Here are notes from the regular AMS Council meeting of December 2, 2020 (held virtually on Zoom):
Council Grows! The annual headcount of students revealed a large enough increase in the number of Science students to entitle Science to an additional seat on Council, which on an interim basis is being filled by Science Undergraduate Society President Shovon Das.
Elections during COVID: At the request of Chief Electoral Officer Isabelle Ava-Pointon, Council suspended sections of Code to allow the AMS elections in March to be conducted without polling stations or poll clerks and without in-person campaigning or in-person submission of nomination forms. Council also appointed three members of the Elections Committee.
Arts Student Centre: Council approved a lease for the new centre for Arts students.
Services: Student Services Manager Ian Stone, with his assistant Emily Pearson, updated Council on what’s been happening in the very heavily used Food Bank service and the other services run by the AMS.
Audit: VP Finance Lucia Liang went through the recently completed audit for Council, noting AMS assets of $126 million (mostly the value of the Nest) and liabilities of $94 million (mostly from the loan to pay for building the Nest).
Indigenous representative Laura Beaudry asked if the AMS would be moving its investments away from RBC as part of its fossil fuel free investment policy. Managing Director Keith Hester said the policy only required divestment from fossil fuel companies, not from banks that fund such companies, but said there could be a discussion on that.
Executive Goals: AMS President Cole Evans said the main collective goal of the Executive has been to adapt and respond to COVID. Other goals have included working on a new AMS brand, working on an AMS equity plan, developing an off-campus housing service, collaborating with other student associations, upgrading our financial systems, introducing CampusBase for clubs, and developing a collaborative approach to sustainability.
Health and Dental Plan: Bahareh Jokar and Kristin Foster from Studentcare, the administrators of the AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan, reported that $7 million in claims were processed in 2019-20, which was a drop from the year before because COVID reduced such things as dental appointments.
Winter Break Extension: President Cole Evans reported that the University was probably going to extend the winter break by a week and was also planning to extend the withdrawal deadline.
Student Loan Interest Break: VP External Kalith Nanayakkara said federal lobbying week had just ended and he was happy to announce that the federal government is eliminating interest on federal student loans for the next two years.
Child Care Expenses: Council approved a motion to spend $58,500 from the Childcare Bursary Fund to subsidize students needing help paying for diapers and other childcare supplies.
Next meeting:
The next regular Council meeting will be held on January 13, 2021.
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