Governance

The AMS Assembly is the highest legislative body of the Alma Mater Society, which is the oldest student union in Canada, established in 1858. The Assembly includes representatives from 8 faculty societies, serving over 20,000 students, along with non-voting AMS Commissioners and Ex-Officio members. The AMS Assembly has the ultimate jurisdiction over all student activities of a non-academic nature, and may address issues brought to its attention following restrictions of the Constitution. Twice yearly, all students can vote at the General Assembly.

Please refer to the key dates below for the 2026–2027 term

2026-2027 Assembly Dates
    AMS Constituents and Representatives, here you will find the key dates and deadlines related to Assembly in the upcoming Fall and Winter terms.

  • Reports: Certain members of Assembly (Ex. Presidents, Commissioners, Ex-Officio members) are required to submit reports for purposes of achieving greater transparency. The deadline to submit this written report is 72 hours prior to the release of the agenda. Members of Assembly may request Accommodations for this timeline.

  • Agenda: This is the date and time by which the Secretariat will release the agenda package.

  • Minutes: This is the date and time by which the Chief Governance Officer will release the Assembly meeting minutes.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Secretariat or refer to the AMS Assembly Policy. Please also feel free to reach out to assembly members who have submitted reports if you have any specific questions. 

    DateLocationDeadlines
    Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026: 5PM-7:30PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, September 29th, 2026: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: September 8th, 2026
    Agenda Released: September 11th, 2026

    Tuesday, October 20th, 2026: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, November 17th, 2026: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, December 1st, 2026: 5PM-7:30 PM
    TBD

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    *Corporate Special General Meeting

    *Special General Assembly

    Tuesday, January 19th, 2027: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, February 23rd, 2027: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, March 23rd, 2027: 5PM-7:30 PM
    Wallace Hall, JDUC

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    Tuesday, April 6th, 2027: 5PM-7:30 PM
    TBD

    Reports and Items: TBD
    Agenda Released: TBD

    *Annual General Assembly

    Assembly Accessibility Statement

    The AMS is dedicated to fostering an inclusive campus community by ensuring events, services, and facilities are accessible and uphold the dignity, independence, and rights of students with disabilities. The Office of the Secretariat is committed to removing barriers and achieving full accessibility in all governance activities. As part of this commitment, we actively arrange accommodations upon request to ensure students with disabilities have equitable opportunities to participate fully.

    We consider accessibility in all aspects of planning for assembly, from setting dates, to ensuring dietary and religious accommodations are made for students proactively and upon request. The AMS Assembly is a space for every student, and accessibility is at the core of ensuring Assembly can meet its mandate.

    This is to be updated annually – the new report is to be released in April 2027 the latest after evaluation during the academic term.

    Can I join Assembly online?

    Yes! You can join us by going to the AMS YouTube: www.youtube.com/@AlmaMaterSociety which has all our archived Assemblies or join us live through the link sent out to your Queen’s email.

    All Assemblies are streamed by the AMS Media Centre, who work closely with the Office of the Secretariat to ensure that all streams and videos are accessible.

    How are Assembly dates set?


    Assembly dates are set in consultation with President’s Council, the advisory branch to AMS Assembly (adjudicative branch) and alongside the Multi Faith Calendar, released by the Office for Faith and Spiritual Life. As much as possible, we avoid setting Assembly dates on days of religious significance. However, in the event that Assembly falls within a period of religious significance, the AMS Secretariat will work with the Social Issues Commission, Office for Faith and Spiritual Life, and student groups to ensure that student needs or accommodations are considered in the planning of Assembly. Additionally, to provide excused absences when requested.

    Who do I contact for accommodation needs?

    If you require accommodations or have accessibility needs, we encourage you to contact the Secretariat () or our CGO ().

    Are Assembly files digitally accessible?

    Following the release of the November 2024 Accessibility Report, documents for Assembly are made with accessibility in mind, and checked by Pac Checker. Unfortunately documents prior to November 2024 are not accessible. However, if you require any file in a different format than available, we can provide this to you! Simply email the Secretariat ().

    English is not my first language, what supports do you have?

    The AMS Assembly is likewise diverse with students from all walks of life and experiences! We normally have a handout with the proper pronunciations of the names of Assembly members. If you are joining us online, you can also turn on live-captioning. Assembly minutes are released normally within 20 days of Assembly. If you are joining us in-person, and require further support, please email governance@ams.queensu.ca .

    Is Assembly physically accessible?

    Not only is this an excellent question, but a highly invaluable one! This is a complex question, because while we try our best to book rooms that are accessible, spaces on-campus are mostly managed by Queen’s University’s; meaning sometimes these rooms are not as accessible. That said, the Office of the Secretariat takes due diligence to book rooms well in advance to ensure these factors are accounted for. Presently, we are hosting Assembly in Wallace Hall and Biosciences Complex 1102 which not is not only accessible into the building, but has accessible access to the rooms. Assembly prides itself in ensuring accessibility to ultimately ensure our constituents or Assembly members can informally engage in the material presented. Without this inclusivity ensured, we are not able to provide good governance that is not only in the interests of our students, but also in the interest of our organization.

    If you have any comments or feedback, please do not hesitate to email the Secretariat (), we are always looking to improve:)

    Contact the AMS Assembly Team

    Zahara Groenewald
    Secretariat
    Alex McArthur
    Chief Governance Officer
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