2024-2025 Seat Allocations for the AMS Assembly
This decision has been unanimously ratified by the President’s Caucus on Jul 30th.
The AMS Assembly is the ultimate decision-making body (sec. 5.2.1) of the Alma Mater Society. It is a space that, aligned with the AMS Mission Statement, serves and represents the diversity of students at Queen’s University.
Under the AMS Constitution, the allocation of seats is supposed to be determined at the end of the winter semester based on the most recently available enrollment figures. The Secretary of Internal Affairs, being a generally neutral party tasked with administering the elections, judicial and assembly for the society, retains a discretion to increase or decrease the number of representatives allocated to a member society, after the composition of the has already been determined if there is a difference in projected enrollment numbers which causes a material difference in the number of seats a member society would otherwise be allocated. For the purposes of this decision, a material difference is any instance where the difference between the allocation based on actual enrolment numbers and projected numbers is greater than or equal to 1.
During the regular review which takes place in the summer, the following became apparent:
- That there is a “material difference” (a different of at least 1 seat) between the seats allocated based on actual enrollment numbers (provided directly to the AMS) and seats allocated based on projected numbers released by the Registrar’s Office.
- The timelines described by the AMS Constitution have significantly contributed to the Internal Affairs Office being unable to communicate changes to seat allocations before faculty society elections take place. As a result, multiple societies have elected a higher number of representatives than what should have been allocated.
Per sec. 5.1.3, the Secretariat will consider the “new numbers and adjustments may be made at the discretion of the Secretariat.” The outcome of the review process was presented to the President’s Caucus on Jul 30 for ratification, in recognition of the exceptional circumstances and decision being made and to ensure that faculty societies are adequately represented in the decision-making process.
The following are the seat allocations on the AMS Assembly for the 2024-2025 school year, as determined by the Secretariat, per sec. 5.1.3 of the AMS Constitution:
| Allocation in April 2024 | Allocation for 2024-2025 | |
| ASUS | 7 | 10* (subject to conditions) |
| COMSOC | 5 (should have been 3) | 5 |
| COMPSA | 3 | 3 |
| CESA | 3 | 3 |
| ENGSOC | 6 (should have been 4) | 6 |
| HSS | 2 (should have been 3) | 3 |
| NSS | 1 (should have been 2) | 2 |
| PHEKSA | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 29 | 34 |
Although the seating allocations deviate from the allocation table of sec. 5.1.2, this decision was made after consultations with the faculty society presidents and based on the following pillars.
- Representation (sec. 5.1.7). The AMS Assembly strives to have a ratio of 500 students per 1 seat filled at the Assembly. Under the current allocation, the AMS assembly will achieve a 540:1 ratio, which is more closely aligned with the principles of the AMS constitution than the 660:1 it would have otherwise achieved.
- Proportionality (sec. 5.1.2). The member societies are meant to be allocated seats proportionally, to reflect the size of the student body that they serve. Under the current allocation, the seats allocated for ASUS will be consistent with the proportionality principle.
- Efficiency (sec. 5.1.2). The size of the AMS Assembly is not meant to exceed a level at which “effective and efficient” functioning is compromised. Although the number of members on the AMS assembly have increased, this will improve the efficiency of assembly and its related committees.
- AMS Mandate (AMS Constitution) to “provide experiential, out-of-classroom opportunities.” This decision upholds the mandate of the AMS, and considers the impact changes to seating allocations may have on the student experience of elected members in the upcoming year. In this decision, revoking the voting seat of any student who has already been elected is considered to cause irreparable harm to the student experience.
Additionally, the following were used to guide the decision making:
- Not placing any additional burdens on faculty societies and minimizing disruptions to their operations. This recognized that seating allocations and roles in the AMS assembly transcend the constitutions of member societies, and every effort has been taken to ensure that member societies continue to operate within their constitutional frameworks and work with the presidents of the societies to ensure that changes to seating allocations are feasible.
- Recognizing that behind each “number” of seats, there are students who have worked tirelessly on a vision and goals for their terms as representatives to the Alma Mater Society; and have been elected by students who have placed their trust in the elected members.
- Sec. 5.01.04 of the April 1996 AMS Constitution. Although this version is no longer binding, the rationale for year-representatives was valuable in the assessment of seating allocations for all member societies.
While historically, discretionary choices under 5.1.3 were not released to the public, this decision is released for purposes of achieving greater transparency. This announcement should be considered as a formal statement which allows faculty societies to have the released number of seats. This decision is final, and not subject to appeal. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out at .