AMS unable to afford JDUC space without increased SLC fee

AMS president maintains confidentiality in price negotiations with the University

Image by: Nelson Chen
AMS is tentatively scheduled to relocate to the JDUC on Aug. 1.

With an increase in overhead costs, the AMS permanent move to the new JDUC hangs in the balance.

The AMS will try to pass an increased Student Life Centre (SLC) fee—necessary to operate AMS-run spaces for students in the new JDUC building—at the upcoming referendum, Owen Rocchi, AMS president, confirmed in an interview with The Journal. The AMS failed to increase the mandatory SLC fee from $38.57 to $44.53 at the referendum in February.

READ MORE: What’s the deal with the JDUC?

Working with AMS communication and marketing directors, Rocchi wants to emphasize to students the “SLC fee is the JDUC fee” to increase the likelihood of its approval, enabling the AMS to fund certain operational expenses.

Overhead costs covered by the SLC fee and AMS services operating budget are up approximately 70 per cent from the old JDUC. The increase was due to a new air conditioning system and enhanced accessibility in the redeveloped building.

If the SLC fee doesn’t pass, the AMS won’t be able to pay for the costs to operate the space set to house AMS clubs and services.

While its clear certain operating costs have increased, the University and the AMS are keeping the exact price per square meter under wraps as they continue to negotiate these figures. The cost per square meter of AMS’s temporary home, LaSalle and Rideau Hall, is sitting at $181.24 as obtained through a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FIPPA) request by The Journal.

“As the AMS and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS) continue to work on the rest of the agreement, any more details of the negotiation will be kept private to maintain respect for all stakeholders and professionality,” Rocchi said.

The joint JDUC redevelopment project, originally billed at $62.3 million, between the University, AMS, and the SGPS was announced in 2019. The Journal revealed the project was $23 million over budget, requiring undergraduate students to pay $62.3 million and graduate students to pay $9.2 million for the redevelopment.

Following the budget overrun, SGPS gave up office space in the new JDUC, Emils Matiss, SGPS president, said in a statement to The Journal. The decision was made to keep the “SLC fee low” and provide students with access to spaces for studying and socializing in the new JDUC, Matiss explained.

“We have listened to [our members] feedback and understand they are seeking graduate and professional student-specific spaces. This is exactly what we are committed to delivering in the JDUC, without disrupting our current operations,” Matiss said.

The scheduled relocation of the AMS to the JDUC is slated for Aug. 1, with the possibility of being delayed contingent upon progress of construction, Rocchi said.

Tags

JDUC, JDUC revitalization, SLC

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