Nathan Shack, a fifth-year economics and data-science student, is running to be VP finance. He is campaigning on improving treasurer training for subsidiaries, increasing mental health benefits in the AMS health and dental plan and ensuring financial sustainability.
Shack currently serves as the associate VP (AVP) finance under Gagan Parmar, where he provides support with financial reports and drafts meeting minutes for the finance committee. Before his term as AVP finance, Shack served as UBC's Film Society’s treasurer for two years.
In an interview with The Ubyssey, Shack said that his prior experience motivated him to run for VP finance, as he has “seen a lot of the issues the AMS has,” including a $350,000 deficit and inefficient communication systems between the AMS and student clubs.
One of Shack’s key priorities is improving treasurer training for AMS subsidiaries such as clubs, constituencies and resource groups.
The AMS currently trains all its treasurers to familiarize them with UBC’s financial systems. However, Shack said that this training was insufficient, with only one hour of specialized treasurer training in addition to the six to eight hours of general executive orientation and a Canvas course.
Under Shack’s plan, treasurer training would take place starting in the summer, with multiple sessions teaching treasurers how to perform reimbursements, invoice payments and internal transfers. This additional training would help prevent ongoing payment delays, Shack said.
Another policy priority for Shack is increasing mental health benefits in the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. Currently, the plan offers full coverage of up to $1,250 in visits to mental health practitioners. Shack would like to see a $250 increase.
When asked where the money for the increase in coverage would come from, Shack cited a poll conducted by the AMS during a flu clinic, where 90 per cent of students said that they would be willing to pay more in fees to see an increase in “mental health, vision [and] dental [services].” While Shack said the survey was “not the most perfect” due to selection bias, he still stressed that students expressed a desire to see greater mental health benefits at UBC, even if that meant a slight increase in fees.
Many of Shack’s policy plans — such as increased treasurer training — are contingent on the success of the AMS’s fee referendum, which students will vote on during the election period. If passed, this referendum would require students to pay an extra $12 in AMS student fees, which would be distributed among club benefits, student services and capital projects.
When asked what would happen if the fee increase referendum did not pass, Shack said that it would be “difficult” to provide support for clubs, services and capital projects.
Regarding the clubs' benefit fee, Shack said that if the fee referendum fails, the AMS would have to find alternative methods of support for clubs, such as faster payments and better training. In the case of treasurers, Shack said that an investment in training would be worthwhile even without an increase in funds.”
Shack said that without an increase in funding, he would consider reallocating resources from various student services. This would involve identifying “the core services and what provides the most value to students right now,” and shifting resources away from underutilized services and into more valuable ones. One service Shack emphasized is the AMS Food Bank, where he said that a full-time, permanent staff position is necessary to alleviate the strain on the service caused by rising food insecurity.
On the Capital Projects Fee, Shack said the AMS would not be able to proceed with planned projects — such as collaborative study spaces — without the fee increase referendum being passed.
Another issue facing the VP finance is the underperformance of AMS businesses. In a reforecasted budget covering the first half of this fiscal year, current VP Finance Parmar said the AMS is in a $350,000 deficit, largely due to underperforming AMS businesses such as Blue Chip, the Pit and Grand Noodle Emporium.
Shack stressed the need for a “comprehensive plan of looking at our businesses and … taking student input.” He advocated for the reintroduction of the Nest Experience Survey, which would ask students about various aspects of the AMS and the Nest. These could include which menu items students want to see and what they want from their services and businesses, Shack said.
A previous version of this story misstated that an AMS poll showed students would be willing to pay more in tuition to increase health services. The poll showed that students would be willing to pay more in fees, not tuition. This article was updated on Mar. 6, 2026 at 12:13 p.m. to reflect this change.
