Athletics Audit Decisions

Athletics Fee Audit Decision

April 29, 2025, KINGSTON ON

Dear Students,

Please find enclosed the decision of the Student Activity Fee Review Committee (SAFRC) on the audit of the Queen’s University Athletics fee of $350.69 (2024-25 academic year).

Purpose | The AMS Secretariat, in consultation with the President, select a number of fees to audit with the primary intent to ensure that the fee is being spent for the purpose it was established for, and to ensure fees continue to comply with the Student Activity Fee Policy of the Board of Directors.

Outcomes | The Athletics fee audit has identified two primary concerns, as outlined below:

Summer Access – Unlike the Society for Graduate and Professional Studies students, AMS members currently do not have access to the ARC facilities during the summer months despite paying a significantly higher amount than their SGPS counterparts. The SAF Review Committee was pleased to learn that throughout the audit, the AMS President and Secretariat have met with the ARC representatives on a regular basis to discuss granting students access in the summer and have enjoyed a collaborative and transparent working relationship. The SAF Review Committee has approved the following:

• Changing the fee slate description for the 2025-26 academic year to state that membership is valid from Sept 1 to Aug 31 instead of the current Sept 1 – Apr 30. This means that effective September 2025, students who pay the athletics fee will retain access to the ARC in the summer.
• That the change to access will go into effect in Summer 2026. Although the committee recognizes that current students have also paid the same fee, administrative, logistical and financial barriers were identified to the immediate implementation of the change. To ensure the change is feasible, the following approval timeline is expected:
  • Queen’s University Senior Leadership Committee – August 2025
  • University Council on Athletics and Recreation – November 2025.

Review Status – Through the audit, it was determined that the last time the Athletics fee was subject to a review was in 2009, when it was approved for a $120 fee increased by the AMS General Assembly. The AMS Constitution per (insert), and Student Activity Fee Policy stipulate that only fees designated as non-reviewable by board are exempt from the triennial review process, and fees may be designated as such by the AMS Board of Directors if there is “extensive executive oversight” on the spending of the fee. Currently, no such designation exists. As such, the SAF Review Committee has unanimously agreed that the Queen’s Athletics and Recreation Centre must work with the AMS Executive and Secretariat to determine an appropriate review and/or oversight plan by December 1st, 2025.

Additionally, archival research by the Secretariat has revealed that the Athletics and Recreation fee has historically been reviewed on a ten-year cycle (as opposed to the regular three-year cycle). Although the current Constitution and policy no longer permit this review structure, the discussions between the President and Secretariat have revealed a mutual interest in increased collaboration and reporting between A&R and the AMS.

Next Steps | The SAF Review Committee has imposed a deadline of December 1st for the completion of the outcomes of the decisions. If the necessary approvals are not achieved by the deadline stated, the Athletics Fee will be subject to a referendum to continue the collection of the fee in Winter 2026.

 

Please direct any questions to the Secretary of Internal Affairs () who serves as the Chair of the Student Activity Fee Review Committee.