Here are notes from the regular AMS Council meeting of October 12, 2022:
Equity Goals: Council heard the AMS President’s Equity Team present an update on the goals, which include having a member of the team attend Executive meetings, providing equity training, creating a permanent equity staff position, revising the current Equity Action Plan, and creating a Mental Health Taskforce and an Indigenous Strategic Taskforce.
Financial System: Managing Director Keith Hester provided an update on the introduction of the new financial system to improve response time for clubs and Constituencies and to bring in new credit cards.
New VP Finance: Elections Administrator Ashley Haines announced the official results of the September by-election, making Lawrence Liu the new VP Finance.
AGM: Council set October 31 as the date of the next annual general meeting, which will be online as it has been the last two years.
Art Sale: In accordance with the referendum of 2017, Council authorized the sale of three works from the AMS Permanent Collection: Abandoned Village by E.J. Hughes, South of Coppermine by A.Y. Jackson, and Northern Image by Lawren Harris. AMS President Eshana Bhangu explained that these three are the most expensive in the collection, and sale of them will help deal with the deficit, in part by reducing insurance costs.
Super Dogs! VP Administration Ben Du accepted thanks for the successful Clubs Fair, which included nine Super Dogs shows: “Students love puppies,” he said.
ESG Principles: VP Academic & University Affairs Dana Turdy said the Advocacy Committee is working on the strategy for advocating that the Board of Governors adopt human rights and Environmental, Social, & Governmental (ESG) principles in all University investments.
First Week Kits: President Eshana Bhangu said there were lessons to be learned from the low sales of kits, which this year did not include tickets for the Welcome Back Barbecue.
Food Bank: In response to a question from Arts Councillor Cynara Onyemordi, President Bhangu said advocacy is underway to get more funding for Food Bank. Kathleen Simpson, the Senior Manager of Student Services, said there is a reserve fund, but something more consistent is needed.
Piano: VP Admin Ben Du said the Operations Committee is looking into the restoration of the communal piano in the Nest.
Next meeting:
The next regular Council meeting will be on Wednesday, October 26 in the Michael Kingsmill Forum in the Nest at 6 pm.
Sheldon Goldfarb
Archivist & Clerk of Council
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