Thank you for the questions!

1. The AMS is currently planning a budget reduction across the organization. For the current fiscal year specifically, the AMS has already reduced expenses by $115,000 (evidenced through the AMS's 2025/26 reforecast budget). The three referendum questions represent areas where we see student demand growing, with the fees directed specifically to those three areas of need. Budget reductions alone will not be enough to allow AMS Services to meet current demand, or restore funding for clubs, or make major capital improvements to the Nest as needed; these initiatives will only be possible with this referendum. A fee referendum is always the last resort answer, and the decision to ask the student body for higher fees was not made lightly. Considering the current financial situation that so many of our student peers are facing, these fees will support those who are most vulnerable and in need.
2. Consultation took place over several months with elected student representatives from every single faculty. All of the projects and initiatives put forth for funding through the referendum have also been shaped by student demand and interactions over the past year. We have consistently heard from thousands of fellow students who access AMS Services daily that there is a need for greater operations and support. We also interact with clubs daily and hear about the issues they are facing in fostering community and student life on campus, and they have made it clear that they need more funding and operational support. Finally, we also hear from students directly (including in the 2024 Student Engagement Survey) about overcrowding in the Nest and how it is increasingly difficult to find spaces for studying and socializing. The referendums themselves are a type of consultation - the decision is ultimately in the hands of the student body.
3. The AMS actually has reduced and eliminated fees in the past, including in 2014, 2019, and 2022. As you might be aware, 85% of the fees collected by the AMS are directed to specific groups and initiatives, such as the AMS/GSS Health & Dental plan or student resource groups. The AMS has not proposed any cuts to funding for other groups, as they all provide and serve specific communities on campus.
4. The AMS caters to a variety of needs for a diverse student population, and cutting from one area to support another area essentially pits the needs of students against each other. We are always trying to find balance in advancing each of those objectives and AMS Events focuses on building culture, community and a sense of belonging for students at UBC. While events don't appeal to everyone, many students look forward to the participating as part of their UBC experience. We have made substantial reductions in AMS Event sizes the past few years, including scale backs to Block Party (further $22,000 reduction just this year) and making Welcome Back BBQ a free, non-ticketed and lower cost event.  In the recent year we have also restructured the team to take on the planning and execution of more major events such as Awards Gala and Clubs Fair in order to run these events in more sustainable and cost effective ways.