THE GOLD STANDARD

TEAM GPP FOR AMS EXEC Our Platform

THE GOLD STANDARD

Table of Contents
The Team .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Rico Garcia ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Duncan Peterson ................................................................................................................................ 5 T.K. Pritchard ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Main Campaign Points ....................................................................................................................... 7 1- AMS Accessibility and Approachability ................................................................................ 7 2- JDUC Renovations ......................................................................................................................... 8 3- Keeping Orientation Week Student Run and Frosh Concert on Campus ................ 9 4- Job Bank and Tax Return Help .............................................................................................. 10 5- Course Registration Waitlist.................................................................................................. 11 6- Keeping Non-Academic Discipline Student Run ............................................................ 12 7- Prioritizing Mental Health ...................................................................................................... 13 8- Financial Transparency and Easy Access to Information .......................................... 14 9- Queens Rugby League ............................................................................................................. 15 10- Club Resources, JDUC Info Kiosk, and Room Booking System ............................... 16 11- First Year Alfies Night............................................................................................................ 17 12- Plan a Smooth Return of Homecoming ........................................................................... 18 13- A Sustainable AMS and Student Life Centre.................................................................. 19 14- Ensure Universitys Financial Situation Does Not Jeopardize Academics ........ 20 15- Supporting Student Athletics.............................................................................................. 21 AMS Commissions ............................................................................................................................. 22 Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) ...................................................................................... 22 Campus Activities Commission (CAC)..................................................................................... 23 Commission of the Environment and Sustainability (CES) ............................................ 24 Commission of Internal Affairs (CIA) ...................................................................................... 25 Municipal Affairs Commission (MAC) ..................................................................................... 26 Social Issues Commission (SIC) ................................................................................................. 27 AMS Offices ........................................................................................................................................... 28 Communications Office ................................................................................................................. 28 Human Resources Office .............................................................................................................. 29 I.T. Office ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Marketing Office .............................................................................................................................. 31 Student Centre Office ..................................................................................................................... 32 AMS Hospitality and Safety Services ....................................................................................... 33 Common Ground (CoGro) ............................................................................................................ 33 The AMS Pub Services (T.A.P.S.)................................................................................................ 34 Queens Student Constables (QSC) ........................................................................................... 35 Walkhome .......................................................................................................................................... 36

-2-

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Media Services.......................................................................................................................... 37 C.F.R.C .................................................................................................................................................. 37 Queens TV ......................................................................................................................................... 38 Queens Journal ................................................................................................................................ 39 Yearbook and Design Services (YDS) ...................................................................................... 40 AMS Retail Services .......................................................................................................................... 41 Publishing and Copy Centre (P&CC) ........................................................................................ 41 Tricolour Outlet ............................................................................................................................... 42

-3-

THE GOLD STANDARD

The Team
Rico Garcia
Rico is a 3rd year student doing a major in Economics and a minor in Global Development Studies. He was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico and moved to Canada in 2009 to pursue his undergraduate studies at Queens. Since first year, Rico has expressed an interest in student government, starting with running for President of the ASUS 2013 Year Society. He was successfully elected to this role and it provided him with the opportunity to organize events for his class while learning about how ASUS, the AMS, and the University as a whole operate. In his second year, he was elected as a Student Senator for the University Senate. It was through this position that he was able to meet Senior Administrators, represent students in an important decision-making body, and learn about the Academic priorities of the University. As a Senator, Rico sat on different Committees advocating for student interests such as the University Student Appeals Board, the Senate Orientation Activities Review Board, and the Arts and Science Faculty Board. In third year, Rico Garcia became the President of the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS). Leading the largest Faculty Society at Queens has been a challenging yet fun experience. In his capacity as ASUS President, Rico has resolved conflict, negotiated contracts, and led a cohesive team of Commissioners, Officers, and Chairs. He was also a member of the Queen's Center Student Working Group (QCSWG) and was thus part of the negotiations surrounding the Queens Center Capital Contribution. By virtue of occupying this and his past positions, Rico has been a voting member of the University Senate, Faculty Board, ASUS Assembly, AMS Assembly, and the respective committees already mentioned. Finally, Rico has also been involved in non-governance matters while at Queens. He has held a weekly radio show of Spanish music called If the North were the South since the Fall of 2009, participated in both Queens Model Parliament and Queens Model United Nations, different intramural leagues, and has been a Gael during Frosh Week. Rico currently lives in Victoria Hall, where he is a Residence Don.

-4-

THE GOLD STANDARD

Duncan Peterson
Duncan is a 5th year Biology student from Nanaimo, British Columbia. Duncan was originally attracted to Queens by this universitys very strong sense of community. After a two day trip in his grade 12 year, he knew immediately that this was the place for him.

Duncan became involved in student government as a chance to make new friends and learn more about the different opportunities available at Queens. Ultimately, however, Duncans first experience chairing an ASUS committee ignited a passion for student government that led him to organize, plan, and lead successful events and initiatives that have benefitted the student community at Queens. After gaining successively larger management and leadership roles in the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society and eventually becoming the Societys Academics Commissioner, Duncans focus shifted toward representing students needs and opinions. He was able to fulfill this desire through his current position as the Societys Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Duncan gained a substantial amount of experience in the fields of budgeting and planning by creating the Societys full-year budget over the summer months of 2011. This learning process cemented Duncans beliefs in financial accountability and transparency through the open viewing and discussion of ASUS current financial standing and future financial stability. Duncan was recently elected to the Student Life Centre Council by AMS Assembly and has observed some of the interactions and initiatives being undertaken by a diverse group of stakeholders at this university.

-5-

THE GOLD STANDARD

T.K. Pritchard
T.K. is a 4th year student working on a medial in Drama and English. He is from Barrie, Ontario and came to Queens after he attended an enrichment program on campus when he was 12 and fell in love with the school. T.K.s involvement with the AMS began in first-year, when he was a general member of the Education on Queer Issues Project (EQuIP), a committee in the Social Issues Commission. In his second year, he was a Gael, chaired Queens Pride Project, was a member of Performance Outreach for Students Social Education (POSSE) and continued with EQuIP. In his third year, he chaired EQuIP, continued with POSSE, and was nominated for a Positive Space Award. Currently, T.K. is a member of AMS Council in the full-time position of Social Issues Commissioner. In this position, he oversees a variety of committees who do equity work, as well as the AMS Peer Support Centre and the Food Centre. He also sits on several committees, including the Student Affairs Mental Health Working Group, the Queens University International Centre Council, the Council for Employment Equity, and two Council of Ontario University committees that work on domestic violence and accessibility. The opportunities which T.K. has pursued over the past four years have helped him to learn how to effectively lead large groups of people with a variety of opinions and views, the importance of teamwork and support, and how to produce positive results under pressure and in negative situations.

-6-

THE GOLD STANDARD

Main Campaign Points

1- AMS Accessibility and Approachability
How can we call ourselves a student government when students dont feel comfortable approaching their student leaders? Team GPP believes in an AMS that is open and accessible to students. We believe that the AMS Executive should be people whom students at large can easily approach with their questions and concerns. From speaking with many people and our own experience with the AMS, we have realized that, despite efforts in the past, the AMS Executive still remains somewhat inaccessible and hard to approach. One of the key issues is that all three of the Executives have an extremely busy schedule, packed with meetings every week, and students who wish to meet with AMS employees must schedule a meeting beforehand. We dont believe that this is an effective way to operate, and we therefore want a change. As Team GPP, we will have at least one open hour every two days where we dont have a scheduled meeting and we keep our door open for students to come in without making a prior arrangement. We want to be readily available to students. In fact, we want to set up a desk outside of the office once a week so that passing students can talk to us. If students dont feel comfortable walking into the AMS, we will make sure they are still able to meet with us elsewhere. Students should not be the ones having to go out of their way and clearing their schedules to meet with us to chat. On the contrary, we need to remember that we are here to serve students, and we should be the ones going out of our way to make sure that students can successfully meet with us and share their concerns. While we recognize that we will have extremely busy schedules, we cannot be a good student government if students have a hard time contacting us and setting up meetings. However, accessibility and approachability dont end with us. We will make sure that our Commissioners, Directors, and Officers follow a similar guideline so that students know when they are free to chat without the need of arranging for a meeting. Finally, we want to convince the Administration to operate in a similar fashion. Weve been told that Principal Hitchcock used to have a set of open office hours once a month. How cool would it be if we could start this once again? We want to bring accessibility and approachability to the next level.

-7-

THE GOLD STANDARD

2- JDUC Renovations
This past semester, the AMS resolved one of the largest issues that it has faced in the last few years, the AMS Capital Contribution Fee. There had been ongoing negotiations since last year, and it is good to see that this issue has finally settled now that AMS Assembly has approved the agreement. The AMS settled on an amount with the University of 10.5 million dollars, but 1.3 million of that sum are to be invested in renovation projects within the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC). As Team GPP, we want to make sure that the 1.3 million dollars are used to renovate the JDUC and provide some more bookable and performance space for students. After meeting with 5 different people from Physical Plant Services, we have received a few estimated costs and ideas about what can be developed with this money. In these meetings, we found out that the current performance space in the north end of the JDUC will most likely no longer be available to students in the coming year because of current negotiations with some tenants. This being said, we recognize that this campus is limited in the amount of performance/studio space available for booking and therefore want to develop Pigeon Alley into a bookable theatre/performance space. After meeting with contractors and engineers from PPS we have acquired a rough idea of the estimated costs of such project. The space that we plan to renovate is 30x60 feet in size and the approximate cost of construction per square foot is $350. This represents an approximate initial construction cost of $630,000. In addition to this, we need to take into account the cost of architectural design and engineering which is approximately 10% of the initial construction cost. Moreover, we need to contemplate the PPS fees and construction permits; this can add another $150,000 to the project. Similarly, we need to take into account that a cost will have to be incurred to relocate the current steam line and pluming tubes that exist underground in this space. Finally, adding a 20% contingency mark up and an expected yearly cost of $30 dollars for utilities per square foot, the project can represent a total cost of slightly under $1.1 million dollars. We had initially contemplated expanding the Queens Pub on top of this performance space but after meeting with various people we realized this wasnt attainable with the current funds. Having said this, we want to make sure that the new performance space is built on a good foundation to support a QP expansion in the future. For more details on what things will take place in this proposed space, please take a look at our section on the Campus Activities Commission.

-8-

THE GOLD STANDARD

3- Keeping Orientation Week Student Run and Frosh Concert on Campus
Queens Orientation Week is one of the best traditions of our University. Orientation Week is an excellent way to start the year and introduce new students to both the academic and social aspects of Queens, but also the city of Kingston. What truly makes Orientation Week such a unique experience, unlike that of other universities, is that it is entirely student-run. Team GPP is committed to preserving Orientation Week traditions, making sure that it remains purely student-run, and that the Frosh Concert remains on campus. There are different bodies that oversee Orientation Week but the most important one is a Senate Committee called the Senate Orientation Activities Review Board (SOARB). This committee reviews Orientation Week on a yearly basis, presents a report to Senate before the end of the Fall term, and makes recommendations for future years to follow. It has the power to ban certain activities and/or allow for exemptions to occur. The composition of this body is meant to have a student majority, but given a lack of unification from the student members at SOARB, this majority hasnt really been seen in practice. As Team GPP, we want to make sure that the students who sit on different University committees are aware of the strong influence they can have in the decision-making process on issues that greatly affect students. Having said this, we want to be able to obtain feedback from students about what they want and let the members of these committees know that. After speaking with many Orientation Leaders and Presidents of respective Faculty Societies, it has become evident that students want Orientation Week to remain student-run, and Faculty Societies want to maintain their autonomy and control over this matter. As an AMS Executive, and through the facilitation of the Orientation Round Table Coordinator, we will make sure that these interests are preserved and that Orientation Week remains unique and special amongst Canadian Universities. Finally, it is clear that holding the Frosh Concert on campus was a great success both in logistical and financial aspects. The efforts of Rachel Shindman, Patrick Denroche, and the rest of ORT should be commended. Holding the concert on campus allowed for thousands of dollars in savings and for a safe and close environment where transportation liabilities were not incurred. We are committed to continue this, and, after speaking with both Senior Administrators and the Kingston Mayor, we are positive that it can be done.

-9-

THE GOLD STANDARD

4- Job Bank and Tax Return Help
Most Queens students try to find a job in Kingston at least during one point throughout their years at Queens. Given the challenges that students undergo when seeking employment in Kingston, we want to create a Job Bank where students can look up job opportunities posted by employers in Kingston. While there are already several Kingston-based services, such as Career Services and KEYS job board, that have similar goals, we would like to centralize as many opportunities as possible in one page so as to provide a one-stop website for students. This Job Bank will advertise AMS, University, and local businesses positions. When we met with the Mayor of Kingston, Mark Gerretson, we were excited to learn that the City of Kingston, in conjunction with the Kingston Economic Development Cooperation (KEDCO) would be interested in supporting such a project. One of the priorities of the City of Kingston is to retain Queens students upon graduation, and a good way of doing this is by offering valuable job opportunities and internships to current students throughout the school year and summer. By offering high quality jobs to students year round, more students will be interested in staying in Kingston post-graduation, increasing the attractiveness and economic well-being of the City. This Job Bank will fall under the Municipal Affairs Commission and will be overseen by the Employment Opportunities Facilitator. Similarly, we want to create a seasonal service (months of March and April) where students can attend workshops that guide students on how to fill out their tax returns. Currently, the Queens University International Centre (QUIC), does this for international students. They hold several workshops/sessions on filling out tax returns in which there are also several retired Canada Revenue Agencies employees and other volunteers willing to help out with more specific and ambiguous questions. Team GPP wants to facilitate this for all students, not just international ones, so that doing your taxes can be an easy task, rather than an intimidating challenge during final exams. The workshops will be free of charge to all AMS students, but in order to help out other services at Queens, we might ask for canned items at the door to support services like the Food Centre, etc.

- 10 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

5- Course Registration Waitlist
Registering for courses is always a stressful time for students. Because of our current registration system, students dont always end up with their desired courses. We therefore believe that having a Course Registration Waitlist will be beneficial for both the Students and the Administration because we will then be able to know what the exact demand for certain courses is and thus use this information to adjust our supply of certain courses in future terms. After speaking with Jo-Anne Brady, the former University Registrar who oversaw the implementation of SOLUS, we have learned that the system can handle something like a course registration waitlist, and it only takes each of the Faculties to let the Registrars Office know that they wish to do something like this. She described it as being a matter of changing individual Faculty Policy rather than having to alter the way SOLUS operates. Consequently, in a meeting with the Dean of Arts and Science, Alistair MacLean, we decided to ask him what his stance was on having a course registration waitlist and he said that The Faculty of Arts and Science was actually looking into the possibility of having a trial year of some sort because they think that having this information could be quite beneficial to them as well. Knowing what courses students are trying to get into is invaluable information for the Faculty. In order to accomplish a waitlist as part of the course registration process, we will first be working closely with each of the Faculty Societies. We understand the role that the AMS serves and that which Faculty Societies have and thus want to do something that we are all in agreement with. We will also need their support because these changes would have to be approved by each specific faculty and thus motions will have to be moved at each of the respective Faculty Boards. In summation, we strongly believe that having a Course Registration Waitlist is both beneficial to the administration and students because students would have a higher chance of getting into the courses they desire while the administration learns more about what type of courses students want and thus adjusts its supply of courses to meet student demand.

- 11 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

6- Keeping Non-Academic Discipline Student Run
Queens is privileged to be the only University in North America with an entirely student-run Non-Academic Discipline System. This system has been in place since 1898, but the fact that its been in existence for over 100 years is neither the strongest nor the main reason for why it should remain that way. We believe in tradition, but have also conducted enough research to determine that it is in the best interest of students to keep Non-Academic Discipline in student hands. The main reason for why the system ought to be defended is because of its four main pillars: its complaint-driven, peer-adjudicated, non-adversarial, and restorative in nature. As your AMS Executive, we plan to keep Non-Academic Discipline in student hands because we believe that students on both sides of the system have a chance at experiencing learning and personal growth, preventing them from having recurring sanctions. In fact, after speaking with Mark Preston, the Commissioner of Internal Affairs, and Greg McKellar, the AMS Information Officer, we have learned that the amount of recurring offenses is extremely low for this type of system. Since Coroner Skinner released his report on May 31st of 2011, NonAcademic Discipline at Queens has been under review by the Non-Academic Discipline Working Group, a committee that will review the current system and make any recommendations to the Provost within the next few weeks. Based on the recommendations, the Provost will then decide what needs to be changed and/or kept and these alterations must then go through the Senate Committee On Non Academic Discipline (SONAD) and University Senate. The intention behind this review is to avoid any potential liabilities given the existent Coroners report. We firmly believe that a review and improvement to the system can be done without altering its four main pillars and its student-run nature. We will make sure that SONAD, Senate, and the Administration are aware of the benefits of having a student-run Non-Academic Discipline system so that a decision in the best interest of students is achieved while reducing liability for both the AMS and the University.

- 12 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

7- Prioritizing Mental Health
Team GPP is committed to ensuring that every student at Queens feels supported. We want students to have the resources they need in order to take care of their mental health and we want to create an environment where students feel comfortable seeking support and speaking out. From a team with personal experience in mental health issues, we understand the need to provide effective, appropriate, readily accessible and ongoing support. As referenced in the Social Issues Commission portion of the platform, Team GPP will work extensively with the AMS Peer Support Centre. Now in its fourth year of existence, the centre has grown substantially. It has changed from seeing no peers in the first year, to now consistently seeing peers on a regular basis and having enough demand to have the Director position made into a part-time paid position for 2011 - 2012. Team GPP would like to continue to grow the centre by expanding the hours from 3pm-1am to 2pm-2am. This will make the PSC a 12 hour a day, seven days a week service available to students. Further, Team GPP would like to solicit student feedback in order to determine what support/discussion groups students would like to have at the Peer Support Centre." Currently, the centre facilitates two support groups: a depression and anxiety group, as well as a graduate student group. We would like to know what kinds of other groups students need/want; for example, there may be interest in a grief support group or others of a similar nature. We want to provide students with safe spaces to discuss their experiences with others, and we want to meet their needs. Further, Team GPP would like to help support and further the Mental Health Caucus initiative brought forth by a student at large, and the Mental Health Advisory Group. The Caucus is an effort to bring together various student groups on campus that work with mental health, including AMS committees, such as the Mental Health Awareness Committee; services such as the AMS Peer Support Centre; clubs; and faculty society representatives. It provides space for these groups to find common goals, collaborate on projects, work on cross promotion, and develop campus-wide strategies for supporting students. The caucus is still in the very early stages, and Team GPP will work to grow, expand, and solidify this extremely important initiative. Team GPP will work with university-provided services such as Health, Counseling and Disability Services (HCDS), on collaborative strategies to best help our peers. We will provide HCDS with student input and feedback, and seek similar feedback about our own services, in order for the University and the AMS to be providing students with the most effective services possible. Team GPP is committed to supporting students in all aspects of their wellbeing and health.

- 13 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

8- Financial Transparency and Easy Access to Information
Amazing strides have been made this year by the current AMS Executive to break down large budget line items into more detailed and explicit lines, but, as with anything, more work can be done to improve what has already been accomplished. The further breakdown will also make budgeting in future years much easier as costs for various aspects of the Commissions and committees will be much easier to track and anticipate. With this in mind, the AMS will be better able to accomplish its goal of using student funds in the most efficient way possible. When it comes to financial transparency, its important that the AMS can be held accountable by the AMS Board of Directors, AMS Assembly, and any student that wishes to look into what their AMS is planning and doing. However, the government side of the Society does not currently post any website updates on the current financial status of the Commissions and Offices. In addition, the proposed Commission and consolidated budgets are only easily accessible to members of AMS Assembly. Team GPP strongly believes that this must change, and we pledge to open up the government side of the Societys finances to create a financial transparent system that is available to all students. In order to accomplish this goal, proposed Commission budgets will be posted on the AMS website, and a monthly snapshot of the Commissions budgets will also be posted online. This will allows any student to view the current financial status of all AMS committees, services, and projects that fall under the government side of the Society. Team GPP realizes that we are unable to release the financial information of the corporate side of the Society as that would expose sensitive information to our competitors at Queens and in the Kingston community. However, we pledge to create a brief overview of the financial status of one service per month in order to keep students aware and informed on what is occurring in their AMS services.

- 14 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

9- Queens Rugby League
It is clear that intramurals at Queens are always in high demand. Whenever the sign-up lists are opened, leagues are quickly filled up and many students end up being waitlisted and/or without a team. After speaking with many students, it seems that people sign up for intramurals mostly to stay fit, make new friends, have some fun, and/or practice a sport that they used to play in high school. The idea of establishing The Queens Rugby League came from a student who mentioned that rugby is one of those sports that many people played in high school but then couldnt continue playing in University because of the high level of demand and competition associated with being a Varsity athlete. The example of the Engineering Society (EngSoc) having its own rugby team (Eng Rugby) that competes with other Schools in Canada was provided, and it gave us an idea of how to go about doing an intramural Rugby League of our own. Team GPP would like to work with Athletics and Recreation to create a short rugby league in the fall of 2012 and thus meet this demand in our community. We understand that in order to establish a program like this, it would have to be done in conjunction with Athletics and Recreation because of their exclusivity and oversight of sporting events happening on campus, and their better knowledge on the subject and the liabilities associated with this sport. Having said this, after speaking with both Jeff Downie and Duane Parliament from Athletics and Recreation, we believe that an agreement can be reached. We recognize that it is hard to accomplish something like this, and that it has been attempted in the past, however, if key liability concerns are addressed, Athletics and Recreation has expressed an interest in looking into this as soon as the new AMS Executive is elected. After researching the feasibility of having a Rugby League at Queens, we have found that a few schools have some type of non-varsity rugby program. For example, the University of Toronto has a Mens Rugby Intramural Team that travels and plays at other schools (much like Eng Rugby). We have contacted Cameron Turner, the Eng Rugby Coordinator, and he has told us that it is possible, and there is enough demand, to create a league that would last no more than 4 weekends and play on Sundays during the Fall (much like the University District Hockey League). Cameron expects there to be enough demand for at least 4 teams to be formed.

- 15 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

10- Club Resources, JDUC Info Kiosk, and Room Booking System
With the Alma Mater Society having control over space allocation and room bookings in the Student Life Center, we need to make sure that we are offering our clients and tenants the best service possible. After seeking input from every club listed on the AMS website, the Student Center Officer, and other student governments from other Canadian Universities, we have determined that more Club Resources are needed, a better room booking system needs to be implemented, and that the JDUCs front desk should also serve as an Info Kiosk. When speaking with AMS ratified clubs, especially the newer ones, it was surprising to see how many of them mentioned that they wanted some sort of Clubs Guide outlining important resources. Team GPP would like to have something similar to the Event Planning Guide created by the Campus Activities Commission, but for Clubs. After speaking about this idea with Mark Preston, the Commissioner of Internal Affairs, we learned that a Clubs Manual has been in the works for over 2 years now. As AMS Exec, we will guarantee the completion of a Clubs Guide so that Clubs can effectively transition from year to year and understand the different resources that both the AMS and the University have to offer them. Similarly, we want to make sure that Clubs are aware of the different funding opportunities that are available to them so that they dont have to struggle to find this information and we want to negotiate for cheaper and accessible off-campus storage for the clubs that need it. In addition to the completion of the Clubs Guide that Craig Draeger, the AMS Clubs Manager, has been working on, we see a lot of potential in the development of the JDUCs front desk into a university-wide Info Kiosk. We currently have an online calendar where Campus groups can upload their events for others to see, however, from speaking with many students, not everyone accesses this information. We want the JDUCs front desk to be a source of information for students. The University of Western Ontario has an Info Source where students can go ask questions about clubs, campus wide events, sports events, and many other different services and resources. By centralizing this information, students will be able to go to one location with their questions. We dont have to have all of the answers, but we need to be able to point students in the right direction. Finally, after meeting with the Student Center Officer, Gillian Shields, we have learned that the AMS is already looking at different options for a room booking online system. Event Services controls Room Bookings through the Event Business Management Software (EBMS), however, because our bookings are mostly free of

- 16 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

charge, we need a more efficient and different software system. Efforts and negotiations for this are already way underway but it looks like this new alternative will not be reached until the Fall of 2012. We will ensure that this years efforts are continued and that the issue of room booking in the Student Life Center is resolved as quickly as possible.

11- First Year Alfies Night

The information used for the development of this point within our platform was mostly obtained from a proposal for a Ban Righ Clubhouse developed by George Huang and Michael JY Wang, from Main Campus Residents Council (MCRC). After experiencing first year a few years back, and after speaking with people from MCRC, it has become evident that there is a high demand and need for an allages nightclub in Kingston. While we do not intend to make Alfies an all-ages nightclub, we are proposing a monthly Alfies night dedicated to first-year students. This will give them the opportunity to enjoy a nightclub experience without having to obtain fake IDs and/or party in Residence while violating Residence Rules. Every year, there are over 3,500 first year students, and according to Residence Life, more than 90% of them are below the age of 19 when they begin the school year. We would like to work with MCRC and the Jean Royce Hall Council (JRHC) to successfully implement this monthly night at Alfies so that first years can enjoy a safe and fun atmosphere. While we might face criticism about a lack of revenue due to no alcohol sales, we believe that our costs would also drastically decrease because of the volunteer participation of MCRC and JRHC Council Members. Moreover, the MCRC study conducted a few years ago concluded (by surveying 189 first year students) that 87% of them would be willing to pay upwards to $5 dollars to attend such event. Furthermore, this monthly night should be seen as an investment and marketing strategy that will hopefully convince first year students to become regular Alfies clients when they become of age, generating future revenue for the Society. Finally, this venture would be a service for nearly of our student population, and because we would be providing a service to members of MCRC and JRHC, cost and revenue sharing is a possibility worth looking into. The exact logistics and fixed date will be decided in collaboration with the respective student leaders of MCRC and JRHC.

- 17 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

12- Plan a Smooth Return of Homecoming
Many of us have been told what a great time Homecoming is, yet have never experienced it in our time at Queens. For example, Rico is currently in his third year at Queens, and given the suspension of Homecoming until the Fall of 2014, he will potentially graduate without ever experiencing it. Team GPP understands the complications and intricacies of this hot topic and has thus decided to take a restorative stance on the matter in order to make sure that when Homecoming returns in 2014, it does so for good and in a safe and positive environment that both the administration and students are proud of. Team GPP believes that Homecoming is not about the Aberdeen street party, but is a completely different event where alumni can interact with current students and share their passion and Queens experience. This is why we feel that Homecoming can successfully return in 2014 with a set action plan. We have met with people from the Alumni Association, Queens Student Alumni Association (QSAA), and the Advancement Office, and theres a belief that Homecoming can effectively return with the Aberdeen Street Party being avoided and that it can even become a way for the University and different campus organizations to raise money for their causes. After speaking with Rector Nick Francis, a similar idea was suggested. Nick suggested that it would be possible to organize some sort of event on University Av. that is regulated and controlled by both the Administration and the AMS. This event can feature different clubs and help connect students with alumni who perhaps participated in those extracurricular activities and/or specific programs. We would like to help the University plan something like this so that students can get in touch with alumni who perhaps graduated from their own program and who can share their experience and advice. Team GPP has also learned from some Senior Administrators that if the Aberdeen Street Party comes back in 2014, when the suspension on Homecoming is lifted, then Homecoming might be gone for good. Given this, we will work closely with Residence Life, Faculty Societies, and the Administration to create effective educational campaigns and alternative events for people to attend instead of going to a street party in Aberdeen. We believe that if a fun and unique alternative is created, where students can interact with alumni, then the Aberdeen Street Party can effectively fade away in the very near future. We want Homecoming back and we want it to stay!

- 18 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

13- A Sustainable AMS and Student Life Centre
Team GPP is committed to ensuring that the AMS is as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. With the shift of the Sustainability Office to a commission, the AMS has shown that sustainability is a key item of importance in the running of the government. Team GPP sees the environment as a priority, and will consider the environment in both new and current events and decisions. As discussed in the Commission of Environment and Sustainability portion of the platform, we will work to change our Student Life Centre Buildings over to using sensor lights. We hope to decrease our energy usage through only using lighting resources when students are actually in our buildings and their various rooms. After taking the lead to make our buildings more sustainable, we hope to lobby the university to add more sensor lights to their buildings as well. Further, after speaking with the Student Life Centre Office, Team GPP will do an assessment of the windows in our buildings. Currently, we are losing heat through the windows, especially older buildings like the JDUC. We will determine what windows need to be replaced in order to reduce the amount of energy that we are using. In collaboration with Physical Plant Services, we will work to assess what needs there are in the SLC in terms of replacing and fixing windows in an effort to be as sustainable as possible. Finally, aside from generally supporting the transition and creation of the Commission of Environment of Sustainability, Team GPP will work closely with the Sustainability Assessment Team in order to take note of trends across AMS events. The Sustainability Assessment Team will be looking at AMS events and noting where changes could be made in order to improve sustainability. Team GPP will examine this data and work to tackle problems which span the AMS, in order to come up with collective solutions which can be applied at all levels of the government. We will encourage that the findings of the team be considered carefully by all of our event planners in all aspects of what they do.

- 19 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

14- Ensure Universitys Financial Situation Does Not Jeopardize Academics
This current academic year is the third year in which the University is projecting a deficit budget. To alleviate this and other future financial threats, the Board of Trustees has asked the University to balance its budget for the first time in the last few decades. This can only mean that the balanced budget in 2012-13 will only come at a considerable cost and will require difficult decisions. In June 2010, the University moved to a Provost model, making one person in charge of both the Financial and Academic matters of the University. Similarly, the Queens University Planning Committee was inaugurated in this very same year to discuss key factors impacting the current and proposed budgets. With many of these changes happening at Senior Administration levels, Team GPP will have a strong stance in the financial issues that are affecting the academic nature of our education and will ensure that new Senior Administrators are aware of the strong, historic impact and say that students have at this institution. We will be a representative voice in many important committees to advocate for what students want. However, balancing the budget and the negative academic impact that this can have is not the most significant budgetary challenge. According to the Universitys 2011-12 Budget Report, the pension plan deficit is the largest financial problem. In the current academic year, Queens payments to the pension plan have already increased by $8 million dollars despite the solvency relief; this will increase to $17 million by 2013-14 and $34 million when the solvency payments are scheduled to begin. Team GPP is interested in this great challenge because we know that the money has to come from the Operating Budget, meaning that something has to be cut in order to complete the solvency payments. As your AMS Executive, Team GPP will be a strong voice with the administration, making sure that the quality of a Queens degree is maintained. Finally, Team GPP understands that, since he wrote Where Next?, Principal Woolf has wanted to give the University a sense of academic direction. Given the financial situation the University is in, it is easy to see why Principal Woolf believes we need to do less with less. However, Team GPP doesnt believe that we need to do less with less. We need to innovate and find more creative ways of obtaining revenue in order to keep programs such as the Bachelor of Fine Art Program alive. The much-discussed Academic Plan has just been recently approved, and many still believe that it hasnt changed anything yet. Team GPP will represent students and lobby for the preservation of high academic quality when meat is added to the bones, what has been referred to as by many Senior Administrators as the Academic Plan.

- 20 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

15- Supporting Student Athletics
Athletics are a big part of student life here at Queens. Team GPP recognizes the importance all of our competitive and recreational sports teams play in fomenting a great Queens spirit and spreading the word across Canada about how great our athletic and academic programs are here at Queens. Something that we have to recognize about Queens athletes is that they are all student-athletes; this means that the University considers them students first and then athletes. If one doesnt have good academic standing then it doesnt matter how great they are at their respective sport, they wont be allowed to play. This means that student athletes at Queens face the tremendous challenge of balancing their draining training sessions and difficult class work. Team GPP realizes that Athletics and Recreation already has a vast amount of resources for varsity athletes such as the Student Athlete Academic Mentors (SAAMs); however, we would like to develop a larger partnership with A&R so that we can get more athletes involved with the AMS and so that student athletes are aware of the different academic and non-academic resources we have to offer. Similarly, we want to support our Athletes when they play at home and away. With the new partnership that has been signed with Queens TV and A&R we want more people to get excited about attending home games and potentially away games as well. We also want to partner with A&R to organize a bus that goes from Main Campus to the Memorial Centre Skating Rink when our Gaels teams play there. Acknowledging that we wont be getting a skating rink on Main Campus any time soon, we want our home games at the Memorial Centre to feel like home.

- 21 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Commissions
Academic Affairs Commission (AAC)
The Academic Affairs Commission is available to support students throughout their academic career here at Queens. The commission lobbies to improve the educational experience as well as provide academic resources for students. The AAC runs events such as the Last Lecture on Earth series and Faculty Jeopardy, as well as running the Academic Grievance Centre. First, Team GPP will ensure continued support for students throughout the transition from QCARD to SOLUS. Going forward into the second year of using the SOLUS system, many students still have questions, and Team GPP will work to provide answers and assistance in order for the process to be as smooth as possible. We will work with students and the University Registrar to provide a clear guide and to have the most effective responses to student inquiries over the summer months and into the term. Further, Team GPP will continue to support and address concerns that students may have regarding the GPA changes as well as the new tuition schedule payment timeline. It is imperative to Team GPP that students are informed and feel comfortable voicing concerns with the various changes over the past few years which affect their academics and tuition. Further, we will continue to work with the Alternate Payment Arrangement (APA) which was put into place this past year due to the changes in the payment schedule to allow students to defer the September 1st tuition due date. We will work to ensure that this process is in its most effective form for students. The Academic Grievance Centre is a top priority for Team GPP. We want all students to be aware of the service and what it can do for them. We would like to increase the training of the Officers, including working more with the faculty societies, as well as anti-oppression training, in order to serve students as effectively as possible. Team GPP will implement a widespread marketing campaign for the Academic Grievance Centre through the AMS Marketing and Communications Offices. Finally, Team GPP will work with the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), of which Queens is currently a member, to ensure that we are effectively lobbying. Team GPP will solicit feedback and student input to take to OUSA so that Queens students are effectively being represented in our collective lobbying efforts.

- 22 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Campus Activities Commission (CAC)
The Campus Activities Commission provides students with various fun social activities throughout the year. One of the largest events that the CAC oversees is Orientation Week, with the Orientation Round Table Coordinator working directly from the office. Further, the commission organizes various events such as Queens Model Parliament, Best Darn Singer on Campus, Charity Ball and Catch Me if You Can. The various activities that the CAC runs offer students to get involved in fun, safe and positive ways. Orientation Week is the first event that most students interact with here at Queens. You get the opportunity to meet upper years in your program, as well as make friends in your year; you learn about opportunities on campus; you get lost repeatedly until you can finally locate the JDUC; and, most importantly, you begin to find your home here at Queens. It is extremely important to Team GPP to ensure that Orientation week continues to be student-run, and that we protect the traditions that play such a key part in Orientation Week. We will work with the student representatives on the Senate Orientation Activities Review Board (SOARB) to ensure that they feel comfortable voicing student opinion to the group and that they are seeking input from the student body. Further, we will work to keep the Frosh Concert on campus, as it was very successful last year, with the mayor of Kingston agreeing that the event went well and providing us with positive feedback. We are committed to keeping the concert on campus for the coming year. Team GPP will also create a new committee under the CAC, entitled the committee for Creative Student Teaching and Learning. This committee will be in charge of booking student teachers for the new performance space/bookable space in the JDUC. These student teachers will offer free classes to students in areas such as yoga, dance, improv, acting, pilates, creative writing and other areas of interest. The student teachers will have the chance to gain experience teaching classes and teaching subjects that they are passionate about to others. Students who attend the classes will have the opportunity to pick from various types of classes, several times a week, free of charge.

- 23 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Commission of the Environment and Sustainability (CES)
The newest commission in the AMS, the Commission of the Environment and Sustainability was created under Team CES in 2011. The shift from the Sustainability Office to a commission has shown that the AMS is deeply committed to sustainability, which Team GPP supports fully. From retrofitting your University District home to save energy, to teaching local youth and Queens students about sustainability to ensuring that events on campus are being as sustainable as possible, the CES truly works to create eco-friendly change on campus and in our community. They also work on sustainable projects, and distribute funds to students who are looking to do the same, as well as running the Bike Shop. Team GPP is committed to ensuring that the Commission of Environment and Sustainability continues to grow and become established while building institutional memory to solidify the commission for years to come. Our team will fully support and cultivate the projects of the CES as well as working to ensure that the AMS is sustainable in all of the efforts and projects we undertake. Team GPP will work to provide for all of the needs of the commission so that they are fully supported. Team GPP would like to undertake a project with the CES in order to run our Student Life Centre buildings in a sustainable manner by working to install sensor lights throughout our buildings. Currently, there are many places where lights stay on, regardless of whether or not students are in that area. These sensor lights would ensure that we are only using the energy that we need and conserving when we can. Team GPP is also committed to leading this project, and then lobbying the university to make more changes in terms of their lights as well. Finally, Team GPP would like to work to evolve the Bike Shop. The shop is a place where students will be able to take their bikes in order to learn to fix them and be assisted in those repairs, under the guidance of the volunteers. Team GPP would like to add a dimension to this service, which would be bike rental. The shop would obtain older, used bikes which the volunteers can practice their repair skills upon, and then these bikes would be made available for students to rent.

- 24 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Commission of Internal Affairs (CIA)
Contrary to popular belief, the CIA is not, in fact, the secret service of the AMS. The Commission of Internal Affairs does, however, oversee extremely important aspects of the government. The CIA consists of four main components: elections and referendums, clubs, the Non-Academic Discipline System, and AMS Assembly. A student would come to the CIA for everything from an inquiry about how to run for an elected position to having a question regarding how to create their own club. Team GPP will ensure that all aspects of the CIA continue to grow and improve. First, Team GPP will protect the Non-Academic Discipline System. Since 1898 the AMS has had the responsibility of administering the NAD system, as given to them by the University Senate. It is of great important to Team GPP that the AMS remain in control of NAD and that the system continues to run effectively and smoothly. Team GPP is committed to working with the current Executive, Commissioner of Internal Affairs, and Judicial Affairs Director to continue to work on the challenges from this year and ensure that we face the coming challenges head on. Second, Team GPP will work to ensure that assembly is accessible, welcoming, and comfortable for all students. Assembly is the bimonthly meeting of AMS council, representatives from the faculty societies, the student senate caucus chair, rector and the student trustee. Elected student representatives on this body have the ability to vote on various issues effecting students. Team GPP wants all students to know that they have a voice at AMS Assembly and are more than welcome to come out every other week in order to be informed and express their opinions. Team GPP will assign a student to greet each member at large (a student without an elected or council position) at the door and be ready to answer any questions. Finally, Team GPP wants all of the clubs to feel supported by and connected to their AMS. Currently the Clubs Office consists of the Clubs Manager, as well as two under-utilized deputy positions. Team GPP would like to revamp these positions in order to give each deputy a set number of clubs that they directly oversee, making them the first point of contact for these clubs. This division will allow for greater club support and will create a liaison between clubs and the Clubs Manager.

- 25 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Municipal Affairs Commission (MAC)
The Municipal Affairs Commission is known by many as the housing commission. The truth is that the MAC provides many valuable programs and services aside from working on housing issues. A student can go the MAC with questions regarding housing, leases, landlords and the like. However the MAC also offers opportunities to volunteer in the Kingston community through program such as Generations, Kaleidoscope, the Breakfast Club and United Way, as well as providing handy services like Holiday House Check and the Student Property Assessment and Dwelling Education (SPADE) program. This year, the commission (along with the CAC) developed the University District Hockey League, and they are working to start the Student Maintenance and Resource Team (SMART). Team GPP is interested in working with SMART to continue to develop the program. The team would be going to houses in the University District in order to do small maintenance projects and upkeep for student houses. This program will help to ensure that real change is taking place in the student housing area, to coincide with the rebranding of the area as the University District. Team GPP is committed to supporting this program, as well as continuing to transition the new name for the housing area. After meeting with Mayor Gerretsen, we feel extremely positive about the support he and various individuals on the city side will provide for the program and rebranding. Further, Team GPP is committed to working with the position of the Employment Opportunities Facilitator in the MAC in order to ensure that Queens students are being made aware of potential summer and post-graduate jobs in the city in the most effective way possible. Team GPP will work to create a database of jobs for students to review and will work with the city, as well as the Kingston Economic Development Cooperation (KEDCO) to ensure the database is expansive. These relationships can also provide opportunities such as job fairs on campus for students. Team GPP is also committed to working with the city to gain more student representation on City Council committees and working groups. After speaking with Mayor Gerretsen, Team GPP feels that is important that students be represented more widely on the various groups that the city has, a suggestion the mayor was open to. As students, Kingston is our home, and it is important that we are having as much input as possible, and being given the opportunity to voice our needs, opinions and concerns.

- 26 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Social Issues Commission (SIC)
Born out of the Education Commission, the Social Issues Commission was formed in 1996. Now well-established, the SIC provides a variety of opportunities to engage with equity and anti-oppression work through various committees, services and events. The committees include mandates to work with issues such as mental health, racism, poverty, sexism, queer issues, (dis)ability issues, religious affairs, and gender, which they fulfill through various events or in the form of a publication. The services include the AMS Peer Support Centre and the Food Centre. In order to see continued growth and effective delivery of the SIC mandate, Team GPP would encourage the current initiatives of the SIC to their full extent as well as implement changes which we feel will be extremely positive. First, Team GPP would like to add a clothing donation section to the Food Centre. The Food Centre currently provides fresh and canned food, as well as some hygiene products, to undergraduate and graduate students. Team GPP would like to see this expanded so that clothing items can be donated to the Food Centre. This added resource will ensure that we are continuing to work to meet student needs in a variety of ways. Secondly, Team GPP will expand the hours of the AMS Peer Support Centre, as well as provide the opportunity for student input on the creation of more support/discussion groups. Currently, the AMS Peer Support Centre provides individual peer support seven days a week from 3pm until 1am. Team GPP would like to see this service be open 12 hours a day from 2pm until 2am, seven days a week. The centre has seen a massive increase in use over the past two years, and most noticeably in the fall semester of this academic year. We would like to ensure that the Peer Support Centre is providing as much support to students as possible and that they are open and available for an extended period of time. Further, Team GPP would like to survey students in order to see what types of support groups they would like to see the Peer Support Centre providing. Currently the centre runs a depression and anxiety support group, as well as a Graduate student group. We would like to gage student interest/need for other support groups and ensure that the centre is meeting that interest/need. Finally, Team GPP would like to create a Special Projects Deputy within the Social Issues Commission. This deputy would allow the commission to reach more students by running more educational campaigns on issues of equity and oppression. Further, the creation of this deputy position would allow students at large to work with the commission on their projects and access SIC resources.

- 27 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Offices
Communications Office
The AMS Communications Office is of extreme importance for the smooth running and operating of the Society. A few years ago, this Office used to operate as a Commission, but its structure was eventually changed to that of an Office under the direct supervision of the President. The Communications Officer is tasked with both receiving and communicating information that is relevant to the student body, the University, and to the Society as a whole. The Officer works closely with Queens Communications and any outside media that has expressed an interest in writing articles that relate to any of the Societys business. Over the last few years, and with the increasing role of social media in student life, the responsibilities of the Communications Office have increased while its human power has diminished. When the Office was a Commission, the Communications Commissioner had a sizeable number of people working under them to conduct different projects and facilitate the Commissioners work. With the current structure, the Communications Office only has a deputy and an intern working within this important Office. After speaking with the current Officer, Amanda Judd, it has become evident that this Office, along with the Marketing Office, could benefit from the creation of a Street Team that allows them to conduct special projects and reach out to the student body. With the new website, the Communications Office could really benefit from the addition of a new Web Deputy, capable of updating information onto the website in a rapid manner and reaching out to Faculty Societies and Clubs so that their events can be featured on the front page of the AMS Website. It is important to consider communication in two ways: one part being the AMS communicating things to students; and the other part being hearing from students and facilitating how they communicate their needs to us as student leaders.

- 28 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Human Resources Office
The Human Resource Office is one of vital importance for the smooth running of the Society as a whole. As both the Government and Corporate side of the AMS has increased drastically over the years, the amount of work and importance of this office has increased as well. The main portfolios of the HR Office are training, hiring, and recruitment. In addition to this, the office deals with employee development, staff and volunteer appreciation, discipline and conflict resolution, policy advising, and a few more things. After speaking with Alex Miller, the current Human Resources Officer, it seems like things are going fairly well with the Office. However, there are still a few areas in which the Office can grow and improve. For example, we want to make sure that ongoing training continues throughout the school year so that our employees are always following the highest standards set by the Society and they are as qualified as they can be. Moreover, we would like to have the Human Resource Office conduct an anonymous census of our employees in order to learn about the demographics of the students who work for the AMS. Finally, we want to implement online applications starting in the fall of 2012 hiring period in order to reduce paper waste, increase efficiency, and facilitate accessibility throughout the application process

- 29 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

I.T. Office
The IT Office is integral in the support and running of the AMS. Not only do they provide technical support to the AMS offices and services, but after acquiring the equipment from Queens IT, they now also rent out audio visual equipment to students and staff at a small cost. The IT office was paramount in the creating and running of the new myAMS.org. Alongside the executive, Marketing, and Communications, the IT office worked with the external company, Envision, to run the most effective website for students. They continue to work with the site, and work with AMS employees so that they can properly use to site to serve students. Further, the IT office works with the services to meet their various web-based needs. Team GPP will ensure the continued effective management of the IT Office. We will work to have good relations between the IT offices, and all of the other AMS offices and services. IT is an extremely important part of the AMS, and we will make sure that this is apparent. Further, we will work with the offices in order to ensure that myAMS.org continues to run effectively and smoothly. Finally, we will help facilitate the needs of our services, such as the web-based ordering system for Tricolour, in the coming year.

- 30 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Marketing Office
The Marketing Office has increased tremendously over the last few years, and it has done a great job so far under the leadership of Andrew Baldanza. We believe that given the amount of work and how useful the things the Marketing Office has worked on this year have been for the Society as a whole, the position should continue being a 12 month position. The Marketing Office has been working closely this year with the Communications Officer and many our platform points therefore overlap (particularly that of the Street Team). The main area of improvement for the Marketing Office could be the utilization of a Street Team that provides them with the availability to go seek students and obtain their feedback and input for different AMS related products. This Street Team has been described in the Communications Office section and it is something that the Marketing Office could also take advantage of and thus could work closely with throughout the school year. We need to look into Marketing not only as a tool to make our events (and those of clubs, other societies, etc) look better and more appealing, but also as an Office that studies the market that students comprise so that we are organizing events that students want to attend. We want to make sure that we are using money in ways that students want us to use, and thus this Office should play a vital role in obtaining that information through various market studies.

- 31 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Student Centre Office
The Student Life Centre (SLC) is the name used to describe several important buildings on campus that contain a large number of student-used spaces that contain activities, club space, and student governance, just to name a few things. The buildings that contain these things are the Queens Centre, JDUC, MacGillivrayBrown Hall, and 51 Bader Lane, also known as the Grey House. The management of the Student Life Centre in 2010-2011 is the newest addition to the AMS, and as with any new addition, adjustments and changes are required in order to improve our ability to offer services to students. The current management structure of SLC is run through the Student Centre Office, which is headed by the Student Centre Officer. After receiving feedback from the current management, it is clear that the Officer position needs to be transformed into a Director position in order to allow for the management structure to be more independent and for the new Student Centre Director to have more pull in the management and governance of this very important service. By giving the new Student Centre Director an increased amount of independence, decisions can be made faster and management will become more effective. Team GPP will also complete the current managements transition to a new online room booking system for SLC bookable spaces. Its important that students, clubs, and other campus organizations are able to efficiently and easily book space in our student-managed spaces in order to facilitate their events and activities. With the opening of the Queens Centre, weve seen a drastic decrease in student foot traffic through the JDUC. Team GPP recognizes that significant efforts have been made this year to promote activities and programming within the JDUC, and wed like to build on this current years success with an emphasis on increasing the frequency of fun activities and events that will draw students back into the JDUC. The JDUC is a historic monument to the ability of students to work together at any time. Just as students worked together after the JDUC burnt down in 1947 to fundraise enough to rebuild it, wed like to ignite a similar passion in students to use SLC spaces as gathering places for fun, conversation, and a shared Queens experience.

- 32 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Hospitality and Safety Services

Common Ground (CoGro)
Common Ground is another AMS service success story, after improving significantly off of the 2010-2011 revenue numbers; it is also on track to meet the AMS Board of Directors targets for the 2012-2013 year. The current management has made immense strides in creating a concrete foundation that the service is run off of, with only minor modifications needed to optimize its potential revenue. Specifically, Common Ground will target customers during some of its slower business hours, which are during dinnertime and later in the evening. Increasing traffic during those slow times is a key area for improvement that could have a significant impact on revenue. Possible ways of doing this are to create consistent activities or other programming in the Common Ground lounge area to create a larger base of customers to draw from. In addition, a constant emphasis on efficiency and consistency in creating food and drink products will continue to be one of the managements focuses in the upcoming year. The Common Ground Express has also increased its daily revenue to the point where it is now completely sustainable and is creating a healthy profit. A continuing project is to attract consumers to this location during the busy lunch hour in order to make room for additional customers at the main Common Ground location. Team GPP will continue this years project of expanding premade options available at the Common Ground Express. Team GPP is also very excited to see composting come to the Common Ground this January, and fully supports this important environmental initiative. We realize that composting at our AMS services can be costly and difficult logistically, but Team GPP is committed to creating and maintain as many green practices as possible to offset our impact on the environment.

- 33 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

The AMS Pub Services (T.A.P.S.)
As the provider of both the Queens Pub and Alfies Nightclub, TAPS is a major part of many students Queens experience. From grabbing a quick bite to eat between classes, watching sports on the weekends, or enjoying a Wednesday night of dancing with friends, TAPS provides all this and more. With this being said, its important to realize that these services have stiff competition from companies in the Hub area of Kingston, especially when it comes to Alfies on Friday nights. Increasing attendance on this night is a high priority for Team GPP. The current management has begun advertising a theme for every Friday Alfies, which is an excellent start and can be expanded on by concisely reminding students of everything that Alfies offers, mainly a student run venue that provides excellent service and good drink prices in a friendly atmosphere. Its also vital that students are actually aware of where Alfies is located. Its possible that tours of Alfies may be included during Orientation week to familiarize students with the general feel of this great venue. An important issue that TAPS management will need to keep an eye on is the Alcohol Working Group and any documents that they produce. Any suggestions or recommendations that this working group makes could have a significant impact on TAPS ability to offer the range of services that it currently offers, which will affect our customers experience.

- 34 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Queens Student Constables (QSC)
After the introduction of new provincial licensing requirements for individuals performing security related tasks in 2009-2010, the Queens Student Constables have been grappling with immensely increased costs of training new Student Constables, which has impacted their bottom line. In order to make this student service more sustainable in its current form, the current Student Constable leadership and Hospitality & Safety Services Director have planned for the implementation of a flat charge-out rate for constables of all seniority levels. Team GPP supports this change and will complete the implementation of this change. In addition, corporate sponsorships, grants, and other sources of revenue will be pursued to work towards making this service break even. As Student Constables are often one of the first faces that greet patrons in our AMS Pub Services, Team GPP believes the continuation of customer service training is an excellent idea in order to make the best impression possible. This training has also improved the general image of Student Constables, but Team GPP believes that theres still room for improvement. We hope to create a lasting positive image (especially amongst first-year students) of the Student Constables amongst the student body at large through yearly marketing campaigns, possibly in conjunction with Campus Security and Queens First Aid. We feel that a more personable and face-to-face strategy will reach a wider audience of students (rather than keeping most of the marketing constricted to Queens Journal ads), as well as creating a stronger impact among students that are reached.

- 35 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Walkhome
Walkhome is an important safety service on campus that provides walks around campus and the University District during the evening hours. This AMS service is unparalled in its usage compared to any other university in Canada with more walks performed than any other similar service. With twelve thousand walks last year, weve seen a continuous increase in the number of walks and Team GPP believes that this service can continue to plan for greater usage in the years to come. With this said, its still important to continue building this brand and the knowledge of it among the student population. With a recently increased student fee, this service is in excellent financial condition and will likely be meeting its budgeted targets. Team GPP will continue to budget for approximately around zero dollars in profit as we understand that the goal of Walkhome is to provide an important student service and no to generate any sort of profit. As always, one of the greatest challenges of Walkhome is trying to predict the nightly usage of the service in order to schedule a sufficient number of walk teams to meet patron demand. With previous usage data, next years Walkhome management team will continue to plan out the predicted patron need. Team GPP also believes in continuing to make the Walkhome kiosk a welcoming and friendly place that is as approachable as possible.

- 36 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Media Services

C.F.R.C
As one of the most unique services under the Media Services portfolio, CFRC is a campus-community radio station that services both students and the greater Kingston community. With this in mind, its very important to properly balance the provision of positions to both students and community members. In addition, the CFRC must continue to ensure that all Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) rules regarding the operation of the station and content requirements. In order to continue the growth and maintenance of this service, one of the largest issues that needs to be addressed is the issue of student funding. Due to the fact that the CFRC is the oldest campus-community radio station in Canada at 90 years old and that CFRC offers a unique experience and skills that cant be found anywhere else on this campus, the AMS needs to review if the modest student fee of $4.93 should be increased considering the financial need of this historic and important service. Under the current management, the decision has been made to move the CFRCs current collection of CDs and vinyl records to the digital format in order to create a more efficient digital audio library. Team GPP supports this move to a more modern system that will increase the efficiency of CFRC. In addition, Team GPP also realizes that CFRC provides volunteer opportunities to more than two hundred individuals, which gives them an opportunity to learn hands on skills related to radio and media. As Queens doesnt offer an equivalent program or course, we feel its important to protect this learning opportunities for students.

- 37 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Queens TV
QTV has seen immense growth in the last year: it now features daily online content releases, in addition to breaking news and live sports. This has created an audience that is more aware of and engaged in the Queens community. However, there are still positive changes that could be made to this service to allow community members to take greater advantage of it. We hope to bring QTV closer to the everyday lives of students, as well provide them with up-to-date news, entertainment and content through the introduction of mobile applications and podcasts. However, to aid in the continuation of consistent content creation, we plan to investigate additional, more permanent studio space. This permanent studio space would allow QTV to create more elaborate content, in addition to allowing breaking news coverage to have a location to film. To make the growth of QTV realistic, current and additional funding sources will need to be evaluated in terms of the amount of advertising revenue, video factory production revenue, student fees, and external sponsorship. A combination that involves video factory revenue and external sponsorship is ideal in order to offset the necessity of increasing the amount of advertisements currently included in content. We will also be pursuing another live-streaming contract with Queens Athletics and Recreation for the upcoming year, which will provide substantial financial benefit to QTV. The paid QTV Business Manager will continue to build relationships with both off-campus and on-campus groups, in order to sustain the demand for video factory services. It takes time to secure consistent use from a diverse customer base, but video factory revenue has luckily been increasing at an excellent rate.

- 38 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Queens Journal
As one of the oldest student newspapers in Canada, the Journal consistently strives for high quality student journalism in addition to providing opportunities for students to develop skills that are not taught in the classroom at this university. With such valuable opportunities, Team GPP believes in strongly supporting the AMS media services in order to protect their ability to offer students a diverse experience that will give them useful tools in their future careers or endeavors. In order to provide this service, an ongoing struggle in the current economy is finding local advertisers that are willing to spend money on a consistent basis. With this being said, the Queens Journal has been continuously updating and reinforcing its web based content, which also allows space for the more popular form of online advertising. Team GPP believes that a continued emphasis on web based content and presentation is especially important as our society continues to shift to a more web-centric need for information and news. To further this, the already planned mobile application will also allow smartphone users to continue to connect to and view Queens Journal content. Team GPP realizes that Queens Journal will be financially accountable through the Journal Board and continues to believe that editorial content should be under the purview of the Editors in Chief.

- 39 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Yearbook and Design Services (YDS)
After a rebranding of the Tricolour Publication Service to the Yearbook and Design Services (YDS) in 2011, its important to try and rebuild the brand and increase student recognition for what YDS is able to offer them. The primary focuses of this service in the coming years are that wed like students to recognize that when they attend an event hosted by organizations on campus, they can find and tag themselves in photographs on the YDS Facebook page. Ideally, wed like students to treat the YDS Facebook page as the go to location for professional photographs taken at campus events. This would hopefully increase interest in the yearbook as the year end publication that includes photos of campus events and activities. Every year, YDS tries to distribute approximately 5200 yearbooks to students who didnt opt out of the Queens Yearbook. This can be an especially difficult task considering that many students dont know where or how to pick up this valuable memory of a students Queens experience. This years management has developed an effective system for yearbook distribution that will carry onto next year, and hopefully continue to be improved.

- 40 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

AMS Retail Services

Publishing and Copy Centre (P&CC)
With another estimated strong financial year for the Publishing & Copying Centre, this service is on track to meet the AMS Board of Directors targets that have been set to be reached in 2012-2013. This is mostly in thanks to an increase in professor use of coursepacks when Queens decided to not renew its agreement with Access Copyright due to a substantial increase in fees. In addition, with a trending increase in back shop printing and a reduction in self-service copying, Team GPP agrees with P&CC management that an increased amount of space should dedicated for back shop printing and services to allow this service to expand and serve students better. In order to achieve this, a summer renovation will occur to increase back shop service space, which will provide additional storage and work space in addition to more room for back shop machines. By simply following the ongoing trend of reduced self-service printing, we can provide students with faster and more efficient services, which will hopefully lead to increased growth and revenue in the back shop areas of P&CC.

- 41 -

THE GOLD STANDARD

Tricolour Outlet
After the Tricolour Outlet creation in 2010-2011, this service has been doing its best to re-brand itself among the student population, and create a consistent need for some of its services on a year round basis, rather than just in September or January. Some success has been found as this service is projecting to loss less money than last year, but significant measures will need to be taken in order for the Tricolour Outlet to meet the AMS Board of Directors targets in 2012-2013. One of the biggest advantages that this service has on its side is its positive relationship with Coach Canada. It is immensely beneficial to students that the Tricolour Express is able to pick students up on campus rather just at the bus station on John Counter Boulevard. This year, the AMS will also have a new online ticket portal in conjunction with Coach Canada that is the first of its kind in Canada. That being said, the amount of profit generated off of each Tricolour Express ticket is quite minimal, which leads Team GPP to believe that in upcoming negotiations with Coach Canada, the AMS will need to bargain effectively on behalf of students to lower Coach Canadas take of each ticket sale. It is also vital that the Tricolour Outlet cement its marketing brand on campus with the additional support and resources of the AMS Marketing Office. An effective, recognizable, and remembered brand is key for the growth of this service, especially considering how new it is.

- 42 -