As some of you might know, the AMS is holding a referendum in order to gain permission to sell 3 paintings from its permanent collection.
While AHSA supports the idea of selling some of these little exhibited works, as well as the proposed usage of the funds obtained through these sales, AHSA feels that the decision as to which works to sell requires student or faculty consultation. Currently, the AMS proposes that these decisions be made by the AMS Student Council, independent of any input from AHSA, other student bodies, or the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory.
Furthermore, as the AMS have not specified which works they intend to sell, we can assume that they are likely to be those of the highest monetary value, regardless of their significance to the UBC community. Furthermore, as these works were purchased by the AMS, a student association, it follows that broader student input should be sought in the case of their sale.
As such, AHSA’s position on this issue is one of opposition. We hope that you agree that these decisions must be made in accordance with student input and/or faculty advisory.
Thus, we encourage you to vote “no” to Question 4 of the 2012 Fiscal Sustainability Referendum.
