Deep Saini

{{Short description|Canadian scientist, President & Vice Chancellor of McGill University}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Deep Saini

| honorific_suffix = FRSN

| native_name = ਹਰਗੁਰਦੀਪ ਸੈਣੀ

| native_name_lang = Punjabi

| image = Deep_Saini_Headshot_Wikipedia_2019.png

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Saini in 2019

| order =

| title = 18th President and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University

| term_start = April 1, 2023

| term_end =

| chancellor = John McCall MacBain
Pierre Boivin

| predecessor = Suzanne Fortier

| successor =

| order1 =

| title1 = 12th President and Vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University

| term_start1 = January 1, 2020

| term_end1 = December 31, 2023

| chancellor1 = Rustum Southwell

| predecessor1 = Richard Florizone
Peter MacKinnon (interim)

| successor1 = Kim Brooks

| order2 =

| title2 = 5th President and Vice-Chancellor of University of Canberra

| term_start2 = September 1, 2016

| term_end2 = December 24, 2019

| chancellor2 =

| predecessor2 = Stephen Parker

| successor2 = Paddy Nixon

| birth_name = Hagurdeep Saini

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| nationality =

| occupation = President and Vice-Chancellor, McGill University

| website =

| footnotes =

| module = {{Infobox scientist | child=yes

| field = Biology

| thesis_title = Physiological studies on sterility induced in wheat by heat and water deficit

| thesis_url = https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/handle/2440/21190

| thesis_year = 1982

| doctoral_advisors = Bryan Coomb
Don Aspinall

| main_interests =

| workplaces = {{plainlist|

}}

| education = Punjab Agricultural University
University of Adelaide

}}

Hargurdeep Saini (Punjabi: ਹਰਗੁਰਦੀਪ ਸੈਣੀ) is an Indian-Canadian scientist and university administrator.Advances in Agronomy, pp ix, Volume 68 By Donald L. Sparks, San Diego [etc.] : Academic Press, cop. 2000. He is the president and vice-chancellor of McGill University in Montreal.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/mcgill-university-appoints-h-deep-saini-new-principal-and-vice-chancellor-343502|title=McGill University appoints H. Deep Saini as new Principal and Vice-Chancellor|date=2022-11-14|language=en-CA|access-date=2022-11-14}} He was previously the president and vice-Chancellor of Dalhousie University,{{Cite web |title=Important announcement regarding President Deep Saini |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2022/11/14/announcement.html |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Dalhousie News |language=en}} 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

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.{{Cite news |title=PAU alumnus Prof H Deep Saini appointed Vice-Chancellor of Canada's prestigious McGill University |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/pau-alumnus-prof-h-deep-saini-appointed-vice-chancellor-of-canadas-prestigious-mcgill-university-452626#}} 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.

Career

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.{{Cite news |title=Introducing Deep Saini, Dalhousie's 12th president |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2019/05/16/introducing-dalhousie-s-12th-president.html}}

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.{{Cite news |title=Deep Saini |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=5 April 2023 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/adv/appointmentnotices/article-h-deep-saini/}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Deep Saini named next vice-chancellor of University of Canberra |url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/deep-saini-named-next-vice-chancellor-university-canberra}}

In 2016, he relocated to Australia to take on the role of vice-chancellor and president of the University of Canberra.{{Cite web |title=UC welcomes new Vice-Chancellor and President |date=31 August 2016 |url=https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/media/media-releases/2016/august/uc-welcomes-new-vice-chancellor-and-president}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Professor Deep Saini resigns from UC |date=17 May 2019 |url=https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/media/media-releases/2019/may/professor-deep-saini-resigns-from-uc}}

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.{{Cite news |title=Introducing Deep Saini, Dalhousie's 12th president |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2019/05/16/introducing-dalhousie-s-12th-president.html#:~:text=On%20Thursday%20afternoon%20(May%2016,vice%2Dchancellor%20of%20Dalhousie%20University.}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Parting Deep thoughts: A Dal News Q&A with outgoing President Saini |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2022/12/20/deep-parting-thoughts--a-dal-news-q-a-with-outgoing-president-sa.html}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.dal.ca/news/2022/11/14/announcement.html |title=Important announcement regarding President Deep Saini}} He has since emphasized the transformative potential of education.{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2022 |title=Deep Saini: "There are so many opportunities out there for McGill. We must be bold" |url=https://reporter.mcgill.ca/deep-saini-there-are-so-many-opportunities-out-there-for-mcgill-we-must-be-bold/ |website=McGill Reporter}} Saini is McGill's first principal of colour.{{Cite web |last=McCabe |first=Daniel |date=2023-04-11 |title=A new principal for McGill's third century |url=https://mcgillnews.mcgill.ca/a-new-principal-for-mcgills-third-century/ |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=McGill News |language=en-CA}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Universities Canada welcomes Deep Saini as board chair |date=25 October 2023 |url=https://univcan.ca/media-room/media-releases/deep-saini-board-chair/}} In his inaugural address as chair, Saini emphasized the unique role of universities in maintaining a prosperous Canadian society.{{Cite web |title=Universities Canada - October 25, 2023 Mission Critical: The Role of Canada's Universities in Today's (and Tomorrow's) Complex Society |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/president/article/universities-canada-october-25-2023-mission-critical-role-canadas-universities-todays-and-tomorrows}} Saini is a member of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada since 2023.{{Cite web |title=Advisory Council |date=25 September 2017 |url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/canadian-honours/order-canada/advisory-council}} Saini appeared on the Maclean's Magazine Power List for education in 2024.{{Cite news |title=Maclean's Power List |url=https://macleans.ca/society/the-power-list-education/}}

Quebec Tuition Issues

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.{{Cite news |last=Leduc |first=Louise |date=2023-12-14 |title=Droits de scolarité pour étudiants canadiens: Une politique " basée sur des impressions ", dénonce McGill |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/education/2023-12-14/droits-de-scolarite-pour-etudiants-canadiens/une-politique-basee-sur-des-impressions-denonce-mcgill.php |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=La Presse |language=fr-CA}}{{Cite web |last=News |first=McGill |date=2023-11-20 |title=Principal's Perspective: A serious threat to our special culture |url=https://mcgillnews.mcgill.ca/presidents-perspective-a-serious-threat-to-our-special-culture/ |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=McGill News |language=en-CA}} To that end, he also stated that he would consider potentially moving some McGill operations out of Quebec.{{cite news |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/mcgill-is-proudly-anchored-in-quebec-principal-deep-saini-says |publisher=Montreal Gazette |title=McGill won't rule out moving some operations to another province |author=Andy Riga |date=December 8, 2023}} 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.”{{Cite web |last=QMI |first=Agence |date=2024-02-23 |title=Frais de scolarité des étudiants canadiens: McGill et Concordia se tournent vers les tribunaux |url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2024/02/23/frais-de-scolarite-des-etudiants-canadiens-mcgill-et-concordia-se-tournent-vers-les-tribunaux |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Le Journal de Montréal}}

Protest encampments

During an early test of his presidency, McGill saw protest encampments established on the campus during the Gaza war, which Saini denounced.{{Cite news |title='Please leave the site now,' McGill tells pro-Palestinian encampment, threatening to bring in police |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/mcgill-university-mulls-next-steps-pro-palestinian-encampment}} Three days after the encampment, Saini and the university called upon the police and the courts to break up the protest. Both declined to do so.{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-mcgill-university-calls-on-police-to-break-up-pro-palestinian/ |publisher=Globe and Mail |title=McGill University calls on police to break up pro-Palestinian encampment |author=JOE FRIESEN and FRÉDÉRIK-XAVIER DUHAMEL |date=April 30, 2024}} 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."{{cite news |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/pro-palestinian-encampment-members-say-little-progress-made-in-meeting-with-mcgill-1.6875694 |publisher=CTV |title=Pro-Palestinian encampment members say little progress made in meeting with McGill |author=Joe Lofaro |date=May 6, 2024}}

The Globe and Mail reported that as of the end of May 2024, citing tactics he felt were designed to “threaten, coerce and scare people,” Saini continued to push the law enforcement to try and intervene despite them informing him that nothing illegal was occurring.{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-president-of-mcgill-decries-lack-of-police-action-against-protests/ | title=McGill University president decries lack of police action against pro-Palestinian encampments | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=29 May 2024 }} Saini, citing concerns and fears from some Jewish students, accused the protest of being antisemetic.{{Cite news |last=Riga |first=Andy |title=Antisemitism is a ‘significant problem’ on campus, McGill and Concordia admit |url=https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article143211.html |work=Montreal Gazette}} However, Jewish students, as well as Independent Jewish Voices, dismissed the accusation as part of a smear campaign against the encampment, noting that there are Jewish students playing a key role in the protest encampment.{{cite news | title ='IJV Canada Salutes the Victories of Student-led Encampments Across Canada' |url=https://www.ijvcanada.org/ijv-canada-salutes-the-victories-of-student-led-encampments-across-canada/}}

On 6 June 2024, Saini requested police intervention to clear the protest occurring in the James administration building.{{cite news |title= Occupation of the James Administration Building | url=https://www.mcgill.ca/president/article/communications-messages-community/occupation-james-administration-building}} Riot police used pepper spray, tear-gas, batons and shields against students protesting around the building.{{cite news |title='SSMU Members Brutalized by Police'|url=https://ssmu.ca/blog/2024/06/ssmu-members-brutalized-by-police/}}{{cite news |title='Cops Off Our Campus: A Response to the Police Brutality of June 6, 2024' |date=2024-06-11 |url=https://www.agsem.ca/post/cops-off-our-campus-a-response-to-the-police-brutality-of-june-6-2024}} 15 students were arrested for their role in the protest.{{cite news |title='Police spray tear gas, break up pro-Palestinian occupation of McGill building | url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/updated-police-spray-tear-gas-break-up-pro-palestinian-occupation-of-mcgill-building}} Saini later thanked the police for their intervention in clearing out the protest. In July 2024, The Breach claimed that Saini had spread misinformation in his statements to the press. The Breach wrote that Saini had planted false stories that students called for violence and prevented administrators from leaving the building.{{cite news |title= Universities, police spread 'jaw-dropping' misinformation about encampments | url=https://breachmedia.ca/universities-police-spread-jaw-dropping-misinformation-about-encampments/}}