The AMS is still in discussion with the Indigenous Committee about an organizational restructure.
Last year, 2020/21 AMS President Cole Evans proposed that the Indigenous committee restructure to an Indigenous constituency, with the goals of improving independence and Indigenous representation within AMS Council. Evans suggested a shift into a constituency organization by the 2022 AMS Elections. However, discussions to potentially restructure the committee are ongoing.
As a constituency, the Indigenous committee would restructure into an organization similar to that of undergraduate societies with seats in Council.
Current AMS President Eshana Bhangu said that discussions are ongoing about a potential restructuring.
“The goal is still to ensure that there is a model in place where [Indigenous] students are able to find that sense of community, with as much independence as possible and without losing AMS support,” she explained.
“This is definitely still a work in progress,” said Indigenous Committee Co-Chair Nakoda Hunter.
Through upcoming Indigenous committee meetings, he hopes to work through possible changes and ramifications of restructuring. Nonetheless, he says the Indigenous Committee is considering a restructuring “quite seriously.”
Hunter cited access to the Indigenous Student Fund as “one of the greatest concerns” of a structural change.
Bhangu said she wants to ensure Indigenous students continue to have easy access to the fund.
Access to the Indigenous student fund allows the committee to provide supportive resources to Indigenous students, such as the emergency fund the committee set up during the pandemic to help Indigenous students during the “toughest of times,” recalled Hunter. He explained that this type of support is only possible through access to the fund.
“The question is if we change our structure, would we lose out on that?” he said.
Hunter said the committee hopes a structural change would allow them more freedom in their governing structure.
“I think at the very least, we know that the idea of self-governance isn’t exactly propelled within the Indigenous committee structure,” Hunter said. “As of right now, we obviously have to work under AMS bylaws and the AMS code.”
Bhangu emphasized that the AMS and Indigenous committee are not only considering a constituency format, but also other models such as a student association.
“With a committee, it can be a little more rigid in terms of how all AMS committees have rules they have to follow,” Bhangu said.
Currently, Bhangu is hesitant to give any concrete timeline on the progress of this restructuring without the Indigenous Committee fully on board. She hopes to maintain the discussion over the summer.
“I would say definitely this year, we will hopefully see some movement on this.”
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