AMS Assembly Recap — Nov. 5
At the fourth AMS Assembly this term, all non-voting members of AMS Assembly — including Journal reporters — were asked to leave the room, for a two-hour, closed-door session.
The assembly was held on Thursday evening in the Robert Sutherland Room in the John Deutsch University Centre.
The agenda included the ratification of Tyler Lively, ArtSci ’16, as the new Academic Affairs Commissioner for the 2015-16 academic year.
Lively will resume the role following the resignation of Read Leask on Oct. 15.
(See agenda here)
Referendum and election voting issues
The AMS experienced technological setbacks regarding the election system, according to a report to Assembly by Sarah Letersky, vice president (university affairs) and interim Commissioner of Internal Affairs.
According to her report, emails weren’t being delivered and the system wasn’t recognizing student’s eligibility to vote.
As a result, the AMS extended the referendum period until 8 p.m. on Friday.
The Journal will provide more information on the referendum later this week.
Student card versatility
Kyle Beaudry, vice president (operations), mentioned in his report to Assembly that conversations have begun regarding expanding the purchasing power of the student card. However, he wrote that it has become evident in discussions that their main focus for expansion will be on AMS services and not on outside vendors.
The initiative was part of the initial platform the AMS executive released after they were acclaimed in January last year. Beaudry told the assembly he would look into the matter further in the coming months, as the project will require more consideration.
AMS President Kanivanan Chinniah stated in his report to Assembly that the AMS has announced the beginning of construction on the $1.2 million JDUC Revitalization Project. The project is set to break ground this January.
The project, five years in the works, has passed through various teams of AMS executives.
The funds come from student fees that the AMS had originally intended to contribute to the Queen’s Centre project. Since Phase 2 and 3 of the Queen’s Centre were never completed — and eventually abandoned — the AMS decided to dedicate the funds to revitalizing existing student life space in the JDUC.
Chinniah informed assembly that work on gender-neutral bathrooms in the JDUC will begin next week.
AMS Assembly, AMS Assembly Recap, fall referendum, JDUC, revitalization
