I was so aware of what could be done, had we the resources, that I would not have expected the jury to admire what in fact has actually been accomplished. But, of course, Williams was nominated for what she's done, both for the University and for women on campus, not for what her modest budget won't permit. Alongside keeping abreast of the myriad activities on the University's two campuses, and making sure McGill's accomplishments and attributes reach the outside world, Williams has also succeeded, in her nine years as director of URO, in putting communications higher on the agenda of the institution's decision-makers. In her view, it is paramount that an awareness of just what kind of face McGill presents to the world is always taken into consideration. I feel so strongly that if you consider the question of communications right at the beginning, you don't need to later.
Good communication is everyone's responsibility.
She brought that caring approach which, if you've got the intellectual rigour to back it up, is a winning approach. In order to have more of that difference, she has worked to increase the representation of women in the upper levels of the administration. There's something missing in an all-male department meeting or committee. In large part, it was Williams' contribution to advancing the role of women in the University that won her McGill's nomination for the YWCA prize. To say that Williams is a McGill-booster is an understatement.