course for the semester will be entered in the PUBPOL Outlook Calendar, which will be sent to the MPP students.