Structural changes to AMS commissions aim to better serve students.
The Social Issues Commission (SIC) and Campus Affairs Commission (CAC) are set to undergo structural changes, including the elimination and introduction of waged roles internally to each commission respectively. These changes will be presented to the AMS Board of Directors for approval before May 1.
Two motions were introduced during last AMS Assembly on Feb. 10 to the change in SIC and CAC restructuring. Motion five, “SIC Restructure,” and motion six, “CAC Restructure” both ed unanimously. Both motions were moved by Vice-President (University Affairs) Ruth Osunde and seconded by SIC Commissioner (Internal) Jana Amer, HealthSci ’26, and CAC Commissioner Roan Haggerty-Goede, HealthSci ’25.
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Social Issues Commission
According to Amer, improving the SIC’s efficiency is the rationale behind structural changes.
In an interview with The Journal, Amer explained the commission is hoping to make more positions for equity-deserving students paid. For example, the removal of one of the two Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Inclusion Lead roles, which has experienced a decline in responsibility, will allow financial leeway to transition the Black Leadership Lead from a volunteer role to a paid hourly position.
The SIC is also hoping to eliminate one of the two current Editor in Chief positions for Collective Reflections, an anti-oppression magazine under the SIC and move the one Editor in Chief role from an honorarium to a waged position.
“The main push was really just making sure that the commission stays efficient and operational, and making sure that we are serving students in the best way possible,” Amer said.
She believes these positions must evolve with the student body, advocating for more students to be compensated for their work in the AMS. She hopes these changes will reflect this shift and provide greater to those within the commission.
“At the end of the day, my job is to make sure students feel heard and seen. It’s to make sure I’m providing them the they need,” Amer said.
Campus Affairs Commission
The Campus Affairs Commission will be eliminating four paid positions next year, including Head Gecko, Logistics Coordinator, Events Coordinator, and Outreach and Promotion Coordinator. These changes come after the removal of NEWTS, an orientation program for upper-year, interfaculty, and exchange students. These positions formerly helped organize the orientation program which will no longer take place next school year.
In an interview with The Journal, CAC Commissioner Haggerty-Goede, said in an effort to upper-year and exchange students—despite the removal of the NEWTS orientation—the CAC will change the International Affairs Deputy position into a director position.
This change allows the position to be paid and receive additional and responsibilities in helping international and exchange students in undergraduate programs adjust to life at Queen’s.
“We feel like this is a change that’s really important, especially as international student voices are often underrepresented in university settings, and having a dedicated, paid position to those voices would also help with our advocacy effort,” Haggerty-Goede said.
Haggerty-Goede echoed Amer’s sentiment, saying changes to the structure of both commissions are in the works to reflect the student body’s current needs.
“It’s important to address some of the changing needs of our students, and I think that [the] changes to my portfolio will help address some of those changes,” Haggerty-Goede said.
The restructuring proposals will now go to the AMS Board of Directors for approval before May 1.
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