Exploring Open Collections: Alma Mater Society Image Collection: Part II

If you are a UBC student or alum, there is something you would not want to miss: the Alma Mater Society Image Collection. This two-part series will explore the historical photographs from the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia Vancouver. You can view Part I here.

Included in this collection, developed and maintained by the Alma Mater Society (or AMS, the student society of UBC Vancouver), are digitized photographs from the earliest days of the University until the present day. They present a view of student life including images of the AMS Executive, Student Council, student protests, other student activities over the past century and images of the Student Union Building (SUB) and other buildings students helped pay for on campus.

After we explore images of the AMS Executive and Student Council in Part I, we compile images of student protests and student activities in Part II.

Student Protests

When UBC increased tuition fees, students would gather and protest. These images depict student protests against increases in tuition fees in the past decades. If you zoom in on the images, you can read their messages on the picket signs and banners, for example, “Increase Funding Not User Fees 11% Now”, “education must be a priority in B.C.”, “Keep the Cap” and “No Way Strang Way”.

[Tuition Protest], [1989-03-09]

Tuition Protest, 1993

Tuition Protest, [not after 2010]

Apart from protests over university tuition fees, numerous students and faculty including AMS executives and UBC President and Vice-Chancellor participated in the Great Farm Trek ‘09 to save the UBC Farm when UBC was deciding the future of the 24-hectare UBC Farm back in 2009.

Great Farm Trek 2009 march, 2009

[A sign from Great Farm Trek 2009], 2009

Great Farm Trek suggestion wall, 2009

[Stephen Toope and AMS executives at the Great Farm Trek 2009], 2009

If you wish to explore more images of protests, please visit the AMS Image Collection to conduct subject searches:

https://open.library.ubc.ca/search?q=*&subject=Protest movements&collection=ams

Student Activities

Students are encouraged to organize and attend campus events to enrich their university life. Before the term starts in September, students can participate in Imagine UBC to meet their classmates and professors. During the winter terms, they would a chance to explore all AMS clubs on Clubs Days likely held in September and January. By the end of Winter Term II, it is time for the Storm the Wall which students can challenge and storm a twelve-foot wall with their teammates! At the end of Winter Term II, students can join the AMS Block Party to celebrate the last day of classes.