Changes come to AMS Assembly for the 2024-25 year as the AMS increases the number of seats for some faculties, but not all.
On Aug. 16, the AMS issued a news release detailing an increase in faculty seats on AMS Assembly, the highest undergraduate legislative body with representation from different faculties. The AMS states these changes were decided based on enrollment numbers from the winter semester, and the increase of seats was ratified by the President’s caucus on July 30.
The AMS Assembly acts as a governing body for all undergraduate students with representatives to advocate for the students from each faculty.
“AMS Assembly strives to be an equal representation or equitable representation of students across faculties. So, this decision was made to ensure we maintain representation and can keep assembly to be the most productive,” said AMS President Owen Rocchi in an interview with The Journal.
The Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS) will be allocated three more seats from last year moving the total to 10, while the Health Science Society (HSS) will have an increase of one seat to a total of three. Queen’s Nursing Science Society (NSS) seats will be increased to a total of two with an increase of one. No other faculties will receive an increase in seats.
Rocchi said all faculty societies advocated for their students and many wanted to receive an increase in representation at Assembly. The AMS made the decision to increase seats in proportion to the number of students that each faculty represents. This is in accordance to the AMS Constitution which states in section 5.1.7, “the AMS Assembly strives to have a ratio of 500 students per one seat filled at the Assembly.”
“One of the main reasons we felt okay with increasing the number of seats from 29 to 34 for this year is that we can be closer to that 500 to one student representation on Assembly, among other reasons,” Rocchi said.
“[Faculty societies are] all very passionate about having as much representation as possible at Assembly as it is the ultimate governing body of the AMS and the voice of the undergraduate student body. I think the general sentiment was that they just wanted to be able to have more of a presence but, through conversations, we were able to settle and agree.”
Rocchi said he appreciates the eagerness of faculty societies to have representation.
Tags
AMS, AMS Assembly, faculty societies
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