Here are notes from the regular AMS Council meeting of April 25, 2024:
PC1 and PC2: After years of back and forth, Council finally passed amendments to PC1 and PC2, the policies on respectful community and sexualized violence, including a compromise allowing one student (the President) along with one member of the permanent staff (the Managing Director) to be the joint decision makers on complaints.
Council also passed a motion directing the HR Committee to establish a new robust investigative process for complaints to replace the current system under which the Ombudsperson plays an investigative role.
Council also passed an amendment to Policy GV1, the Policy on Policies, saying that no malicious or false claims will be tolerated under any policy.
New Elections Administrator: Council appointed Sansian Tan, the current Chief Returning Officer, to be the new Elections Administrator.
SJC Investigation: Having been informed that the Social Justice Centre will no longer be a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against Hillel, Council voted to rescind the investigation of the SJC.
At the same time Council passed a Code amendment saying that subsidiary organizations must not initiate lawsuits against third parties without Council authorization.
Special General Meeting: Having received a petition calling for a Special General Meeting to be held on access to the AMS Food Bank for UBC staff, Council directed the Executive to hold the meeting before June 5.
Honorary Members: Council awarded honorary AMS membership to former Student Senator Mathew Ho and to Josh Bradbury of the Disabilities United Collective.
Budget Surplus and Financial Plan: Council approved the Preliminary Budget for 2024-25, which for the first time in years projects a surplus (of $1,438) instead of a deficit.
Council also approved the first ever three-year financial plan.
Audio-Visual Upgrade: Council approved an allocation of more than $900,000 over three years to pay for improvements to the audio-visual equipment in the Nest.
Resource Groups entrance: Council voted to allocate $81,000 for renovations to the entrance to the Resource Groups area in the Nest.
Resource Groups funding: A Code change proposal to transfer oversight of Resource Group funds from the Resource Group Allocation Committee (RGAC) to the Finance Committee was referred to the Governance Committee, which was also directed to consider whether the RGAC is necessary.
President in Camera: Council did approve a Code change allowing the President to be present in camera when individual Vice-Presidents are addressing Council as part of the Executive Performance and Accountability process.
Executive Goals: The Executive reported to Council on their annual goals on such things as affordability, strengthening relationships, advocacy, engagement, international student support, food security, and dealing with the deficit.
And then they said goodbye: It was the last Council meeting for the current Executive and many Councillors.
Next meeting:
The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15, 2024 in the Michael Kingsmill Forum in the Nest at 6 pm.
Sheldon Goldfarb
Archivist & Clerk of Council
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