Vice President resigns from AMS executive

AMS executive and assembly will find replacement for Brian MacKay, the AMS Vice President (Operations), following his resignation

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Last updated: Aug. 18 at 11:30 a.m.

The AMS Vice President (Operations) Brian MacKay announced his resignation this morning in a surprise statement released by the AMS executive. 

In a statement on the AMS website, the remaining AMS executive team was offered and accepted the resignation of MacKay on Wednesday, August 16.

“This has been a difficult decision and one that I have not made lightly,” MacKay stated. “I thought it was important for me to step back before the school year begins in order to give my successor a chance to become well-acquainted with the role before the bulk of our student members return in September.”

In an email to staff, AMS President Jennifer Li said MacKay resigned for personal reasons. She then stated that herself and Vice President (University Affairs) Palmer Lockridge are grateful for his contributions over the summer and that his presence will be missed in the AMS.

“Palmer and I want to assure you that we remain committed to the work that lies ahead of us and that we will continue moving forward meeting all challenges,” she later stated in the e-mail.

“We recognize that the weeks that lie ahead of us will have some challenges, but we are committed to supporting each of you to ensure that your experience at the AMS continues to be all it can be and that all Queen’s students continue to benefit from our hard work.” 

As of this morning, the duties of the Vice President (Operations), will be handled by President Li.

As per the AMS Constitution, Li and Lockridge will be able to appoint a replacement subject to Assembly approval. In their statement, they said they will nominate a new Vice President (Operations) in a matter of days.

The Journal spoke with Li and Lockridge shortly following the announcement. 

“This is still a little raw and we’re dealing with a lot of emotions,” Li said.

When asked, Li told The Journal that no more detail could be provided regarding the reasons for McKay’s resignation.

“Unfortunately legally we can’t really disclose [more], and I think given the circumstances we should be respecting Brian’s privacy, and Palmer and I ask for patience and understanding in this situation as well,” Li said.

Li and Lockridge said despite the sudden change, they foresee no disruption in their work.

“Our commitment to the AMS and to serving students remains. We have started projects and those will continue. The work that needs to happen before the school year starts has already begun and will continue and we don’t expect any operational interruptions,” Li said.

“Palmer and I are confident that we’ll be able to fill the role in the interim until a suitable replacement can be found. We have great staff to lean on and everyone will come together as a team.”

According to Lockridge, he and Li plan to begin the replacement process as soon as possible.

“We recognize the urgency to fill the role moving into orientation week and right into the year with students returning to campus,” Lockridge said.

Li told The Journal that McKay’s replacement will be made explicitly aware of the commitments and expectations associated with the vice-president (operations) role so as to ensure continued cohesion on their team.

Li expressed that the details of how McKay’s replacement will integrate moving forward remain somewhat unclear, but that they will keep students and stakeholders updated as they learn more.

The Journal will update this article as information becomes available.

Tags

AMS, AMS executive, resignation, Vice President (Operations)

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