Fact-checking the second 2018 AMS debate

The second AMS debate of 2018 is in the books, and all 10 people who showed up were thoroughly enraptured. Luckily for them (and you), The Ubyssey has picked out a few statements made that we think require a second look — so you can relive the whole thing again.

VP Finance

Kuol Akuechbeny said that in order for a club to qualify for a credit card, they have to have over $50,000 in revenue.

This one was tough to find an answer to. AMS Club Handbook doesn’t mention anything about clubs getting credit cards. We got a 404 error when we checked the “Operating Clubs” section of the AMS website, and the Finance Commission Policy Guide says nothing about credit cards.

But current VP Finance Alim Lakhiyalov responded, saying that clubs don’t have to meet any minimum, but “given that this is a pilot year for the new credit card program, only the constituencies and bigger clubs received one. They all have above $50,000 of yearly revenue.”

Akuechbeny said AMS businesses had an advisory board that was once strong but now doesn’t exist.

He was most likely talking about the Business Administration and Governance Board, which changed its name to the Advisory Board for Business and Administration in 2015. It was created in 2012 to oversee and provide accountability for the business and administrative operations of the AMS. It disbanded in March, 2017 to create an advisory board for the entire AMS.

VP Admin

Aaron Verones said adding another position to the AMS Art Gallery would mean “over $28,000 of student money going to just three people running the gallery.”

The AMS Art Gallery spent $14,665.50 on two directors and an assistant in 2016/17, meaning another position wouldn’t put them above $28,000 unless that new director is extraordinarily well-compensated.

Christopher Hakim said the “Sustainability Projects Fund also falls under the finance portfolio.”

A Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) handbook says the VP finance “attends meetings of the SPF Committee, approves the SPF budget and signs off on reimbursement requisitions.”

Verones said the new AMS expulsion policy, which professors and students have called anti-homeless “doesn’t contain any provisions for helping students access services.”

True — nothing in the policy would help students in need of services to access them.

Board of Governors

Jeanie Malone said, “Student voices are pretty strongly heard at the Board table.” Jakob Gattinger agreed that students have a “significant ability” to affect change at the Board level.

Students, for the most part, disagree.

— with files from Sophie Sutcliffe and Julia Burnham

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