AMS members (that is, all undergraduate and MBA students that pay the AMS Membership Fee) can vote and run for the positions of AMS Executive, Rector, Trustee, and other Faculty Society elections, as well as vote in referenda.
Elections and Referenda are a great way to get involved and guide the direction of your student government! Whether you want to run for a position or cast a vote, every AMS student has the right to participate and the ability to make a difference! Elections occur in the fall (October/November) and winter (January) terms every year, however the available positions and groups on the ballot may vary.
The following positions are available via election:
AMS Executive
AMS Executive teams run as a slate of three, consisting of a President, Vice-President (Operations) and Vice-President (University Affairs). The AMS Executive may only serve one year in office, starting on May 1st in the year of their election. This election occurs every January.
A “How-to-Run” guide for prospective candidates
Referendum Sample Budget
Validation Package Template
Undergraduate Student Trustee
The Undergraduate Student Trustee is an individual elected to serve for two years. The next Trustee election will be in March 2020.
Other Faculty Society Elections
Each of the 9 AMS Faculty Societies have their own rules and regulations for elections. They may operate on the same timeline as AMS elections, or stagger from them. For more information on faculty-specific inquiries, contact members of said faculty society.
Rector
The Rector election normally occurs during the winter term but is subject to change at the discretion of the incumbent Rector. The Rector is elected to serve a three year term and may be a member of the AMS or SGPS (Society of Graduate & Professional Studies), making it the largest campus-wide election. For more information please visit: http://www.queensu.ca/rector/index.html
For more information on eligibility, see the AMS Elections and Referenda Policy
Member
Referenda
Referenda, a process whereby the electorate votes to approve or reject student fees and participate in surveys, shall normally be held in both the fall and winter terms along the same timeline as elections. Questions on a referendum ballot may ask the following types of questions:
- To establish, alter or continue student activity fees
- Binding non-fee related questions
- Non-binding questions, AKA plebiscite questions, which shall be used to survey AMS members’ opinions or gauge support in relation to a specific issue, policy proposal or advocacy position.
Student fees must be established through one of two referenda, either in the fall or in the winter terms, where all AMS members have the ability to vote. Referenda periods are comprised of four parts – Nominations, Validation by AMS Assembly, Campaigning and Voting.
Please remember that you must have paid your AMS membership fee to be eligible to run for an AMS position or vote in AMS elections.
What to expect on the ballot:
- Faculty Society Elections
- Student Fee Questions
The election period is comprised of four parts – Nominations, Validation by AMS Assembly, Campaigning and Voting.
Groups looking to establish a student fee and require a validation package must email ceo@ams.queensu.ca as soon as possible. Validation packages are due September 24th.
The designated Nomination period for Fall Referendum, starts Monday September 28th and ends Sunday October 4th at noon. The procedure for obtaining a validation report and nomination package are outlined in the Elections and Referenda Validation and Nominations Procedure. Should you have any questions as to this process or these recent changes, please contact ceo@ams.queensu.ca.
Nomination requirements are set out in AMS Elections and Referenda Policy. They will be outlined in the nomination packages available in October.
- Questions on a referenda ballot require signatures of 2% of AMS students
The successful groups in the nomination period proceed to the next step, validation at AMS Assembly. Validation at AMS Assembly enables successful candidates and groups to appear on the ballot. It is recommended that all candidates attend AMS Assembly on the evening of October 8th, 2020 to engage in discussion and respond to any questions brought forth by AMS Assembly members. The candidates and groups that are approved by AMS Assembly at the October 8th meeting are officially on the elections ballot, regardless if they perform a campaign or not.
The fall campaign period is from October 13 to October 20, 2020. Voting occurs on October 21 and 22. At this time candidates and groups can put posters up around campus, perform class talks, and promote their platforms. There are rules and regulations surrounding this period which are outlined in the AMS Elections and Referenda Policy and will be made known throughout meetings in October. Violation of these rules may result in penalties or disqualification.
Please remember that you must have paid your AMS membership fee to be eligible to run for an AMS position or vote in AMS elections.
A “How-to-Run” guide for prospective candidates
Referendum Sample Budget
Validation Package Template
What to expect on the ballot:
- AMS Executive
- Rector
- Faculty Society Elections
- Student Fee questions
The election period is comprised of four parts – Nominations, Validation by AMS Assembly, Campaigning and Voting.
The nomination period for the AMS Executive, Rector, Faculty Society Elections, as well as the Winter Referendum, starts on January 10 and ends on January 14. Nomination packages for available positions and for submission of a question for referendum can be picked up at the AMS front desk, located in the JDUC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. beginning January 10 and are due January 14, 2020.
Nomination requirements are set out in the AMS Elections and Referenda Policy and elaborated upon in the Elections and Referenda Nomination and Validation Procedures. They will also be outlined in the nomination packages available in January. Each position and referendum question require signatures of varying amounts in support of your candidacy:
- AMS Executive and faculty society executive positions require signatures of 2% of AMS students
- Rector requires signatures of 2% of AMS students
- Questions on a referendum ballot require signatures of 2% of AMS students
Two information sessions will be offered:
Referendum organizations – January 7, 2020
Rector and Executive positions – January 8, 2020
The candidates and groups that are successful in the nomination period proceed to the next step, Validation at AMS Assembly. Validation at AMS Assembly enables successful candidates and groups to appear on the ballot. It is required that all candidates attend AMS Assembly on the evening of January 16 at Macdonald Hall to engage in discussion and respond to any questions brought forth by AMS Assembly members. The candidates and groups that are approved at AMS Assembly are officially on the elections ballot, regardless if they perform a campaign or not.
The campaign period is from January 20 to January 27, 2020. At this time candidates and groups can put posters up around campus, perform class talks, and promote their platforms. There are rules and regulations surrounding this period, which are outlined in the Elections and Referenda Policy and will be made known throughout meetings in January. Violation of these rules may result in penalties and/or disqualification.
The debate for Trustee will be held on January 25 and the debate for AMS Executive will be held on January 26 in Wallace Hall.
The student body will vote on January 28 and 29, 2020. If there are two or more teams, the vote will take place using a ranked ballot. How does a ranked ballot work?
What elections are happening?
The three-person AMS Executive is elected annually and is comprised of the President, the Vice President (Operations), and the Vice President (University Affairs). Together, they are responsible for representing the interests of all AMS members and for the day-to-day management of the Alma Mater Society.
The President is responsible for the external representation of the Society and is ultimately accountable for ensuring the fulfillment of the Society’s mandate and mission. The President also has responsibility to oversee the governance of the Society in addition to the five officers who in turn manage the day-to-day happenings of the Society. To learn more please contact the current President.
The Vice President (Operations) is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and thus has a fiduciary responsibility to oversee its $14 million dollar annual budget. They are responsible for all day-to-day operational and financial matters of the Society, including oversight of the ten head managers who in turn oversee the retail, hospitality, safety, and media services of the AMS. The Vice President also administers and facilitates the AMS Health & Dental Plan, the Bus-It program, and the consolidated budget for the Society alongside the President. To learn more please contact the current Vice President (Operations).
The Vice President (University Affairs) is responsible for all Society matters of a political and/or educational nature, research and policy development, internal academic issues, and university administration affairs. They oversee the six commissions and serves as one of two Queen’s representatives on the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Steering Committee. To learn more please contact the current Vice President (University Affairs).
Who can run?
To be eligible to run for AMS Executive you must meet the following criteria:
- payment of an AMS specific Student Interest Fee. (generally this is paid in September with tuition)
- membership in one of the student societies listed below:
- Arts and Science Undergraduate Society,
- Concurrent Education Students Association,
- Physical and Health Education and Kinesiology Students Society,
- Engineering Society,
- Computing Students Association,
- Commerce Society,
- Nursing Students’ Society,
- MBA Society.
If you are interested in running to be the AMS Executive in winter of 2021 for the 2021-2022 year, you must run as a team of 3 people, rather than for individual positions. The term of office is 1 year, from May 1st 2021-April 30th 2022.
The University Rector is one of the students’ representatives on the Board of Trustees of the University, which is the highest financial and strategic governing body of the university. In this capacity the Rector votes on key matters affecting Queen’s University, and serves as a voice for student interests on the Board of Trustees.
The Rector shall be a non-elected, non-voting member of both AMS Assembly and SGPS Council but shall not be officially affiliated with any faculty or society on campus other than the student body itself as represented by the two student societies, the Alma Mater Society (AMS) and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS). The term for the Rector shall be three years, although it is possible to step down earlier.
Who can run?
To be eligible to run for Rector you must meet the following criteria:
- membership in one of the student societies listed below:
- Arts and Science Undergraduate Society,
- Concurrent Education Students Association,
- Physical and Health Education and Kinesiology Students Society,
- Engineering Society,
- Computing Students Association,
- Commerce Society,
- Nursing Students’ Society,
- MBA Society
- membership in the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS)
To learn more, please contact the current Rector.
The Undergraduate Student Trustee is the undergraduate students’ representative on the Queen’s University Board of Trustees.
The Undergraduate Student Trustee shall be elected by the members of the Society. The campaign and election shall be held in accordance with the Society Policy on Elections and Referenda. Individuals running for the Undergraduate Student Trustee position must be a student and AMS member during the school term in which they run for office, must be a student during their term, and must pay the AMS Membership Fee in each year they serve as Student Trustee.
The Undergraduate Student Trustee shall normally serve for two years.
Who can run?
To be eligible to run for AMS Executive you must meet the following criteria:
- payment of an AMS Membership Fee. (generally this is paid in September with tuition)
- membership in one of the student societies listed below:
- Arts and Science Undergraduate Society,
- Concurrent Education Students Association,
- Physical and Health Education and Kinesiology Students Society,
- Engineering Society,
- Computing Students Association,
- Commerce Society,
- Nursing Students’ Society,
- MBA Society.
Alma Mater Society of Queen's University
L’Université Queen’s est située sur les terres traditionnelles des peuples Haudenosaunee et Anishinaabe.