Third-year political science and economics student Jai Sodhi is running to be the next VP administration on a platform aimed at increasing club engagement and improving the Nest’s operations.
Sodhi said he was motivated to run after being frustrated with the “communication gap” between the AMS and clubs. He said this gap makes the AMS executive team seem “unreachable” or “elite.”
As president of UBC Shooting Sports, Sodhi observed a lack of administrative support when he sought to get the club off the ground. He plans to track club data to increase understanding between student groups and the VP administration office and improve the current Clubs Resource Centre policies that “demotivate” students from going to the AMS for help, even to just book a room in the Nest.
“You're supposed to be willing to go out of your way to help people if you can,” he said. “That's the approach that I feel is missing from the administration now.”
As Sodhi explained, most of his initiatives will be byproducts of his goal to remove the perceived AMS “bureaucracy” that can hinder clubs’ reach of students.
For Sodhi, promoting inclusivity through interactive events will help “[gain] the trust of clubs, constituencies and resource groups.”
Sodhi said he will “work a lot more on first reaching out to students” before addressing the AMS Sustainability Action Plan’s goals.
When asked about how he will leverage the Nest’s operations, Sodhi’s main priority was reintroducing sleeping spaces onto campus. The old Student Union Building previously had napping rooms before being converted into the Life Building in 2016.
“It's going to be a major investment but it's something we need,” Sodhi said. “Students are sleeping in Koerner Library’s basement on tables … why not provide that infrastructure to students?”
Similarly, Sodhi wants to open the Nest 24/7 “at least one week before finals,” a goal that he believes to not be “a major financial investment” due to existing security infrastructures. Last term, the Nest was open 24 hours during the entire exam period between December 10–22.
Sodhi said he wants to address food insecurity by putting students first and advocating for financial change. He aims to increase support for student groups advocating for this issue and examine some AMS food outlets that are contributing to the organization’s financial deficit.
Sodhi said the AMS should consider leasing out the Flavour Lab, a food outlet that failed to break even in the first quarter, to explore alternative directions for income. He is also advocating for extended operations at other existing food outlets such as The Gallery Patio & Lounge.
“Competition is going to increase. That's going to force others to match the prices of [new outlets],” said Sodhi. “It's time that we also start to work on financial sustainability because we're not going to keep running deficits.”
While the VP administration is responsible for Nest operations, the management of businesses falls under the responsibilities of the AMS’s managing director.
Sodhi is running for VP administration alongside fellow first-time candidates Amy Liao and Kevin Heieis.
This article is part of our 2024 AMS Elections coverage. Follow us at @UbysseyNews on X (formerly Twitter) and follow our election coverage starting February 27.