With the Undergraduate Trustee position uncontested this year, the AMS unanimously confirmed Tyler Macintyre, Sci ’20, to begin his election campaign on Thursday. 

The position is tasked with representing the voice of undergraduate students before the Queen’s Board of Trustees.

Macintyre told The Journal he wishes to represent the undergraduate student body by creating an outreach framework, ensuring students are aware of Board decisions.

“My goal is to make myself as available as possible at any time to speak with students about the role, the board, and the decisions that are being made,” he said.

His proposed framework will include scheduling meetings with students before the Board convenes so they can forward concerns they may have.

Macintyre noted common issues among students include apathy and disengagement—particularly in relation to governance. As a solution, he hopes to release information from the Board’s meetings and present it in a way that’s more accessible and easier for students to digest.  

“I think it’s important [for the information] to be picked up with an overarching view within about five to 10 minutes of reading, and not five to 10 hours,” Macintyre said. “In order for [this] information to reach students, it should be translated into a language that’s more accessible because it has the tendency to use more technical terms and procedural terms.”

While the information that’s provided by the Board is heavily based on procedural terms, Macintyre said that it often complicates students’ understanding. He added breaking down the Board’s discussions in simpler terms and utilizing social media can better inform students.

“It’s hard to get engaged with something when you don’t know what it does,” Macintyre said.

“I really care about the school. I think the student experience here is incredible. And I want to help engage the school in ways that I can help preserve it, Trustee is one area that I can help represent students in a meaningful manner.”

Macintyre encourages students to express their concerns and can be consulted at 15tam5@queensu.ca.