Fonds F1517 - Alma Mater Society of Queen's University fonds

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Title proper

Alma Mater Society of Queen's University fonds

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Fonds

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Date(s)

  • 1859-1981 (Creation)
    Creator
    The Alma Mater Society of Queen's University

Physical description area

Physical description

32 m of textual records

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Name of creator

(1858-)

Administrative history

The oldest student association in Canada, the Alma Mater Society has been the central student organization at Queen's since its founding in 1858. Its original goals were social and academic, as well as, political, which were to promote "the maintenance and defence of students' rights, the interchange of friendly intercourse, the promotion and encouragement of learning, and the furtherance of the general interests of the University." It grew out of the old Dialectic Society, a debating association, founded in 1843. It officially remained a debating society until late in the century. Gradually, however, it also took on more and more responsibility for student affairs, as well as for actual student self-government; that is, for the maintenance of non-academic student discipline. This responsibility began informally to be delegated to students in the 1880s, and in 1898, it was officially delegated by the University Senate to the Alma Mater Society, and the latter's new "AMS Court." In the same year, the AMS overhauled its constitution, and adopted roughly its modern role of representing the views of students, plus coordinating and financing other student societies.

Today, the AMS acts as a service, advocacy, and governing body on behalf of all students, except those enrolled in the School of Graduate Studies and Research, who had left in 1982, to form their own graduate student society (which over time became the Society for Professional and Graduate Students or SPGS. Among the many services the AMS operates, or oversees, are two campus bars, Alfie's, and the Queen's Pub, the "Queen's Journal" newspaper, Common Ground coffeehouse, the Student Constable system, more than one hundred (100) student clubs, the "Who's Where" student directory, and the "Tricolour Yearbook". It also sponsors, or co-sponsors, many campus events, including Orientation Week and Alumni Weekend. The AMS Judicial Committee now plays the role of the original AMS Court . The AMS has an elected Assembly of representatives from the student faculty societies, a ten-person Council, headed by an elected three-person Executive (one President and two Vice-Presidents). Members of the Executive are ex-officio observers on the Board of Trustees and one representative of the AMS is an ex-officio member of the Senate. The Principal meets regularly with the Executive to discuss issues of particular concern to students. A new AMS Executive is elected by students every Spring. The Society's offices are located in the John Deutsch University Centre .

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of .correspondence; minutes; financial records; subject files; and pamphlets; as well as records of the Office of the President (1976-1990) and Vice-President (Operations) (1982-1989); a copy of "Brood With Tradition", produced by the AMS, and recorded at Queen's University at Kingston (1988); massive birthday card signed by the students of Queen's in celebration of the University's 150th Anniversary (16 October 1991)

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Alma Mater Society.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

1001.24
1005
1089.1
1090.5
3621
3621.7
3735.2
MI 30
Queen's Printed Collection
Offsite

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Access restricted for 1090.5.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Copyright provisions may apply. Please consult with an archivist.

Associated materials

The video cassette, entitled "Brewed With Tradition", should be consulted in conjunction with material available in Locator #1090.5.

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Further accruals are expected

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Location (use this to request the file)

  • Shelf: 1001.24
  • Shelf: 1005
  • Shelf: 1089.1
  • Shelf: 1090.5
  • Shelf: 3621
  • Shelf: 3621.7
  • Shelf: 3735.2
  • Shelf: MI 30
  • Shelf: Queen's Printed Collection
  • Shelf: Offsite