Problematizing shared responsibility and sustainability in a grant-funded students as partners program

Abstract

In 2020, McMaster University’s students-as-partners (SaP) program shifted operations to a grant-funded model. To understand what, if any, influence this programmatic change had on student, staff, and faculty partners, we sought to critically evaluate this new model. Toward this aim, we conducted an institutional ethnography and survey of student, faculty, and staff partners who participated in the SaP program between May 2020 to August 2021. In this paper, we share the ways in which our analysis speaks to respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility in partnerships, as well as the broader issue of sustainably supporting the growth of SaP projects. We conclude by offering recommendations for individuals at institutions of higher learning who are considering implementing a grant-award model to support SaP work.