AMS Council approved a motion on Wednesday night allowing UBC Sororities to retain its funds if its club status is removed.
The motion suspends AMS Code Section IX B, Article 3(6) and the AMS Operations Committee Policy Manual Section 4.3(g)(v), sections that stipulate that any deconstituted clubs’ funds should be eventually folded into the Clubs Benefits Fund. This suspension would allow UBC Sororities to retain its funds of $161,000 if deconstituted.
Following the AMS’s deconstitution of fraternities in 2019, a preliminary assessment in early 2020 found UBC Sororities to be in violation of AMS policy. A full review was put aside due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but began again this year following The Ubyssey’s coverage of the delay.
Associate VP Administration Ben Du presented the findings of a UBC Sororities bylaw review, due to VP Administration Lauren Benson’s conflict of interest.
The review found that many of UBC Sororities bylaws are in violation of the AMS Operations Committee Policy Manual. Many violations related to UBC Sororities’ compliance with the National Panhellenic Council constitution, as the AMS prohibits clubs from non-AMS operational control. Gender exclusivity in sorority recruitment and membership also violates AMS policy.
Du also explained an acknowledgement of terms had been reached between the AMS and UBC Sororities to transfer remaining funds to UBC Sororities.
He said returning the funds would prevent ending services for sorority members, and avoid potential “legal conflict, political repercussions, and reputational damage” to the AMS.
UBC Sororities Panhellenic President Elizabeth Boland-Janke and Former President Eleni Bascombe spoke at the meeting. Both spoke about the important place they believe sororities hold for women on campus and expressed concern over the possibility of losing funds.
“This is about a marginalized group fighting for their right to exist on campus,” Bascombe said.
Boland-Janke said that legal action would be taken if their funds were withheld by the AMS upon deconstitution.
The motion originally introduced sought Council approval of club status removal, an approval an acknowledgement of terms with sororities and a suspension code to allow the sororities’ funds to be transferred back to them.
President Cole Evans introduced an amendment, referring the official deconstitution to Operations Committee. He said removal of club status is not Council responsibility and that the referral would give time for potential issues surrounding deconstitution to be resolved.
Senate representative Julia Burnham and Board of Governors representative Max Holmes expressed concern that such a substantial amendment to the original motion was made during the meeting.
Burnham also said that AMS club status is not a “be-all, end-all,” and sororities could continue to operate if deconstituted.
VP External Saad Shoaib said that returning the money was the “optimal route of action” and that it is important for the AMS to maintain a healthy relationship with sororities so they can continue to access AMS facilities and resources.
Councillor Emily Reid expressed support for the motion as students who had contributed funds to sororities would receive the benefits of it. Councillor Rominah Hajizadeh also expressed support.
“These are 800+ students that are also AMS members, and we have to keep their best interests in mind as well, and their best interest is getting that money back if they need it to operate,” she said.