Who Am I?
My name is Saad (he/him) and I am running to be the President of Your New AMS. Throughout the past two years, I’ve had the opportunity and pleasure to serve you as your AMS Associate VP and VP, External Affairs. Some of my advocacy includes successfully pushing the government to commit to historic student-centric supports like the permanent removal of interest rates on federal student loans, increasing repayment assistance so no student has to repay their loans until they make $50,000 per year, and easing pathways to permanent residency for international students. My experience also includes jointly lobbying the provincial and federal government to commit funding towards the Skytrain-to-UBC.
Throughout my university career, I’ve also been a club executive (Colour Connected Against Racism), a commuter student trekking from Surrey for my 8 AM classes on the 99 B-Line, a UBC student housing resident and I’ve been someone who has struggled with the mental health issues that we all face during these tough and honestly confusing times. Our AMS needs to support us. Our AMS needs to be there for us. Our AMS needs to be a place that we can be proud of.
This year, I’m on a mission to build A New AMS, an AMS that you can count on, an AMS that you can be proud of, and an AMS that has your back - Your New AMS. Among many other improvements, advancements, and reforms, these are just a few things that Your New AMS will tackle:
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Your New AMS will improve your campus by investing directly into the capital projects and improvements that you want to see.
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Your New AMS will deliver you with direct needs-based financial support that you can count on.
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Your New AMS will invest directly into student life events while working to keep you safe.
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Your New AMS will create a just, equitable, and inclusive environment for you while creating meaningful partnerships with meaningful action.
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Your New AMS will push for a sustainable climate and environment for tomorrow, for you.
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Most importantly, Your New AMS will work to restore trust with you.
Warmly,
Your New AMS
These are just a few highlights from my platform - you can view my full platform here!
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Equitable Progress ✊Creating a just, equitable, and inclusive environment for you Reforming the AMS Equity & Inclusion Subcommittee into an independent standing committee free from bureaucratic or political influences and working on establishing an equitable pay structure for committee members. Implementing the first full round of equity goals from the AMS Equity Plan in partnership with the E&I Committee, staff, and on-campus BIPOC groups. Increasing capacity for EDI initiatives and progress at the AMS by equipping the equity team with more full-time and part-time staff support.
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Sustainability & Climate Action 🌍A sustainable climate and environment for tomorrow, for you Creating a BC-wide task force to keep the provincial government accountable to effective climate action. Commissioning a plan in coordination with UBC to address food insecurity on campus to ensure that students don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from after paying their tuition. Working with on-campus environmental and sustainability groups such as UBC ClimateHub to push UBC on new sustainability funding and divestment commitments.
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Affordable Education 💵Experienced and loud advocacy from Your New AMS Fixing the root problem of tuition increases by lobbying the province to increase post-secondary operating grants as a way to stop burdening students with annual increases while strongly opposing any and all tuition increases. Pushing the provincial government to renew BC’s International Education Strategy to support the long-term affordability of international students and introducing a 5% cap on tuition increases for international students. Lobbying the federal government to prioritize student debt removal in recognizing the important role that we will play in Canada’s economic recovery and growth.
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Housing & Capital Projects 🏠Improving the campus around you and the spaces that you use Furthering the AMS’ project of creating non-profit student housing that is affordable, below-market, and accessible to students in need. Increasing access to more study spaces by commissioning a review of empty spaces in the NEST and investing directly into more study spots. Continuing to lobby the Mayors’ Council, TransLink, and all relevant stakeholders to bring the Skytrain-to-UBC and creating an interactive milestone timeline.
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Indigenous Partnerships 🤝Meaningful partnerships with meaningful action Amplifying Indigenous voices by effectively communicating available on-campus leadership opportunities to ensure we are involving Indigenous students in decision-making roles. Supporting the establishment of an Indigenous student constituency while working with Indigenous students to establish an equitable compensation structure. Increasing investments and capacity towards Indigenous Culture Month to ensure that the AMS is meaningfully partnering with Indigenous communities and students.
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Effective Reform 🙌Increasing engagement and making Your New AMS work for you Amplifying BIPOC voices within the AMS by creating regular roundtable discussions with on-campus BIPOC organizations to provide BIPOC students with accessible avenues for engagement. Establishing an all-new mentorship program for first-year UBC students so that they can learn about the positions at the AMS and be incentivized to run in the future. Creating a long-term vision for the AMS by continuing existing work on the AMS Strategic Plan to rid your student union of bureaucratic barriers and ineffective governance.
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Student Life & Safety 🎒Investing directly into student life while working to keep you safe Increasing investments into AMS Events to ensure you have access to more fun and safe events while expanding partnerships between on-campus BIPOC communities and AMS Events. Ensuring that you have a direct say in the artists performing at the AMS’ Welcome Back BBQ and Block Party. Working alongside SASC to create a permanent supply and distribution of naloxone kits and drug safety tools accessible to any student.
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Student Services & Financial Support 💡Delivering you with support that you can count on Creating an all-new Student Access Grant to provide direct financial support to students in financial need. Conducting a comprehensive fee review with actionable insights to make certain that you’re not paying obsolete fees. Supporting the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) referendum while working with SASC on the expansion and long-term growth of SASC’s services and operations.
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Transparency & Engagement 🗣️Restoring trust with students and building trust with you Increasing engagement with first-year UBC students through increased AMS awareness campaigns, an all-new AMS guidebook to UBC, and introductory workshops. Expanding executive accountability by reforming the quarterly reporting system and effectively communicating quarterly reports to you to ensure that you can see exactly where your money is going. Hosting quarterly town halls to promote student involvement at the AMS while providing you with a way to keep Your New AMS accountable.