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The AMS Constitution, Section 2.01.02, subsection (i), clearly states that the Society shall give particular concern to issues relating to education. With this mission in mind, the Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) is mandated with representing the academic interests of undergraduate students to the university administration and the federal and provincial governments. If students, either individuals or groups, have academic concerns, the
commission is responsible for ensuring that those concerns are
addressed.
Internal lobbying usually occurs through the Commissioner's roles on university Senate committees, on which the AAC is often the sole undergraduate student voice. While our work is mainly inconspicuous, it is crucial. Influencing a few lines of policy change on a new academic procedures document may not be glamorous, but it is this sort of valuable partnership with faculty and administration that makes student governance at Queen's so unique.
External advocacy runs through our external lobby partners, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). The Academic Affairs Commissioner, along with the Vice-President (University Affairs) serve as the AMS representatives on the Steering Committee (aka Board of Directors) of OUSA, a strongly member-driven organization. OUSA is comprised of 7 members universities, and represents over 100,000 students to the provincial government. One of OUSA's major past victories was helping to defeat tuition deregulation at Queen's a few years back.
OUSA works for Queen's students because it shares the same philosophy of cooperation in its lobby method as the AMS uses internally. OUSA works in partnership with government by generating new policy ideas backed by strong research, and presenting them in a professional manner. OUSA also works to engage student interest in post-secondary issues through awareness campaigns on its member campuses. To view OUSA's website, click the link at the left hand side of this page.
The commission has a series of committees that seek to educate and inform students on topics such as financial aid and the funding of post-secondary education. We promote excellence in teaching through our AMS teaching awards and by encouraging student-faculty interaction outside the normal classroom setting.
External & Senate Committees
The Academic Affairs Commissioner, or his selected designate, also serves
as the undergraduate student voice on the following Queen's University Senate
Committees.
Academic Integrity Working Group
CTL Principal’s Advisory Committee
QUASR
Senate Committee on Academic Development
Senate Committee on Academic Procedures
Scholarships & Student Aid
Teaching Assessment
Teaching Assistant Consultative Committee
Teaching Space (plus ‘Learning Spaces of the Future’ Sub-Committee)
University Timetabling
External OUSA Committee of AMS Assembly
OUSA Steering Committee
The Academic Affairs Commissioner also chairs bi-weekly meetings of Academic
Caucus, which is a meeting of the Academic reps/VP's/Commissioners from each
faculty society within the AMS.
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