AMS revises expulsion policy following pushback

AMS Council voted on April 25 to replace its existing expulsion policy, less than three months after it was put into place.

The previous policy expanded and clarified the acts for which members of the AMS or the public could be expelled from AMS property or events. It attracted criticism for its potentially harsh penalties for activities like napping, skateboarding or collecting food from disposal bins. The regulations also extend to constituency events and properties, like the Abdul Ladha building.

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While the new policy retains the same list of offenses that could merit suspension or expulsion, offenders can now only be removed after a letter has been written to and approved by the Operations Committee and the AMS VP Administration. This can only be done after the offender has been given both a written and verbal warning, if they are believed to be involved in criminal activity or are otherwise a threat to UBC students.

The revised version also includes a limitation section, which allows AMS members to continue accessing to the society’s services “upon request” even if they are suspended or expelled from the premises.

AMS VP Administration Pooja Bhatti said during the April 25 council meeting that the Operations Committee “decided that [it] had missed a few things” following the approval of the previous policy. Accordingly, it had consulted with different stakeholders — such as AMS services and clubs — and done an “entire rewrite” of the policy.

“We’re pretty proud of this policy and we think that it’s definitely an improvement from the last one,” Bhatti said.

Some councillors and students have also expressed support for the revisions.

“I’m really happy that [the Operations Committee] decided to take a second look at it after concerns were raised,” said AMS Arts Representative Cameron England. “I believe these changes more than adequately reflect the concerns that were brought forth.”

“Seems reasonable to me,” commented Reddit user lastlivezz, noting that the terms and the offenses that merit expulsion have been better clarified.

“The shoe thing is still a bit iffy depending on how it’s enforced; sitting/lying down on a couch with no shoes is normal and shouldn’t be punishable imo, but walking around without shoes is a legal liability for the AMS, so it’s reasonable to ask someone to leave (suspension, temporarily) for such a thing.”

Gender, race, sexuality and social justice Professor Litsa Chatzivasileiou, however, maintained her criticism for both policies as having “anti-homeless and classist stereotypes” — despite acknowledging that the revised version has addressed the concern regarding student’s access to AMS services with its limitation section.

“My whole concern about [the] document is that the AMS and the Nest are not seen as public space and shelters, but fortresses,” she said.

“Even if the homelessness is not mentioned here, basically these are all stereotypes that we attach to homelessness like trespassing, dumpster diving, not wearing footwear.”

More importantly to her, Chatzivasileiou found the term “trespassing” problematic because UBC is located on unceded Indigenous territories.

“According to what they are saying [in the policy], they are referring to people who come from outside university and are trespassing in university land,” she said. “I find this very ironic because we are all trespassers — we’re all settlers — and this is part of being implicated in settler colonialism.

“I think it’s very important to note this, especially when UBC is trying to make an effort at reconciliation with Indigenous people.”

In an emailed statement to The Ubyssey, AMS President Alan Ehrenholz did not directly respond to Chatzivasileiou’s concerns but said feedback from staff and students would be “happily accepted and considered.”

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