I’m excited by, and you should vote for.... Can do the job, but I honestly don’t know enough about their platforms… You should vote for one of these if you’re voting for them for VP Academic (it will help build a better relationship between the Caucus and AMS council)… Board of Governors Andrew Carne (good answers at the debate)
Jeff Friedrich is the current AMS president. These are his words. (Cartoon by JJ McCullough):
Ok… not to add fuel to the endorsement fire- but endorsing joke candidates? Maayan and Timmy, I think you two can step up and make a real choice here. And nothing against Erin, but being a joke candidate affords you a lot of advantages in a campaign. I think Erin is great, but I’ve never been that convinced that she actually likes or understands the AMS very well. Saying that an AMS run version of ACF is unfortunate because it won’t be student run is false, on the first hand; and a real candidate would present a plan to make it’s management involve more students- a perfectly reasonable platform point.
Also- elections aren’t fun. The type of people who should probably win them aren’t often the same type of people who thrive on the shameless self promotion necessary in campaigns. The one reflection I had about them is that they can be incredibly educational. I learned a lot about the AMS from my campaign- about student’s perceptions of it’s relevance and about how your ideas and vision resonate with membership.
So aside from congratulating all of the candidates for the bravery it takes to put your name forward, one message I’d have to all candidates is to hang in there, miss a few more days of class, and to learn what you can. And to the rest of you- cut them a bit of slack. It’s absolutely brutal to go home at the end of the day and read anonymous comments that are rude and unproductive.
President (this one is longer- I felt I owed it to Matt and Mike, both people I respect for their commitment to the AMS)
The most important job a President has is building a team that respects each other and their relationship with council. Finding shared priorities, particularly within staff and the exec team, and ideally with council, leverages the contacts, abilities, and momentum of many students and makes projects happen.
The reality is that the President portfolio is awkwardly defined- you get everything (internal, external, political, and management) and nothing. You’re not a CEO, and you can’t necessarily demand action from independently elected VP’s. You have a relationship with a council that is likely too large, has clumsy structure, grandiose debate, and whose members have to balance the political interests of their respective constituencies with their fiduciary obligations to everyone’s student union- the AMS.
That means the strength and effectiveness of your leadership is fundamentally dependant on how well you build consensus and use the governance structure of the AMS to build energy and commitment to projects. Just because it’s called “President” doesn’t necessarily mean there is an overly rigid hierarchy. I’m not sure everyone appreciates that.
[Endorsements behind the jump - Ed]
Quite frankly, I do not have confidence that Matt’s leadership style, ability to receive feedback, and judgment are well developed enough to lead an exec team or a large and complex organization like the AMS. If Matt had more ability as a team player, that would be demonstrated as support and endorsements from members of his exec team or from previous exec who have worked with him. Matt might be a future AMS President, but I don’t think he’s ready yet.
Matt’s ideas are also underdeveloped. It’s mostly status quo and the things he added as priorities don’t sit well with me. Liquor law lobbying might sound nice, but I doubt we’d gain much from ABLE membership, and most of the other ideas seem like they haven’t received feedback from people who might understand the practical challenges. It’s surprising to me that liquor would get a similar quantity of platform ink as discussions around student access, debt, and academic quality.
I have a hard time believing the message about empowering council. That’s a very hard thing to do- something we need to do, but nonetheless very difficult. It means more than working with the allies you have on council, which I think is how Matt has conceptualized the issue to himself.
Please appreciate how difficult it is for me to say that, and please don’t interpret my comments as being overly critical of Matt as a person.
Matt campaigns well. So far he has done this better than Mike. Which is disconcerting, because one of the reasons I support Mike is that I believe he has an ability to motivate student attention towards a referendum campaign for SUB that could be transformative for the organization, the U-Blvd project, and for the needs of a largely commuter based and disengaged student population. The groundwork is there but the route to referendum is challenging, and someone will need to build a very effective case to convince students. Mike needs to show through his campaigning that he is that person.
So pick it up Mike. Find a passion that is about ideas rather than “the next natural step” in student leadership. It’s there. Your ideas on athletics and involvement are important. I’ve worked with you on projects and know you’ve got an ability to motivate passion in others, and you’re organized in how you delegate tasks and manage projects. Mike is approachable and amenable to changing tack when decisions go astray. He has strong relationships with, and respect from, the university administration and the staff in our organization.
For those concerned readers of The Knoll and other members of the fledgling yet always inspired activist community at UBC (much love)- Mike has more political depth than you’re likely to give him credit for: I met Mike 4 years ago when he was helping organize Farmade, a cause I know he’s committed to. My guess is that he’ll have an approach with a VP External/Academic that is largely hands-off- meaning the political ambitions of the AMS will largely be guided by these portfolios in the coming year.
Mike Duncan is absolutely the person for the job.
The rest:
Alex Lougheed- VP Academic
Chris Diplock- VP Finance
Sarah Naiman- VP Admin (Sarah is exceptional)
Stef Ratjen- VP External
Senate - outstanding caliber of candidates this year…
I don’t know them, but their material looks professional and/or I’ve heard positive things about them…
Tim Blair
Bijan is a close third for me.
Friday, January 18, 2008
How the President is voting - Jeff Friedrich's ballot
Endorsement: Erin Rennie for the win!
Erin Rennie. The posture of a winner! Photo Gerald Deo Tim beat me to the punch, but I swear my draft was here first. I decided to vote for Erin Rennie yesterday at around 12:15. Tim's got good reasons to choose her; I feel similarly. She's got council experience, reams of brains, and a far better personality for leadership and engagement than either Matt or Mike. It doesn't take much to see through some of her more humorous polemics to realize that Erin actually gets politics, and gets students. She wont be beset by her adversaries' respective problems. Problems which to me, are a fair bit too serious to just hold your nose and vote for. She's the best for the job. Simple enough. Other people have told me that while Erin Rennie is the best candidate, there's no point endorsing her because she can't win. To this I call bullshit. Look to the sidebar poll - yeah it's utterly unscientific, but I don't think people were joking when they chose Erin in the poll. Erin for the Win!!
My other endorsements coming soon.
TLG's Guide to Voting
Now don’t go and get your knickers in a knot – these aren’t endorsements. Far be it from me to, from the comfort of my 26th-story office, pass judgment on candidates I barely know, in an election in which I am ineligible to cast a vote. So rather than saying whom to vote for, I’ll go through questions to ask yourself when making up your own mind.
But first, a little indulgence:
Vote for Erin Rennie!
This is based on one simple principle: vote for the person who’s best for the job. I’ve worked, to varying degrees, with many of the candidates and, quite frankly, Erin’s the best. For serious. She’s got the competence, and a level of energy rivals even that of Mike Duncan, and doesn’t scream “give me attention!” She has probably achieved just as much in terms of improving students’ campus experiences as any other candidate. Most importantly, when she cares about something, she does it. She doesn’t form a committee, or make grand proclamations – she just does it. And that’s a quality we should strive for in leaders.
So, I can hear it now. “She’s running as a joke!” “She has a meagre platform!” “She doesn’t want the job!” All true (as far as I know). But I can only respond by quoting someone smarter than all of us: Plato. “The State in which the rulers are most reluctant to govern is always the best and most quietly governed, and the State in which they are most eager, the worst.” The best ruler is the reluctant ruler. You don’t want a ruler who’s in it for personal publicity or attention, or the gratification of getting love from the people that they couldn’t get from their father. Governing well and governing loudly are often incompatible; you want to elect a person who will govern well, and govern quietly. And when that person doubles as the best candidate, I happen to think the voting decision is remarkably easy.
Read my “how to make a voting decision” thoughts behind the jump.
The way this works is as a series of questions. I don’t have the answer – you do. Think of it as a filter through which to evaluate candidates, a lens through which to view them to decipher the identical Blogspot campaign sites and Facebook campaign groups.
What Have they Done?
The emphasis here is on “DONE.” They can probably list a zillion qualifications and committees and memberships – who cares? Find out what they’ve actually done with those opportunities. There’s nothing worse than a person who’s given a position of power and influence, then wastes it.
“I will change/improve AMS Council”If they were already on Council, why haven’t they done so already?
If they weren’t on Council, why not? Do they have a clue how it works? (Not to suggest that sitting on Council is a pre-requisite for executive. There can be a good answer to this question that makes them even more electable.)
“I will fight for better consultation with students”If you’ve ever seen them in a leadership role, have they personally consulted with students? Have they shown any inclination to consult themselves, or do they substitute their own views for those of “students”? It’s my experience that those who don’t consult are often useless advocates for the same.
Policy Priorities
Sure, policy priorities can be important. But this year, they’re not. There’s no significant ideological cleavage, no real debate on the merits of any particular issue or perspective. Most of the candidates are pretty much the same When they’re the same, don’t ask whether or not you agree with their opinion – instead, ask yourself if the candidate came to their opinion logically, and whether they expressed their opinion well. I don’t care if a candidate believes X over Y, I prefer if the candidate will, as they gain experience over the year, come to recognize that Y is preferable to X. And their logical reasoning is more important than their opinions.
Big Ideas
A lot of candidates have specific concrete ideas. Ignore them. Ideas fail and succeed for reasons far beyond their control, and, quite frankly, I don’t want a candidate who forces his ideas on the AMS machinery.
Instead, ask where that idea is coming from. Ask yourself why they identified this as a priority, and whether or not the fact that this is their idea illuminates a particular principle for which they stand. I call this the “Naiman Theory.” Her idea of a TV screen in the SUB showing UBC YouTube videos was rather silly, but the principle behind it, of giving students a stake in their own building and an outlet for their creativity was genius. And the principle is worth supporting, if not the idea.
Do they Play Well With Others?
No, this isn’t a popularity contest. But at the same time, some weight has to be given to their ability to work within a team. Most importantly, look at when they disagree. Do they disagree constructively, or do they go out of their way to antagonize others? Never, ever elect the latter. A year with a dysfunctional executive can have ramifications for years thereafter.
So these are the questions I tend to ask myself when voting, AMS or otherwise. They make it fun. And sometimes support prima facie absurd results – vote for Rennie!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Second round of AMS debates show an improving trend.
Today saw two additional rounds of debates - one at noon for the President, VP Academic, and VP finance races, and an additional one in the evening over beers at The Gallery for the VP Administration, VP External, and Senate races. All but the BoG candidates had their chance in the hotseat. These are my personal observations - even having read platforms and listened to candidates, it's hard to reflect in a completely "objective" manner.
The Races:
Chris Diplock and Andrew Forshner - evenly matched Photo Gerald Deo
VPX and President behind the jump.
VP External - Freeman Poritz and Stefanie Ratjen offer a much clearer contrast. Freeman is a friendly, personable, open guy. He seems to be genuinely interested in learning and taking direction from students. Problem is, he really is quite new to this whole thing - both the AMS and the issues around post secondary education policy in general. Not that that's a fatal flaw, but he doesn't seem to have developed opinions on much of anything yet - many of his answers today centred on taking policy direction from council on lobbying positions regarding post-secondary funding. To me, that's ok. But he's running more on who he is than what he knows or what he plans - and that might not be enough. Stefanie offers a more experienced, and opinionated voice. She's been extensively involved in various progressive and radical groups on campus (Femenist collective, Trek Park, the Knoll), and she's thought about her politics and priorities. I don't think Stefanie is a "scary" radical though. While she insists that education is a "right, not a privelage" (an assertion I find absurd), she's not dogmatic or ridiculous about it. I know this because today in the debate when she was asked if international students should pay the same as Canadians, she said that she was against discrimination but would have to look at the issue more carefully. She also placed great emphasis on continuing in the effort to create a provincial lobby coalition with other schools in order to influence the most important level of government when it comes to PSE. I think that guided by council, Stefanie would do a good job.
President - Today was an improvement for the presidential candidates. They took my public speaking advice to great effect! Sweet!
"Che" continued to amuse today, and professed his resolve to dispense with all media, if elected. This corner dis-endorses him, therefore. Erin Rennie was a show of strength, humour, and intelligence. More on her soon. Rodrigo continued to be nutty, and added additional dose of hubris and self-satisfaction (if possible).
The two alleged frontrunners, Matthew Naylor and Mike Duncan (who worked with each other on the SUS executive last year) improved on Wednesday's performace and played to their strengths. I worry for both of them that this position is more of a scalp on the belt, "the next natuaral step" (hateful phrase), than something they would actually excel at or contribute to.
Mike is shaping up as the more "populist" candidate. He's had experience with a wide variety of student clubs and groups on campus, as well as his role as SUS president, and is very personally popular. He doesn't have much of a mind for issues (I've rarely heard him materially contribute to council discussion), drinks too much, and his presidancy of SUS has been much more controversial than competent, and nowhere near inspiring. Mike's SUS executive team has had some issues too. Mike's platform focuses on making recreation at UBC accesible to students for cheap, and making the AMS more far-reaching through a round table (much like an opt-in stakeholders' assembly). I like both these focuses quite a bit - they get to the heart of student's experiences at UBC, which Mike gets.
Matt is more of a 'policy' candidate. He seems to know issues, and certainly speaks the language of politics, though tends to change his mind about them alot. He's promising to implement the long-awaited commitee reform in 30 days of taking office, though sources say that he opposed the idea as late as this summer. His platform is packed with goodies: campaigning for more liquor rights on campus, forgiving ACF debt, and focus on sustainibility in the new SUB. But, there are serious questions about whether he can work well with others and lead a team - Matt is easily frustrated and sometimes expresses himself too strongly. None of the execs this year are supportng him, and he's not (apparently) altogether loved at the CASA (our national student lobby) table either. But he is ambitious, and he's got some good priorities - at least on paper.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Speech therapists, writers, needed.
The three "serious" presidential candidates. Foot-in-mouth disease?Mike has always had trouble with this: even though he's an easygoing and extroverted guy, he gets tongue-tied, stutters, and loses his place. The result is that even if he had something to say worth listening to (a questionable point itself), he'd have trouble actually saying it. Duncan needs to practice speaking clearly, in detail, and step it up a notch.
Naylor seems to have the opposite problem: He's got plenty to say, and a good understanding of what's important, and how issues relate. But lay off on the big words, man. I like big words as much as the next person, but you sound like you're imitating what you imagine a politician should sound like, not letting your personality shine through. We want to hear you talk naturally, unaffectedly, and clearly. Fancy phrases won't convince anybody.
Rodrigo is a case all his own. First, he doesn't seem to respect time limits, which is just rude. Second, he seems to barely address the point, preferring to ramble in social-science-speak about his favorite pet topics: music, connectedness, voices, and on and on. Tighten it up Rodrigo - you're running for a political position, not applying for grad school.
Take Jeff Freidrich, the current President (since I'm on a run, why stop?): Jeff is incredibly thorough, unaffected, honest, and genuine when he speaks. You always feel like he's saying what he means, including questions and ideas. All the candidates should strive to emulate that great down-to-earth, look-you-in-the-eye quality he has. But build on it: get some enthusiasm in your voice and body language! Don't ramble! Try to inspire a bit! Speaking well can be a great leadership tool.
Photo Peter Rizov
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Candidate Questionnaire: Rodrigo Ferrari Nunes
Rodrigo is a candidate for both BoG and AMS President
Why do you want to be the BoG representative for students and President of the AMS?
First of all because I am proud of being a UBC student and alumni. My model of representation is participatory engagement with the implementation of a transparent structure for governing AMS and serving students responsibly according to their own demands.
One idea we are considering for the transparent budget is the following:
-Students log in to SSC or AMS link, and can access the 'services' webpage. To ensure presidential and executive responsibility, transparency and accountability, students will allocate a portion of their AMS fees into particular services, projects, and decisions.
-Agenda items will be posted online by AMS councillors, committees, and execs, as well as clubs; these posts will be all time-stamped and will be subsequently categorized by the president as soon as received.
-The president will then select agenda items and post the agenda before hand online, where all councillors and constituents will be informed of upcoming items and solicited to post comments and suggestions by all UBC students.
-This will create a large accumulative database of engaged student discourse, time stamped and linked to specific individuals. A solution to apathy is the production of online polls for each agenda item and the circulation of paper ballots by AMS councillors between each cycle. This will provide the student body with valuable information on student needs without restrictions.
-Duncan is cited on the Knoll, which endorses my campaign, saying that he wants to hold round-table discussions with student 'leaders'. The very idea of putting in a separate category 'student leaders' and 'non-student leaders' marginalizes 90% or more of potential student discourse and 'discussion'.
As AMS President, I will engage professors in all departments to suggest projects centered on understanding UBC and making it am even better place. Professors should allow and encourage academic projects focused on the UBC campus, its services, facilities, activities, and so on.
How would you use your position on BoG to enhance students' voice on campus?
I will communicate extensively with not only UBC students, media, faculty, and staff, but also Student organizations from other universities and media sources around the world. The will ensure, through external pressure, that the Board of Governors serves student needs by being directly and constantly informed by them (e.g., through dynamic blogging of committees and agenda items, the AMS budget and student service choices). Communication with outside student associations and media outlets will transmit our issues far and wide, and elicit public responses that constraints the university from making terrible decisions (e.g., underground diesel bus loop) without being subjected to extensive critique.
What specific changes to the University Boulevard project would you advocate?
If possible its immediate halting due to reported warnings by Translink itself that it is not large enough. The galleries that are being excavated on indigenous lands now despite extensive and concerted student protest and loud criticism, could be transformed in a feature of Trek Park, endorsed officially by David Suzuki, and destroyed by the UBC administration without warning.
What experience(s) and skills do you have that will enable you to convince the Board appointees that your point of view is preferable to theirs?
I am a UBC alumni with a double major (2006), a Master Student and a Teaching Assistant. I am also older than most of the other candidates (30 years old- born in 1977)I have always been an International Student at UBC. I am officially endorsed by the Knoll newspaper, which endorsed the current AMS president's campaign last year. I have extensive training in social sciences, and languages (Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, German [Recipient of the German Government Book Prize], Classical Latin [average 84 in 24 credits], and Classical Greek. Now passionate, I was once also apathetic, and by studying through participatory engagement the AMS and GSS Councils, and most importantly, the differences between them, I am now in a position to understand and to engage with apathetic students. Thence my resolution of attending different classes throughout my term, in several departments, to engage students directly and to experience the kind of education they are getting. My knowledge of languages and cross-cultural experiences allow me to represent International Students. I am not an AMS 'hack' and I am passionate about serving student needs.
What is your vision for the governance model of UBC?
In one phrase: Transparent, engaging, responsible, responsive, participatory and collaborative.
Candidate Questionnaire: Mike Duncan
Mike Duncan is a candidate for AMS President. Here are his answers.
Why do you want to be the president of the AMS?
I am a very strong supporter of campus engagement. The AMS quite simply has not done an acceptable job engaging the broader campus community. I believe my skill set and the experience I bring to the position can change this. The time where we only listen to a small set of AMS hacks needs to end.
Vancouver is one of the most active and involved cities in the World. We are praised for this fact. Despite this, we still do not have a free gym and intramural fees are absurdly expensive. In order to have a healthy lifestyle, recreation is essential. I will ensure that we engage with UBC Athletics and use the new SUB Renew process to help remedy this fact and help make staying healthy and active an easy thing to do on a student budget.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the wall of my facebook site. The first post on there is from a first year student that I really don’t know that well. She took it upon herself to join my group without an invite and write a post on the wall stating how I impacted her on her first day here at UBC, how she was amazed that, despite the craziness of the first day of term, I was still able to take the time to talk to her about how to get involved. It is people like that, people who you impact in your life, that really make me want to be AMS President. That is the reason I am involved.
What personal skills and experiences could you bring to the portfolio?
Where I differ from many other AMS candidates, and many other AMS Presidents throughout past years, is the broad range of experience I bring to the portfolio. I have led teams in the Science Undergraduate Society, in the UBC Aqua Society, in UBC Orientations, and in intramural sports. I haven’t just participated in these activities, but have led these different teams to do great things. Using my teambuilding and leadership skills I have made a great difference in all these above groups, especially the Science Undergraduate Society. I have had to learn how to deal with such a wide variety of teams that I can guarantee that I am well suited to lead the incoming AMS executive team to do great things for the Society.
If there was one thing you could change about the AMS what would it be?
I would change the way we deal with our clubs. Our clubs see us as a burden, not a benefit. Sarah and Brittany have definitely improved how we do this throughout the past year, but more can be done. Right now it is difficult to find clubs, and even more difficult to join them. I would make it easy for clubs to collaborate with us to improve their promotion. I would make a second Clubs Days and in general, dedicate more of the main concourse time to AMS clubs instead of outside vendors. I would also take the current events calendar and make it something the clubs are dying to put their events onto. I would make it a real promotion tool.
How would you be a good leader of the Executive team?
Please see my question regarding what skills I bring to the portfolio.
How will you manage the organization internally given the transition of the General Manager and many permanent staff this year?
The GM and permanent staff that are leaving us this year deserve to be applauded. They have done an amazing job helping our society. Their transition marks an opportunity for some great change in the society. 13 years ago, the AMS hired an independent company to do a review of the society and suggest many things that were not efficient and could be modified. I will look into the feasibility of hiring a company to do this for us again. Even if it isn’t feasible, I will still ensure that we use this opportunity to strategically look at our framework, and to introduce parts of the strategic framework into our society.
What structural changes do you think would make council and committees more effective and cohesive in the organization?
The strategic framework has many recommendations for change capable in our society. Most importantly, it is imperative that we are not standing still just for the sake of standing still. Some reorganization of executive duties needs to take place, especially those regarding the VP External and VP Academic and University affairs. I will also work to empower council more. People don’t work well when everything they do is handed down to them from the top. I will work to ensure council members can take on their own initiatives and set their own goals to help improve the society and what we do.
How will you make the AMS known, relevant, and an attractive place for involvement for all students?
To start, it is important that we make the AMS known. Once it is better known, the rest will fall into place. I believe that to make the AMS known, you need to make it relevant. If we fight for the important issues to students then they will start to see how we are important. I will set up a UBC Roundtable twice a term where we invite campus leaders from across campus to come and discuss current issues that are affecting them. I will also continue the work Jeff has done with AMS Connect to help improve how people get involved with our society. One of the best ways to attain and retain volunteers is to acknowledge their efforts. It doesn’t have to be much, but the sum of many little acknowledgements and benefits can make the difference for many involved students.
Jeff's role as a governor on the BoG and President seemed effective in giving students a voice. How would manage your relationship with UBC decision makers?
I will most certainly get some criticism for my view regarding UBC decision makers. Many students believe that the only way to deal with UBC Administration is to ‘stick it to the man’. I would approach the situation in a forceful, but respectful way. Students are a force to be reckoned with, but we can’t go into every meeting shouting our heads off because they will learn to ignore us. I still believe we need to be forceful, and to push hard and strong for the change we want to see, but I believe the way to do that is through mutual respect and collaboration.
How would you implement the AMS Strategic Framework?
Inherently, change is difficult for people to accept. We see that with UBC Administration, but we also see that within our own framework. The AMS strategic framework has some very important aspects to it, but I don’t see it ever passing through council in one lump sum. [note: the AMS Strategic Framework passed through council two years ago - Ed.] In order to improve the society, I will select certain important sections of the strategic framework and ensure they get passed. We do need to make progress with this, and this year is a unique opportunity because of the large turnover and the resulting change in ideals. Finally, I will also ensure that any framework that is to be implemented goes through the proper consultation to ensure that council members understand how they are improving their society.
Candidate Questionnaire: Matthew Naylor
Why do you want to be the president of the AMS?
I want to be president because I think that this organization has massive potential, and I think that I can be a part of unleashing that potential. This next year is going to bring some pretty significant changes to the organization, and I think that I can make a contribution in not only settling into the change, but making sure that this next year is a productive one. The executive has such an incredibly short time to make an impact on the organization – that's why I am running, because I want to make an impact on an institution I really do care about, and I have the skills and knowledge to do it well.
What personal skills and experiences could you bring to the portfolio?
The most pertinent experience I have is the VP External Affairs portfolio this past year. This has given me tremendous insight into the internal workings of the AMS, and how to make them realize their full potential. As President, I would be responsible for management, which I have done this past year as the chair of the External Commission, and in past as one of the people responsible for the organization of the Dion Leadership Campaign in Alberta. I would be responsible for advocacy and policy. I have been described as a policy wonk, and as someone who is "hard working, dedicated student leader who has made a significant contribution to the student movement in BC and across Canada"*. My role model is Louis St. Laurent, who put a premium on hard work. That is how I will succeed as president – continually working for you, doing my research and being prepared for meetings.
*Mike Burton, President of the UofR Student Union
If there was one thing you could change about the AMS what would it be?
I would make council a more effective body. We have a team of fifty or so people who are committed enough to this student society to sit on its board of directors, but are little more than a rubber stamp on the decisions of the executive. These reps were elected by the people as well, and should have some sort of a say in the direction of the society. I want to move the chairmanship of committees out of the hands of the executive and give that to compensated councillors. We have a team of people who want to do something – who want to make a difference within the AMS. I think that its about time that we let them.
How would you be a good leader of the Executive team?
I view the role of the President as a sounding board. I think, therefore, that one of the most important things that I could be doing is to encourage debate and discussion amongst the executive. Creating this culture where debate and disagreement is acceptable is going to make our ideas better, as they will be tested more, and make us a stronger team, because we will have created a situation where nobody is going to be insulted by someone speaking their mind. I, as President, would not have a mandate to order people around, or direct their actions, but I think that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Provided that we continue to share our ideas and our progress, (things I hope to facilitate at exec meetings), we will remain informed as to what the others are doing, and, more importantly, be given the opportunity to comment and contribute to plans where there is an interest in the topic.
How will you manage the organization internally given the transition of the GM and many permanent staff this year?
Transition is a vulnerable time for any organization, but it is also one that carries with it significant opportunities. I would like to take this chance to, in conjunction with reviewing the strategic framework, evaluate the long term goals of the organization, and, how, as 'permanent' staff members, they can be stewards of that long term plan. I also would like to ensure that there is a good transition between the outgoing and incoming staff, and will work to ensure a smooth transition where no balls get dropped and the projects of the society continue uninterrupted. I will also lean on the three most senior continuing AMS staff – Jane, Henry and Nancy are all incredibly capable and dedicated people who are going to be an unparalleled asset in this coming year.
What structural changes do you think would make council and committees more effective and cohesive in the organization?
As mentioned earlier, I think a decentralization of power from the executive is the best way to start. We should also be enshrining some of the useful new committees, like Lobbying Review or Academic Quality, and doing away with, or rolling together some of the others, as we did last year with U-Pass Subsidy Review. Let's make the chairs of these committees more active and let councillors, and not just the executive, drive this organization for a change.
How will you make the AMS known, relevant, and an attractive place for involvement for all students?
The AMS itself, meaning the council, the commissions, and the general student government structure, will never be the place for broad ranging involvement that will appeal to all students, but it is for some, and we should make sure that we, as a government, do not shut doors on people who want to help out. Beyond that, the AMS must be the place where people can come to engage with their community, and that does include our clubs. I would like to provide more club support, and making AMS Link more relevant is going to be a key part of that. AMS Connect must be expanded, and give people the chance to really engage with their community, and as mentioned above, the AMS governance structure. We need volunteers for any number of things, and, through AMS Connect, we can connect with the student body simultaneously.
Jeff's role as a governor on the BoG and President seemed effective in giving students a voice. How would manage your relationship with UBC decision makers?
I personally will commit to attending the BoG and BoG committee meetings. I also would like to build on the current set of relationships I have already created this year. I think that, in a number of areas, the university and students can work together for advocacy and providing services, and in those places where we do indeed disagree, our disagreements will be softened by a professional and familiar relationship, aided along by frequent meetings. I will continue to be frank but not insulting, direct but not brash, and in doing so, will get things done for students.
How would you implement the AMS strategic framework?
The AMS Strategic Framework is coming up for renewal this year, so, in addition to implementing it, we also have to decide what changes we wish to make to the document – how to update it for it's next three year term. Within the greater framework of council empowerment, I would like to do more training on the strategic framework, so that the committee chairs who are going to have increased responsibilities in setting council priorities are also able to frame their decisions in the context of a long term strategic plan. I would also like to get the Code and Policies committee to review the document, perhaps including some guidelines for setting measurables. One of the downsides to the Strategic Framework is that it is a very broad document, and I would like it retooled, not to constrain the society for the next three years, but to provide an improved lens through which we can view our decisions.
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