Here are notes from the regular AMS Council meeting of May 12, 2021 (held virtually on Zoom):
New! New! New! It was a new Student Council and a new AMS Executive meeting for the first time. Council even appointed a new Speaker: Neal Cameron.
Code Change: Council approved a Code change requiring the President to ensure that monthly meetings take place between the Executive and AMS senior managers.
Arts Student Centre: Council approved agreements with the University for the funding of the new Arts Student Centre and for how it will be used once it opens at the end of the summer.
UCRU: Council voted to join the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-intensive Universities (UCRU), an organization that advocates on behalf of students at the largest Canadian universities.
VP External Saad Shoaib said there is currently no membership fee, but when there is, arrangements will be made so that UBC grad students will not pay it (since UCRU is focused on undergraduates).
Looking Ahead: AMS President Cole Evans said the new year will see work done on a strategic plan. Also, two important policies (on sexual violence and respectful community) will be coming up for review. He is also hoping the year will see a return to in person activities.
E-Transfers: Mary Gan, the new VP Finance, said e-transfers will continue to be used for reimbursements, subsidy payments, etc.
COVID and Beyond: Eshana Bhangu, the new VP Academic & University Affairs, said she has been in talks with UBC administrators about vaccination centres, rapid testing centres, and the situation for returning international students. Also about what positive things that were developed during COVID might be retained after COVID.
Interactive Sustainability Centre (ISC): Lauren Benson, the new VP Administration, said work is underway on the ISC, including murals and the energy consumption dashboard.
Engagement: The VP Administration, who formerly was the AMS social media coordinator, added that she is committed to exploring how to increase student engagement by publicizing opportunities within the AMS, working with Events, and generally “getting our face out there.”
Services: Mitchell Prost, the new Student Services Manager, noted the huge increase in usage of the Food Bank. He added that tutoring appointments have begun with the start-up of the new (summer) term, and said he is working on a general marketing plan for the Services.
Email Upgrade: Managing Director Keith Hester said an upgrade of the AMS email system is underway, moving the AMS from Microsoft Exchange to Microsoft 365.
Phallic Bastions: In response to a question from Councillor Mathew Ho, the Archivist explained that the phallic bastions mentioned in a 1983 Ubyssey headline referred to the preponderance of male authors in the old English 100 course.
Goddess of Democracy: The Archivist gave a quick history of the AMS-sponsored statue, which was put up in 1991 to mark the events in Tiananmen Square two years before.
Next meeting:
The next regular Council meeting will be held on June 2, 2021 at 6 pm on Zoom.
Sheldon Goldfarb
Archivist & Clerk of Council
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