At its second meeting of the year, AMS Assembly faced pressure from students over investment transparency and the rollout of the Bounce event platform.
AMS Assembly convened on Sept. 29 in Wallace Hall, starting at 5:30 p.m. and concluding at 7 p.m. The meeting hosted student leaders and provincial lobbying leaders. The meeting focused on student affordability, food insecurity, policy reforms, and Queen’s evolving Bicentennial vision. There were also student statements calling for the AMS to divest from any companies that support or are complicit in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) kicked off the evening, represented by their President, Sayak Sneddon-Ghosal and Executive Director, Malika Dhanani. OUSA, which includes nine student unions across Ontario, outlined its student-approved policy approach and provincial advocacy.
They outlined the key lobbying areas this year, which include student safety, workforce development, and affordable housing. OUSA also highlighted their policy internship program, partnership with the World Food Forum, and work on their Truth and Reconciliation campaigns.
Assembly also focused on other social issues, including food insecurity, with September being Hunger Action Month. Part of the initiative, Good Times Diner Co-Director Sienna Valdez, ArtSci ’27, presented data from the 2023 SHIFT survey, revealing that 28 per cent of Queen’s students often or sometimes couldn’t afford enough food, up from 16 per cent in 2021. The issue is especially pressing for Indigenous and disabled students, with food insecurity rates as high as 63 per cent.
Good Times Diner, which runs meal services twice weekly, is powered entirely by student volunteers, according to Valdez. She then called for volunteers and club sponsorships, nominating all those attending the Assembly to take part in Hunger Action Month.
Statements from Students and Executive Reports
During the statement by students’ period of the meeting, two undergraduate students, Jessica Shaughnessy ArtSci ’26 and Pearl Hacker, delivered a statement demanding the AMS disclose current investments and divest from companies linked to Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
“To refuse divestment would be to actively contribute to injustice,” Shaughnessy said, citing AMS equity and sustainability policies. The pair argued, “There’s no such thing as a neutral stance when it comes to genocide.”
“Other student associations throughout Canada have already taken action towards divesting. For example, the AMS of the University of British Columbia passed a motion in 2022 to push UBC to divest from Corporation complicit in Palestinian human rights violations. Another example is the University of Toronto students who passed a motion in 2022 to wholly divest funds and further unformed investments to confirm complicit in the occupation of Palestinian territory,” Shaughnessy said.
After a short clap for the students, Assembly members moved on to other items without addressing the concerns laid out by students.
In the executive reports, Amer noted that three of six AMS ORT directors stepped down from their roles this year and emphasized efforts to create a more resilient internal team structure in case these transitions happen again. Vice-President (Operations) Elena Nurzynski explained they’re working on integrating a new point-of-sale system for CoGro and The Brew, aiming to get all of the AMS’s food services, including the Queen’s Pub, on the same system to streamline operations.
Discussion Period
During the discussion period, Arts and Science Undergraduate Society representative Allan Savini ArtSci ’27 criticized the AMS’s partnership with Bounce, a platform now used for event sanctioning and controversial ticketing.
READ MORE: AMS-Bounce deal stirs up controversy
Savini said clubs felt they had lost autonomy and faced unexpected ticketing fees, describing AMS communication as delayed and unclear.
In response, Vice-President (University Affairs) Alyssa Perisa, ArtSci ’25, clarified that Bounce is only mandatory for event sanctioning, which is required for AMS insurance coverage, whereas ticketing is optional.
Amer facilitated a student-led discussion on Queen’s Bicentennial Vision, a draft strategy outlining long-term goals ahead of Queen’s 200th anniversary in 2041.
AMS leaders and students weighed in on issues like academic excellence, research equity, and sustainability. Many emphasized the need for visible, tangible and immediate change, not just long-term plans.
Policies and Commission Budgets
Assembly members passed all ten motions on the agenda, many of them tied to internal governance and commission budgets.
Several policy adjustments were also made, including amendments to the Election Policy, removing the requirement for AMS executive candidates to collect nomination signatures, and streamlining the Sustainability Policy by cutting redundant and repetitive language.
The dissolution of the Election Policy Review Committee was also announced, and the Assembly approved combining the elections and civics committees, which focuses on civic engagement practices, moving forward.
Commission budgets and goal plans finished out the motions for the night. The Clubs Commission announced new initiatives, including two additional club fairs, a hiring fair, and the launch of a centralized hiring board on the AMS website.
The Campus Affairs Commission emphasized the importance of supporting international students and introduced the idea of a peer mentorship program. The program would connect first-year exchange students with upper-year students, as well as expand bursary resources and updates to the event sanctioning framework. The External Affairs Commission is committed to strengthening relationships with government and community partners while introducing a laptop loan program and a Meet Your Faculty event for students.
The next AMS assembly will be held on Oct. 21.
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