On Thursday, the AMS convened for the final Society meeting of the 2018-19 academic year.

President Miguel Martinez opened the meeting by thanking all members of the Society for their service throughout the year.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to really thank each and every one of you for all the work and dedication you have put in this last year advocating on behalf of the students,” Martinez said.

Martinez also thanked members of Society “who took the time to support [him] throughout [the external investigation] process.”

While Vice-President (Operations) Liam Tharp was not present at the meeting, Vice-President (University Affairs) Munro Watters took the opportunity to show her own gratitude, thanking members for a “challenging,” but “fantastic” year.

Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

Furthermore, the Society discussed the future of their membership within the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

Following a presentation from Vice-President Watters and Commissioner of Academic Affairs Julia Göllner and a period of discussion, Assembly passed a motion that directs the AMS to withdraw their membership from OUSA. This motion is contingent on there being no contract between OUSA and the AMS, and no legal requirements or risk for the AMS to remain as a member of OUSA.

AMS Hiring

During this meeting, Society also ratified a number of new hires for the 2019-20 academic year, including Parker Quast as QSC Head Manager, Emma Ilyaz as Judicial Affairs Manager, Grace Baxter as Chief Electoral Officer, David Bath as Commissioner of External Affairs, and James Taptelis as Judicial Committee Chair.

“We went through a long series of interviews, and the candidates we selected were the best for the job. We felt they fit well in the team and we knew they were passionate leaders who were willing to face all the challenges that will face the AMS and the University next year,” said Auston Pierce, incoming AMS President, in reflection of the hiring process.

Incoming AMS Vice-President (University Affairs) William Greene described the hiring process as “very equitable.”

“We’re confident in all the decisions that were made” Greene added, acknowledging that the hiring process is still underway.

Honorary Life Membership

The AMS also passed a motion to grant Honorary Life Membership to the AMS to Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration) Donna Janiec, in honour of her dedication and service to the University.

Other Business

Commissioner of Municipal Affairs Søren Christianson spoke to Assembly about the upcoming AMS Community Development Summit on Apr. 6.

The event will feature a panel discussion about the University District Safety Initiative with Mayor Bryan Paterson, the Kingston Police and the University, among others. Christianson encouraged anyone with questions or concerns about the initiative to participate in the event. More details are available on the AMS Facebook page.

Moreover, Clubs Director Regina Cordera discussed process of ensuring former AMS initiatives—those removed from AMS jurisdiction through the Student Choice Initiative restructuring—into fully ratified clubs. Many clubs have applied for and received ratification in the past few weeks, including Kaleidoscope and the Provincial Advocacy Committee.