AMS council met on April 26 for its final meeting of the term to vote on previously deliberated changes to AMS policies and next year's preliminary budget.
The meeting started with a passed motion to suspend the section of AMS Code which prohibits alcohol consumption during council meetings. Councillors toasted drinks to celebrate President Christian ‘CK’ Kyle’s birthday and for the end of term.
“It's really meaningful that we're all in a place where people care this much about the work that they're doing,” said Kyle during the president's remarks.
Here’s what else passed through council this week.
Culminating committee changes
Kyle brought forward several amendments — all of which were approved — to the AMS code, like changes to executive and non-elected responsibilities, committees and incorporate of the VP student life position Kevin Heieis is currently serving as interim VP student life until a by-election can be held in September.
One update will add ‘senior’ to the title of the events, community and marketing communications manager positions to match AMS style.
There were many changes to working groups and subcommittees, which found their scopes being shifted. The Operations Committee will be dissolved with its responsibilities taken on by the Building Operations and the Clubs and Societies Committees, responsible for policies concerning space allocation and facility infrastructure as well as AMS club organization respectively.
“People join [the Operations Committee] for a particular thing they're interested in, but this can be spread over multiple caucuses,” said Kyle, citing the move as being based on efficiency and long consultation processes.
The Advocacy Committee will also be replaced by responsibilities the External Briefs Committee and the University Advocacy Committee. Kyle described the goal of the University Advocacy Committee as “creat[ing] a forum for all the different people who are functionally in charge of advocacy at this university.”
The Finance Committee will have its membership altered to assign a student-at-large seat to an executive. The structuring of the code regarding its responsibilities was also changed.
Changes to Executive Performance and Accountability Committees responsibilities codified that reviews are to be conducted in September and January, something that was already happening in practice but was not formally in the code. Executive reviews having to include input from each constituency was also added.
Proceeding with procedures
Amendments passed to the code's electoral, financial and personnel procedures, which were all approved by Council.
9A was altered to allow the Elections Committee to regulate the specificities of lawn signs and clarify rules on what happens when someone takes down a candidate's poster. Councillors, student staff and services staff can also endorse AMS candidates provided they submit a form of endorsement to the Elections Committee during the campaign period.
Councillor Yuki Ichikawa expressed concern that raising the number of signatures to run in elections from 25 to 50 would “make it so less people are willing to run for these positions.”
“[It’s] a lot easier for people who are already in student government to collect those signatures,” said Ichikawa.
Governance Committee chair Eshana Bhangu defended the revision, saying “when you’re running to represent 60,000 people, 50 doesn't seem that high.”
Changes to 9B will allow the VP student life to be a contract signatory while changes to 9C broaden codes to include all student government staff.
PC1 and PC2 rewording
The AMS’s respectful community and workplace (PC1) and sexualized violence (PC2) policies were amended to allow individuals to file complaints under both processes.
PC1 and PC2 have long been contentious issues at council, frequently the focus of campus advocacy and lengthy policy reviews.
“We're no longer limiting who can be consulted to make a robust and informed decision,” said Kyle of a change allowing the decision-maker responsible for determining appropriate corrective action to contact others during their deliberation process.
2025/26 Budget approved
VP Finance Gagan Parmar presented councils preliminary budget for the 2025/26 year. The budget forecast is $6.479 million. It includes an hourly increase of one dollar for all AMS staff and prioritizes the growth of Blue Chip cafe as a source of revenue.
Speaking on Blue Chip, Parmar said cut that they are “projecting an increase in its contribution” to AMS revenues, reflective of its new space.
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