As I said in yesterday’s newsletter, the main story today is the AMS Council meeting from tonight. And by main story, I mean I’m going to be sending out 2000 words of unfiltered keyboard vomit that vaguely attempted to capture what I half-heard in the council meeting. I make no guarantees about the accuracy of these notes. So uhhhh… it’s not great for reference purposes. Honestly probably not great to read, either. So basically don’t do anything with them lmao. In my defence, I had to half-listen to another meeting during this meeting, so my brain was exploding trying to keep track of everything. You know, I have like… over a hundred thousand words of notes like this on AMS Council because uhhhh…. I spend too much time in the David Suzuki Michael Kingsmill Forum for Sustainability. I’m not even there for Ubyssey reasons (other than to see my crush while she’s out at work….)

But we’re staying consistent in our newsletters and that’s all that matters (the other joke candidates offered to do a guest spot tonight, but I thiiiiiinkkkk that’d be slating, so we’re holding off on that). If you want an actual play-by-play of tonight’s AMS Council meeting, check out The Kissable Ubyssey’s live tweets. Or even better, hold off a couple days for the Between the Motions article.

Anyways, since no one is actually going to read my silly little AMS Council notes, I’m moving the Other News section up top here :D.

Other News

Out of Curiosity

How many of you folks are waiting at 10:03 pm for these emails. Because like… 50% of the opens happen within the first 10-15 minutes of release. And like… 25% are within the first minute.

… Fact Checked???

The Ubyssey published their fact checking article for this election season. Unfortunately, I wasn’t fact checked at all in it (I think it’s kinda hot when The Ubyssey fact checks people, so I’m a bit disappointed tbh). But that’s okay. I’m going to just assume that means everything I’ve ever said during the debates and on my website is true. So really this is proof that The Ubyssey is kissable.

We’re Cooking

mmmmmm something is happening that I am excited for. at least 7 people on this newsletter know about it, but given my demographics, its probably quite a bit higher. anyways, it’s a fun time can’t wait to share :p.

Wait Postering is Difficult

My legs are killing me. I didn’t think putting up like 80 posters would do me in this bad lmaooo. I can barely go up or down stairs.

Anyways I’ve got to remove them Friday, so it probably wasn’t worth it. But I think I’m very funny for postering, so that’s something. The posters also absolutely slap. I’d say the best posters of any AMS Candidate. And I’ve got 3 variants!

AMS Council Notes

(The Ubyssey is here y’all everyone calm down be cool be cool)

Called to order at 6:11 and land acknowledgements.

Consent item (idk what) - Move CK second jasper

Sustainability Priorities Progress Presentation

By Amy (VP Admin)

Summary Overview

They’ve got a fucking kanban excel sheet.

“Collaborative partnership with Sustainability” THATS TWO FOR BARRY BEE

They’ve been watering plants.

They have climate friendly food labels at Blue Chip

They’re looking into something with Cisco before creating procurement guidelines (presumably to be implemented at some point)

First sustainability training for clubs during training (my bf says it was mid)

In Progress Updates

• Sustainability Database (launching in April)

• Equity action plan and air travel expenditure policy review

  • oh my god that sounds so boring

  • they’re getting feedback from stakeholders on the policy so they can craft a recommendation package

• Making a survey on commuting trends of AMS Staff

• Sustainability training

• Art installation

  • Talking about potential artists

• Sensory Room Updates

  • Waiting for DUC

  • Probably not cool enough to have raves

• Guidelines of Sustainable and accessible infrasturcutre

  • Working with Michael kingsmill of David Suzuki Michael Kingsmill Forum for Sustainability fame

• Menstrual Dispenser units

  • Hopefully in during the summer

• Thematic focus group discussion for food outlets

• Updated Climate friendly food procurement guideline

  • Looking into year by year plan (esp eggs and dairy)

• Increase reusables in commons

  • Social media

• 3d models above sort it out bins

• Incentivize against single use bottles

Holy shit there are so many lmaoooo

Pivoted Updates

Things that have been changed bc external factors. Quality over quantity,

• Data assessment on front desk service in student housing

  • AMS got ghosted.

  • Recommend next year’s team work with seeds

• GHG Reporting

  • The course that was going to assess AMS’s GHG wasn’t popular :(

    • Wait it was just gonna be some randoms students that’s wild

  • They’re thinking of alternatives

  • Hire research assistant? (with seeds funding)

• Review emergency response plans

  • Health and safety usually does this

• Nest and Safety inclusive spaces review

  • GOnna have one review at the whole year.

  • Incorporating a wheel through (wtf is that)

Recommendation for Next Year

I wonder which person is vp admin next

• Turn long term actions from ASAP into specific action items

• Implement this year’s actions next year

  • Sustainability module for execs

  • sustainability database

• Grow the department

  • It’s gonna be a cheesey time

  • It’s been a learning opportunity, happy to have confidence of council+students to lead department

  • Whole team has been passionate

  • Sus continue to grow in ams

  • “Wishing all but luck for next year’s sustainabiliteam <3” actual line from the powerpoint

Questions

Q Dylan: Will numbers be in your final report, or will we not have them? Impeded by lack of popularity for the course

A: Previous, data from outlet purchases. Give it to a company (ossham) but big price tag. Wanted someone on campus to do it internally so cheaper. AMS doesn’t do it themself. We give the spreadsheet to someone else, who makes the report + buys the offsets for the AMS

Q Dylan: SO numbers in report

A: ya

Q Jasper: I have concerns. Most in progress goals significantly behind what was approved by council. PC&+Equity action plan. Jasper felt was very behind and they have receipts (minutes from 4 months ago). Goal was to be done this month, but email sent out just days ago. Good policy review takes time. Concerned abt progress. This goal doesn’t revolve on seeds, etc.

A Amy: Policy review idea was not get the changes approved by end of term. We wanted to look into it, craft recommendations from this year’s team. So next year’s team has this years recommendations AND next years

A CK: We’re engaging in formal review now, but we’ve chatted in exec committee. This is primarily an exec policy. This is the first time they’ve engaged with it.

Q Jasper: To Amy, Correct: finalize recommendation document for one. The other is finalize policy (PC7). This was approved by council, as were the dates for the goals

A Amy: I take accountability. Sorry if what I said was portrayed wrong. That’s on me. PC7 is really used by ams staff. Other policies (not naming names) affecting all students (it’s definitely pc1/pc2). Scale of who it applies to is smaller for pc7, so less time needed for consultation. But yeah, the timeline is tight. I think it’s manageable to complete. If I don’t finish by end of term, I apologize.

Q Ryan: I wasn’t here for prev priorities. A lot of these goals are advocacy to uni, others. Collaboration? Bring all the groups together? What has been happening in relations to this have you been following? Are the conversations happening?

A Amy: I’ve been communicative to the rest of execs ant what whey should be doing irt sustainability in their offices. There’s been some turnover so it’s tough. Not everyone has committed to ASAP recommendations. Idk what specifics you want me to talk about, but were working on it

Q Ryan: Any session happening, or thoughts of redesigning.

A Amy: Look into how my department implemented next year. Came into this year without structure to make sure each office represents sustainability.

A CK: Having sustainability separate makes it siloed. Like equity, being integrated into goals not separated. Looking at it for next year.

Q Chelsea: AMS sustainability training. What kinda info you want from ISS?

A Amy: A club ran an even that included an indigenous panel but none of the panelists/club people were indigenous. So it got canceled. Make sure clubs are aware of policy for running events related to “indigenous relations”

Q Gavin: Currently securing funding? More detail? Amount? Timeline?

A Amy: Through seeds. No finalized number. How much AMS needs? Seeds has been generous with amnt of funding. I don’t know the number yet. Will know before end of term.

[there’s a debate about if Dylan can speak again. Kamil relents]

Q Dylan: Lots of talk about GHG and beef/dairy. Are all elements of ??? being incorporated. Diodiveristy and sustainable communities

A Amy: Can’t adopt entire procurement guidelines in one year. Try to stagger them accross one year.

Q3 Report

From Amber (VP Fin)

There’s a knock off kahoot. I’m going as Barry the Cheetah (because it looks closest to a bee). Wish me luck y’all.

WAIT CHAT RILEY JUST SHOWED UP. BESTIE HAS AN EMPTY BOX OF CANDY HE WAS CANVASSING HIS HEART OUT. I’m gonna beat him in knock off kahoot

I’m actually so cooked I haven’t read the report because they haven’t released the agenda to us plebs.

WAIT WE NEED TO PUT THE EXACT AMOUNT FROM THE REPORT. That’s crazy.

Wait I got one. It’s that there’s less alcohol being sold in the nest (sorry nerds, you can’t know the question unless you were there).

IM 5th on the leaderboard

HOLYSHIT BLOCKPARTY BUDGET IS 234000

I actually got 5th. I’m so good. Call me a VP Finance

Questions

Q Noah: Nourish is facing challenges, what are they?

A Justin: Not making as much money as we thought it would

Q Jasper: Do we know effect of points cards on budget

A Justin: Too early to say. Not a significant impact right now

Remarks

President’s Business (CK)

Short written update (we plebs can’t see)

Referendum (all 4 on ballot). For all the ones we approved as councillors in council. (so basically, not the student strike one)

Doing so much canvassing. Posters, etc

Council satisfaction survey from last week. Working on recommendations now.

Awards gala. CK has no free time (shout out past execs for making event happening, including Eshana). Something about sponsorship. Considering seating/dietary restrictions. On budget.

Arts, Forest, Kin for constituency of the year. I don’t remember the other constituencies.

VP AUA

On vacation? So CK is going for a triple header.

Expand incentive for AES, including on voting ballot.

Wrap promotions for teaching and learning gala

a report is nearing completion. Focus on qualitative.

Working on SEIs, get students to fill out and do it respectfully.

Gen AI policy. Academic caucus. Council

VP Admin

Culture fest happening

Sustainability (I presented priorities)

SASC towards resilience exhibition in the Hatch. Hatch now is Bionic World

Maker’s market next week

Needle bins happening

Working on a thing with Michael kingsmill

External

UCRU meeting with a bunch of unis

No one wants to chair UCRU. Need for federal election. Maybe some governance work at UCRU. But everyone is gone in 2 months.

A MOU is happening, but CK isn’t naming names.

Body to approve external briefs before council happening.

Planning for get out the vote for federal election

Marcom is cooking

VP Fin (Amber)

Did Q3 report. Working on prelim budget for next year. More improvements alongside referenda. CBF dashboard. Health and dental committee meeting this week.

Managing Director (Justin)

Offer management staff a session on inclusive excellence. More training opportunities. A helpful session. Rolling out independent contractor agreement—for clubs et al. Going well so far. Lots of good questions during this transition period.

A+V renewal will be complete on budget my Mar 17.

Block party next month, going well.

On Marcom: AMS Emergency alert text system. For staff + volunteers in case of emergency in nest. Pre-rollout now. Then open it up beyond now. In case of major emergency.

Senior Manager of Student Services

Advocacy is busy. Increasing staffing hours

Food bank + other services are hiring. Carreers online + AMS website. (i’m not listing the roles out here lmao).

More training things

SASC had art gallery event. Some workshops

Tutoring is partnering with RHA for drop ins.

Committe Reports

Advocacy

Meeting tomorrow

Finance

Some things have approved funds. I glazed over. See Ubyssey, i’d be a terrible VP Fin. But if I were actually trying, id do so good at paying attention to all this just sayin.

Ops Com

Boothing next week

Gov Com

no update. haven’t met recently. we won’t meet tomorrow. just campaign for referenda.

AUS endorsed all 4 referenda. The most support for referenda from any constituency.

HR Com

Hiring process for council appointed employees (speaker, EA, ombudsperson).

Executive and student staff salaries and benefits convo happening

Student Life

Laser tag social???? Wait can I come guys?

Questions

Q Rowan: Presentation from interfaculty first year committee, is that happening?

A CK: No progress. Can take that back they’d be happy to come.

EPA

RILEYYYY (he just left)

Kamil says haven’t met recently, but will meet soon

Advisory Board

Nothing to report

President’s Council

Discussed referenda. Allowed Presidents to have in camera session about referenda. Feedback session on ams execs. EPA will probably talk about

BOG

Committees going on now.

From Kamil: Budget through fin com and going to board

Senate

No meeting. Seat on AMS on a committee of some kind. Next meeting next week (after election). In camera presentation abt budget. Position of institutional neutrality. More ??? for third time in a row.

Historical Update

Chat this is the best part of the meeting. Please let it be about joke candidates. I’ll kiss you Sheldon.

Nope. It’s about Barns

Kevin asked Sheldon about barns

Old Barn Community Centre. Kinda looks like a barn, but there used to be a barn on that spot when it ws ubc farm (farm used to be bigger). Dairy barn, beef barn, sheep barn. And the piggery. There were multiple dairy barns. And a dairy building. But then it became a cheese factory. Faculty of Agriculture → Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Leonard Klinck used to be dean of agriculture.

Cheese factory has EUS connection. (they sold cheese commercially from there because it was the depression). Became poultry isolation unit. It was full of chickens. Then it got handed over to engineers as social space. Named Cheeze Factory. Lasted until 2014 to be replaced by ESC.

Horticultural Barn. 19??-1968. Became resaurant called Barn Coffee Shop on main mall. Now a daycare: Owl at the Barn Daycare.

We’re back at old barn community centre. For people in university neighbourhoods associations. On the site of actual The Old Barn 1920-30. AKA horse barn/dog barn/AMS dog barn. For horses who were clearing the campus (we used to have horses on campus!!!!!). Had to clear the land. WAIT KEPT DOGS FOR EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES. For agriculture then medicine. That’s so sad tbh. But then the barn was removed and was in bad shape. AMS made a fee referendum (by Dave frank). $20 fee increase to make Capital Projects Fund, which was to go to renovating the Old Barn. AMS thought we’d get the barn from UBC. We stored things there. When the SUB became too small, maybe make Barn a satellite sub. We spent money renovating the barn and renovating the area. Official Community Plan made by RNA. UBC bulldozed and made a community centre for the RNA. AMS spent 90k renovating + landscaping, but ubc said we were shit out of luck. But then they said ask the UNA. Who told us to ask ubc.

Moral: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

Questions

Q Jasper: Can you rank bean around the world + coffee places:

A: I dont’ drink coffeee or go to coffee places so no

Adjourned at 7:20pm. Hell of a short AMS Council session. I’m glad though, lots of writing to be done tonight.

That’s All

No shot you actually read all that