ASUS

MID-SUMMER REPORT
2015-2016
Brandon Jamieson
President

&

Andrew DiCapua
Vice President

125 Years Strong

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Dear ArtScis,

OPENING WORDS

First, we want to introduce ourselves! Our names are Brandon and Andrew - and were your
new Arts and Science Undergraduate Society Executive. We couldnt be more proud and
humbled to have been selected as your 125th ASUS Executive.
In the midst of your summer jobs, travel, school, or just relaxation, we hope youve been able
to take a few minutes to yourself to soak in this beautiful summer sun!
Providing you with a mid-summer report lets you know what weve been working on thus far
and what we've got planned for the next 10 months. As with all things, if you have any
questions or want to know more about something, dont hesitate to reach out to us! Brandon
can be reached at president@asus.queensu.ca and Andrew at vp@asus.queensu.ca.
That said, heres what weve accomplished to date!

Table of Contents

Opening Words . 2
Platform Promises 3

Opening words
Online Applications
Personal Interest Credit
Mental Health Resources
Undergraduate Research
What else is new 5
Accessibility at ASUS
ASUS is going GREEN
125th Anniversary
Getting Involved
Orientation Week
ASUS Camps
Commission Updates 7
Academics
Community Outreach
Equity
Internal Affairs
Marketing
Services
Closing Thoughts 10

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Platform Goals
Online Applications
After taking office on May 1st, Brandon and Andrew were determined to find a solution for the
outdated application process. Historically, applying for a position within ASUS was a tedious,
unpleasant, and inaccessible opportunity. Requiring candidates to print out a copy of their
application and other resources meant thousands of sheets of paper were used each year, as
well as many visits to 183 University Avenue. The process was equally difficult for those
conducting the interview process because applications were frequently misplaced, forgotten,
or incomplete. However after some time negotiating details with a San Francisco based firm,
Brandon and Andrew are incredibly proud and excited to say online applications are now at
ASUS.
Getting involved has never been so easy! Now, all open positions will be simply displayed on
the ASUS website. After finding a position that is right for you, you'll be able to provide all
required components of the application online. Whether you're on exchange, crunched for
time, or dont have access to a printer, were doing our best to remove any barriers to getting
involved. By September 1st, all aspects of the hiring process will hopefully be entirely digitized.
This includes a comprehensive summary or all available positions as well as corresponding job
descriptions so students have a better idea of what they're getting involved with.
Online applications is just one of the ways Brandon & Andrew have been investing back into
students to make ASUS more sustainable, accessible, and relevant to its students!

Personal Interest Credit (Pass/Fail Credit)

The Personal Interest Credit was a central campaign promise of Brandon and Andrew. Risk
aversion has become especially common in students, and were finding ways to mitigate that
fear. Brandon and Andrew are convinced that a grade should never be a barrier to pursuing
ones interests, especially if Queens continues to offer a well-balanced education. The Personal
Interest Credit is a system that would allow a student to use a certain number of elective credits
to take a class where the grade they receive is recorded as either a pass or a fail where a
fail doesn't negatively impact your GPA.
While this project was large and seemingly difficult to accomplish, Brandon and Andrew
couldnt be more excited to report on its status. Since May 1st, they've been actively
collaborating with their partners in the AMS and in the Faculty with very warm reception.
Without giving too much away, Brandon and Andrew are hopeful and optimistic to see this
project come to light within their term! Stay tuned ArtScis, Brandon and Andrew will
continually need your support for this project!

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Mental Health Resources on Campus

5 out of 5 ArtSci students have mental health, and with numbers like that, Brandon and Andrew
make it a part of their discussion everyday! On their platform there were several different
components to this expansion of resources that they planned for.
Firstly, every first-year will receive a copy of the Principals Commission on Mental Health
Resource card in their frosh handbook. Awareness for mental wellness and the associated
resources is going to start on Day 1 for all first-years.
Next, they wanted to ensure that Academic Advisors in the Faculty of Arts & Science receive
thorough mental health first aid training to act as a first line of defence for students
struggling with academic related sources of stress, anxiety, or depression. Currently, advisors
do receive some training from Student Wellness Services (SWS) but Brandon and Andrew are
looking for ways to expand that.
Finally, Brandon and Andrew wanted to bring the Embedded Counsellor Program to the
Faculty of Arts and Science. Having faculty specific counsellors has been a huge success in
other faculties such as the School of Graduate Studies, Concurrent Education, and Engineering.
By bringing in several counsellors specific for students in Arts & Science allows them to cater
their services to our needs. Brandon and Andrew are well into discussions with the Office of
Advancement and the Faculty of Arts and Science on how to best approach this situation.
Brandon and Andrew are hopeful to see targeted donations secured by the end of the year,
and the counsellor program implemented shortly after.
Stay tuned for whats next, Brandon and Andrew will need loud student support to make sure
this project gets expedited!

Undergraduate Research
What sets a Queens student apart from all the rest, is getting to attend the quintessential
balanced academy - where research and academic excellence collide with an immeasurable
student experience. Queens is consistently ranked as a U-15 University, one of Canadas top 15
research intensive schools. However, undergraduate students are frequently left out of the
research component of this school. Have you ever wondered what your professors may be
researching or how you may be able to help them? Maybe youve found a question you want
answered?
Brandon and Andrew are committed to breaking barriers that prohibit undergraduate
involvement in research. From expanding funding options for Faculty members dedicated to
incorporating undergraduate students in their research, to helping grow the Undergraduate
Student Summer Research Fellowship (USSRF), Brandon and Andrew are consistently
examining ways to enhance your academic experience at Queens.
THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

What else is new

Accessibility at 183 University Avenue
Brandon and Andrew believe staying relevant is only possible when they're accessible to every
student they serve. At the ASUS office at 183 University Avenue, accessibility has always been
an issue. The only accessible door is frequently blocked by boxes from Queens leather jackets,
as well its difficult to open, and there is no central accessible meeting space in the entire
office. While recognizing these inherent issues, Brandon and Andrew wanted an expert opinion
on it.
The first ever Accessibility Audit was completed in late May, where the entire office space was
evaluated for compliance with Accessibility for Ontarian's with Disabilities Act (AODA). Some
major problems were highlighted, so over the next few months, Brandon and Andrew will
continually plan to make 183 University Avenue more accessible.
Next, Brandon and Andrew came up with a pragmatic solution to the jacket clutter to clear out
the first floor. Then they brought furniture in to create an accessible and collaborative meeting
space on the first floor so anyone can attend.
Finally, by having all applications for jobs accessible online, you dont need to be able to get
inside the office at 183 University Avenue to stay involved.
Over the coming months, Brandon and Andrew will use the results from the accessibility audit
to plan out how they'd like to make the ASUS office more accessible.

ASUS is going GREEN

While making ASUS sustainable wasnt a cornerstone of their platform, Brandon and Andrew
are doing what they can to reduce ASUS footprint on the earth.
Firstly, they wanted to save student dollars and conserve energy so Brandon and Andrew
installed high-efficiency lightbulbs throughout the office.
Now, Brandon and Andrew are investigating putting 183 University on BullFrog power, an
entirely clean source of power. By making the switch to BullFrog power, Brandon and Andrew
would be able to drastically cut back energy consumption at the office, while making
sustainable investments in clean energy.

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Going forward, Brandon, Andrew, and their entire council are strategizing on how ASUS can
support sustainable initiatives on campus. If you have any ideas, make sure to let Brandon or
Andrew know!

125th Celebration Planning

Established in 1890, ASUS is getting pretty old! This year ASUS is turning 125!
To celebrate this huge occasion, we have an Anniversary Coordinator to plan everything fun.
Were hoping to have a week long event to celebrate this, so stay tuned for events and
giveaways throughout the year!

Getting Involved
Getting involved with ASUS is a fantastic way to meet new people that share your interests, as
well as garnering experience in something other than school! Come September, hundreds of
new positions will open up! Everything from committee volunteers to a Human Resources
Deputy, there is something for everyone here! Stay tuned for the launch of our new application
software, were making it easier than ever to get involved this year!

Orientation Week
Orientation Week is always a huge success for ASUS, and this year Brandon and Andrew are
counting on Head Gael, Adam Sage, to set a new standard for Orientation Week! Registration
is now open for all first year students at www.queensASUS.com/orientation, believe us, there
are enough spots for everyone and the cost is fixed!
The Orientation Committee has been hard at work over the past few months getting
everything ready - Brandon and Andrew couldnt be more proud of all their hard work!

ASUS Camps
Under the watchful eye of Camps Directors, Rachel Costello (Business) and Griffen Daoust
(Curriculum), ASUS Camps has been gliding along perfectly! The dedication of their incredible
staff is just one example of the selflessness evident in all ASUS employees.
Brandon and Andrew are especially proud of Camps way of managing crises as they present
themselves. With a whirlwind of troubles thrown at them, Rachel and Griffen are running one of
the most successful summer camps weve ever had!

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Commission Updates

Academics

During the summer, the Academics Commission has been quite busy. ASUS Peer Tutoring has
continued to run throughout the summer, providing tutoring for both summer Queens students
and high school students. The APT website and database are now updated and ready for the
school year. Queens Canadian Leadership Conference (QCLC) planning is off and running, with
the co-chairs putting together some great ideas for QCLCs 10th anniversary. This year might
just be our best year yet!
Finally, the Academics Commissions three publications (Politicus, the Undergraduate Review,
and the Queens Science Undergraduate Research Journal) have all been planning for the
upcoming year.
Keep a look out during Orientation Week and early in the fall for opportunities to get involved,
submit your work to one of our publications, or keep up to date with QCLC!

Community Outreach
The Community Outreach Commission has been busy working on a number of
initiatives in order to help organize the upcoming school year. This upcoming month,
we will be finalizing which charity we would like to partner with for the Global Initiatives
Committee. Through Cancer Triad, we are also looking into developing a Patient Care
Assessment volunteer position at the Kingston General Hospital so that ASUS Cancer
Triad volunteers may get more hands-on experience.
The Community Outreach commission has also been working on fostering positive
relationships with community organizations from the greater Kingston community.
Furthermore, we have been meeting with local chapter representatives to discuss and
better understand how we may be able to fulfill some of their needs. As such, we are
also in the midst of planning how we may use a volunteer board to better organize
volunteers for one-time local chapter events.

Equity
All of the committees within the Equity and Diversity Commission have been very busy
preparing for the upcoming school year! Chairs have been working hard to draft
preliminary and final strategic plans and budgets. Many committees will be
collaborating on events next year in order to better highlight the intersectionalities
present within the topics the committees focus on. While in the midst of training and
THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

transitioning all the Equity and Diversity Chairs, we have begun brainstorming different
recruitment strategies for hiring committee members in the fall.
The Equity and Diversity Commissioner has been working closely with the Social Issues
Commissioner of the AMS to create the foundation for an Equity Library project. This
project aims at mobilizing the pre-existing resources available in both the SIC and
Equity and Diversity Commission onto a website so that the librarys inventory is
accessible to all students in an organized fashion.
As well, the Equity Commission has been making progress on the recommendations
within the Mental Health Strategic Plan has been and will continue to be a priority
through out the year for the Commission.

Internal Affairs
This summer, the Internal Affairs Commission is working towards ensuring that ASUS is
shipshape and running effectively. The assembly meetings, to which all Arts and Science
students are welcome, have been booked for the 2015-2016 year.
There will be several opportunities to get involved in the Internal Affairs Commission this fall!
The Policy and Elections Review Committee will be hiring committee members. In addition, the
Chief Returning Officer will be selecting two Deputy Returning Officers to assist in the
facilitation of the elections that ASUS holds next year. In addition, there are some seats on
ASUS Assembly that will be filled in the Fall By-Election. These positions are: the 2019 Year
President and Vice President, a first year ASUS Representative to the AMS, and two at-large
Representatives to the AMS.

Marketing
The Marketing Commission has been very busy this summer getting ready for the upcoming
school year. Orders for some new promotional items for Sidewalk Sale and Orientation Week
have been ordered. In addition, Photography, Graphic Design, Video and Promotions
Committees have submitted finalized Strategic Plans and are working on budgets for the
upcoming year. Planning for the 125th Anniversary of ASUS is well underway, and we cant wait
to show you all of the things that will be planned for the upcoming year. Stay tuned for updates
on everything we have in store.

The Marketing Deputy has been busy starting a library of templates for marketing requests,
such as templates for posts on the Facebook page, Facebook cover photos, posters, and so
on. This library is meant to be a resource for Chairs and their committees if they are unable to
submit a Graphic Design request within a given turnaround time.

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Services
The Services Commission has been working tirelessly throughout the summer to continuously
provide exemplary services for Arts and Science students. Laura has been reaching out to
suppliers for Move-In Day Sale to ensure the best value and prices for students.
Good Times Diner has an amazing team of dedicated volunteers and director that ensure
healthy and accessible meals are provided every Tuesday and Thursday evening all summer.
Good Times Diner is always looking for more volunteers; so if you are interested please do not
hesitate to email queensgoodtimesdiner@gmail.com. Zachary Lash, the Jackets Director, has
been working tirelessly to formulate positive relationships with our Jackets suppliers to ensure
the best quality and accountability for Arts and Science students. Finally, Laura, EngSoc, SLC
and Imaginus have all been working well together to get the Poster Sale ready for September!

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

Closing Thoughts
These past two months have been absolutely incredible for us. Writing this Mid-Summer
Report not only provides you with an idea of what were working on, but it helps us focus on
how far weve come in just 76 days.
Each day for us begins with a brief meeting to discuss where problems lie for students in Arts &
Science, and how we can fix them. From making applications more accessible, expanding
mental health resources, establishing the Personal Interest Credit, to enhancing the research
portfolio for undergraduate students, were working every day to make ASUS and Arts &
Science a little better for everyone.
Were half way there, and now were looking forward to our next two months of summer. We
cant wait to watch Camps continue to excel, Orientation Week to begin to take shape, and
especially, we cant wait for your return to campus. With that in mind, enjoy the rest of your
summer, leave the rest to us! See you in September.
Cha Gheill,

Brandon Jamieson
President

Andrew DiCapua
Vice President

THE ARTS & SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY

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