and provincial governments and institutions for the benefit of the student body. For example, the AMS lobbied against the $16 million funding cuts to B.C. post-secondary institutions in 2009. On September 25, 2012, the AMS founded Get OnBoard BC, a coalition of transit stakeholders in the Metro Vancouver region to lobby for increases to public transit funding. The organization continues to exist today as a separate registered not for profit under the BC Societies Act. Representation By paying student fees, a student becomes a member of the AMS. Membership entitles students to vote in AMS elections and referendums, and utilize the many services that are provided by the student society and the university. In addition to being a member of the AMS, any UBC student is a member the respective constituent society that represents all the students in a given faculty. These groups, including the Arts Undergraduate Society, Science Undergraduate Society, Commerce Undergraduate Society and Engineering Undergraduate Society (the big four), as well as the hold the elections for their respective seats on AMS Council. Unlike the undergraduate programs with direct elections, Graduate Student seats on AMS council are appointed by the council of the Graduate Student Society, which is recognized by the University as the representative body of graduate students. The AMS was a founding member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. Due to scandal, the AMS withdrew from CASA in the late 1990s, but later rejoined. In 2008, AMS Council voted to step down to Associate Membership, citing concerns over centralized control, costs and value. In October 2009, AMS Council voted to withdraw entirely from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, however, this decision was overturned on March 31, 2010, until the AMS ultimately withdrew entirely in November 2011. The AMS is currently affiliated with the Undergraduates of Canadian Research Intensive Universities and voted to become a full member of the federal student coalition in May, 2021. On December 1, 2013, the AMS formally founded the Alliance of British Columbia Students, a not for profit confederation of British Columbia student societies advocating for a better post-secondary landscape in BC. The organization at the time represented nine student associations. The AMS voted to leave the ABCS in 2015. Though the AMS is not affiliated with any provincial student federation, it has worked with the Simon Fraser Student Society and the BC Federation of Students to lobby the provincial