The AMS will continue to review its respectful workplace and sexualized violence policies following student criticism.
During the April 28 Council meeting, students expressed concern regarding the AMS’s revisions of policies PC1, which describes respectful workplace conduct, and PC2, which outlines how the student society responds to disclosure of sexual misconduct, leading Council to defer the policies.
The concerns were primarily focussed on the PC2 revision which changed the frequency of policy review, outlined new investigation processes and modified the definition of sexual misconduct.
Two unnamed students at the Council meeting criticized the addition of a clause in the PC2 revision which says individuals who make false claims of sexual violence “may be subject to corrective action.” They argued this “adds a barrier to reporting sexual violence” by discouraging survivors from coming forward.
Both PC1 and PC2 were passed by the student society in 2019 and apply to AMS members, clubs, subsidiaries and staff. They are required to be reviewed every two years. These policies have been under review since September 2021.
In October 2022, then-AMS VP Academic and University Affairs Dana Turdy said the policy review is aiming to reduce jargon and include plain language summaries to increase its accessibility. Former AMS President Eshana Bhangu added in December 2022 that the society is ensuring the policies are “airtight,” since they affect AMS employees.
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Turdy, now the AMS strategy and governance lead, is working to pass a revised policy that addresses student concerns.
“We’ve all heard what students have to say about the policies that were brought to Council in late April, and that feedback will definitely inform any future revisions to the policies,” said Turdy.
Turdy worked on the review process during the 2020/21 academic year as the then-strategy and governance lead and in the 2022/23 academic year as the VP academic and university affairs. She went on leave from the VP role in January.
At the April 28 Council meeting, former Student Legal Fund Society President Daniel Anene-Akosa said the PC2 draft did not meet the AMS-endorsed Students for Consent Culture (SFCC) minimum standards for sexual violence policies which include a two-year policy review period.
According to a Ubyssey interview with Turdy, the AMS is seeking feedback from stakeholders and external groups like the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office, the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre, the UBC Investigations Office, UBC Ombudsperson, SFCC, UBC Sexual Violence Prevention Centre and the AMS resource groups like the Social Justice Centre and Pride Collective. Turdy also said the AMS consulted an “equity-focused consulting firm” for PC 1 and did community consultation through surveys.
She also said that the work and consultation done by her and AMS Policy Advisor Mimi Neufeld during the 2021/22 academic year were largely not reflected in the April 28 policy drafts.
Turdy attributed the delay to the society’s due diligence and executive turnover.
“The policy advisor identified some pretty substantial areas for improvement within the policies and we want to do our due diligence and make sure that we really use the resources available to us and put the best foot forward,” said Turdy.
Turdy also said the AMS “has a lot of power to enact change and be a leader in these kinds of areas,” and since the society advocates to the university regarding its sexual misconduct policy, SC17, the AMS must reflect those values in PC2.
“It’s important for us to keep being engaged with these policy reviews, and it’s been really inspiring to see that engagement [from students] already,” said Turdy. “Sexualized violence is a really important issue on this campus … I would just encourage [students] to stay involved and make their voice heard.”
Turdy is expecting the revised drafts to be passed by Council within the year, but during a May 31 Council meeting AMS President Esmé Decker said the society would "ideally" have the policies approved by September.
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