Science, Arts Undergraduate Societies to Undergo Changes to Code

SUS is focusing upon council representation and clarifying a structure that more closely approximates the EUS while the AUS is seeking to better engage its club representatives by making mandatory the participation of club executives on AUS Council.

SUS Council to Shrink by 26; Clubs to Engage Differently with Society

Code changes in the SUS, led by the Director of Administration, Kiran Mahal, has focused upon changes to council structure to strike club representatives as voting members of council, leaving a council comprised of executives, program representatives, general officers and members ex officio. In total, these code changes will mean a reduction of 26 members to the Student Council, streamlining Council processes. Clubs, no longer serving on SUS Council, will engage with the society through club fora, regularly scheduled meetings for SUS and club executives in order to address concerns unique to clubs. Clubs are still highly encouraged to send representatives to serve on committees as well as participate in Council without voting.

General officers gain new duties to liaise with non-departmental clubs while program representatives are highly encouraged to work with departmental clubs.

Code changes regarding executive portfolio may also be forthcoming pending a review of executive duties.

Changes to Club Representation on AUS Council; New Executive Position, VP Student Life

In the AUS, code changes initiated by the President, Brian Platt, and VP Internal, Arash Ehteshami, also focus upon council reform, primarily revolving around the relationship between AUS council and its constituent clubs as well as the creation of a new executive position, the VP Student Life.

Club representatives, usually different people than club executives, currently comprise the majority of AUS Council and are responsible for connecting the AUS with its clubs. In practice, Platt suggests that this system fails to engage clubs in meaningful ways with the AUS, contributing to a culture of passivity and disinterest. Changes to requirements of club representatives will mandate that either the President or VP External must sit on AUS Council as a club representative in order to ensure that club representatives have a vested interest in the success of the AUS. Club grant funding procedures will be amended to reflect such changes.

A change that has already passed Council is the creation of a new executive position in the AUS, the creation of the VP Student Life, who takes over the responsibilities of Imagine Day activities, frAUSh, Arts Week from the overloaded VP External portfolio as well as new responsibilities for recruitment and maintenance of a volunteer pool within the AUS. Other executive portfolios also received housekeeping attention. Notably, VP Administration becomes the VP Student Services, responsible for existing duties as well as managing AUS Student Services such as locker rentals and MASS bookings.

If you’re interested in contributing towards changes to code for either the Science or Arts Undergraduate Societies, I highly recommend contacting those in charge of code changes. These changes are substantive and will likely determine the ways in which a society will either succeed or fail in engaging its constituents for years to come.

Proactive Disclosure: I’m currently serving as an executive for both the Science and Arts Undergraduate Societies. I am not sitting on committees or working groups contributing towards these substantive changes to code.