The Insiders
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Mar
6
Why can't we all just get along? the executive dynamics post.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | March 6, 2008 | 7 Comments
Once upon a time amidst the tacky coloured walls of the Almar Mater Society’s student union building, executive council was dominated by slates (basically political parties). Back then, elections were in some ways more colourful (in both the literal and figurative sense). Brand names were recognizable from miles away – the extreme conservative “The Right […]
Jan
31
AMS Council Meeting, Jan 30, or how much we care about committee reform, deep down inside.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | January 31, 2008 | 23 Comments
Today’s council meeting was both disappointing and heartening. Disappointing because the anticipated public lynching of EA Brendan Piovesan failed to materialize. Heartening because it turns out that deep down inside, we really care about committee reform. And there were several other important (University Ombuds Office!) and thoughtful (Systemic discrimination in the AMS?) decisions. We got […]
Jan
30
Student Court challenges, election 2008
Posted by: Neal Yonson | January 30, 2008 | 11 Comments
The period for the 2008 AM elections was punctuated by numerous irregularities of various sorts. When problems arise in elections, or in other matters of stuff that goes against the AMS Bylaws or Code, complaints can be brought to a group of people called the “student court”. These are seven people, typically law students, that […]
Jan
13
VFM 2008 has already failed.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | January 13, 2008 | 19 Comments
Dissillusioned VFM sponsor Mark Latham and I chatting yesterday. I’m not picking my nose, I swear! Photo Peter Rizov. Poor Mark Latham. Well, actually he’s not on the street yet, but the AMS is definitely living in the doghouse. Yup, this is a media on media story, so have your cringe and be over with […]
Jan
11
AMS All-Candidates meeting! And the nominees are:
Posted by: Neal Yonson | January 11, 2008 | 3 Comments
The nominees for this years’ AMS elections are:President: Matthew NaylorMichael Duncan“Che” AllisonErin RennieRodrigo Ferrari-Nunes VP Academic:Rob McLeanAlex LougheedNathan CromptonFire Hydrant PeetsVP External: Freeman PoritzStefanie Ratjen VP Finance: Stash “Irish Courage” BylickiAndrew ForshnerTim Monachello – Dropped outChris Diplock VP Administration: “scary” Mike “the rabbi” KushnirSarah NaimanJonathan Yiannis MessolorasSenate:Colin SimkusRob McLeanBlake FrederickAidha ShaikhEileen HarderPhilip EdgcumbeAzim WazeerAlex LougheedAlfie […]
Nov
23
Three green-tinted notes
Posted by: Neal Yonson | November 23, 2007 | 3 Comments
A few notes of interest that come to mind for the environmentalist-lite on campus: UBC Farm Fee referendum: Yesterday I was at the farm. Getting there was a bit of a hazard due to the South Campus construction bedlam, and I ended up getting tangled in a barbed wire fence while attempting a shortcut, and […]
Nov
22
AMS meeting Nov. 21- Frustrations
Posted by: Neal Yonson | November 22, 2007 | 11 Comments
An excruciatingly long agenda was set for this last meeting before the winter break. After sitting on their laurels for a whole term, the Arts caucus decided to put everything they ever wanted in the AMS into this one meeting and throw it at us like a brick. Items of interest included re-establishing “unofficial” slates […]
Nov
9
AMS meeting Nov. 7th – Nancy and Arts
Posted by: Neal Yonson | November 9, 2007 | 5 Comments
Lowdown on yesterday’s meeting: it was exhausting, and sort of charged up for some weird reason. I think order was poorer than usual somehow. Maybe it’s the pressure of the end of the year building up. Anyway. The meeting began with Nancy Knight, the Administration’s AVP campus & Community Planning. Nancy always puts on a […]
Oct
25
AMS meeting October 24th, or boo to code & policies.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | October 25, 2007 | 19 Comments
Yesterday there was an AMS council meeting. I missed it, but since everyone loves hearing about the machinations of democracy, or better yet, themselves, here’s a summary written up by Blake Frederick, the AVP Academic and University Affairs (otherwise known as Brendon’s minion), on his brand-new blog: http://universityaffairs.blogspot.com/. I also have word that a certain […]
Oct
24
VFM intro, or, how complicated can counting be?
Posted by: Neal Yonson | October 24, 2007 | 11 Comments
Voter Funded Media, the contest that saw the birth of this and other (now defunct) charming student publications, is soon to be re-launched for this year. Yay! The media-reform project is meant to improve media culture, and by extension democracy in general. This is theoretically accomplished by making media into a public good: you reward […]
