The AMS is having their AGM (Annual General Meeting) this coming Monday, October 31, in the Great Hall from 12–1:30 p.m. But what exactly is the AGM, and how does it differ from the 28,349,124 (editor's note: approximation) other meetings that the AMS holds throughout the year?
This meeting is an opportunity for the AMS to get actual student input on the issues that they deem most important for them to hear each year. These issues can range in importance from minor bylaw changes to huge administrative shifts. It's also a chance for students to bring up official stances that they want the AMS to take on issues — like the decided opposition to the international tuition increases of 2014.
The AMS needs a “quorum” of 500 members to be met at the AGM to pass any bylaws on the agenda, but for general motions, they don't need to achieve quorum. The AMS met quorum for the first time in 40 years in 2014, after lowering the amount needed for quorum from 1,000 to 500 in 2011.
Past agendas have included motions concerning tuition increases, the UPass, fee increases and even changing bylaws so that Council can remove executives from office — a problem the AMS ran into when they tried to impeach Blake Frederick and Tim Chu in 2009.
There are seven motions on this year's agenda, three of which involve important topics. The rest exist mostly in order to move the meeting along — for instance, the first motion simply involves accepting the agenda.
The third motion asks students to accept the Auditor's Report of the 2015–16 school year. This report essentially provides an overview of the financial statements of the AMS from last year. If students have any problem with how the AMS is spending student money, the third motion is a good time to bring it up.
The fifth motion is to “determine feasibility and implementation of Toonie Tuesdays at the Nest.” Toonie Tuesdays would involve two dollar beers — at a slightly smaller size — at The Pit. The AMS doesn't actually need the student vote to pass this change, but the item is on the agenda anyways to get more students interested in attending the meeting.
The sixth motion is that “all references to the position ‘General Manager’ be amended to ‘Managing Director’ in AMS Bylaws.” This bylaw amendment is the only motion on the agenda requiring quorum, and has come after a second restructuring within the AMS. Essentially, the AMS has already changed the role of the current general manger — Keith Hester — to become that of managing director. They just need student approval to change the role's title in the bylaws.
If you either can't make the AGM or just want to follow along during the meeting, we'll be live-tweeting the entire meeting @UbysseyNews. Also, keep yourself awake by playing our Bingo along with us.