Citing possible violations of three financial bylaws, the Earl Warren College Judicial Board has issued a preliminary injunction freezing $150 in funds initially promised for the UCSD Asian and Pacific-Islander Student Alliance’s 11th-annual high school conference. The debate over the conference funding also nearly resulted in the disqualification of Warren College Judicial Board Chair Harry Khanna from presiding over any related hearings of the case.
Warren Freshman Senator Matt Herrick filed a grievance against the Warren College Student Council on Nov. 8, alleging that it had violated three of its bylaws in funding the APSA conference that took place on Nov. 13. Many students from various campus organizations volunteered at the conference.
The event provided counseling about college application and admission issues for students from nearby high schools.
The first bylaw states that the council “shall allocate its funds to serve the Warren College student body and to support registered UCSD and Warren organizations whose projects benefit the Warren community.”
The second bylaw that Herrick charged has been violated states that “WCSC shall not fund the following types of events: those that do not benefit Warren College students of the Warren community [and] those not open to Warren College.” The final bylaw states that organizations receiving funding must name WCSC as a co-sponsor of the event, with a failure to do so resulting in the suspension of all future financial support.
Of the three allegations, the Warren College Judicial Board found only the first one to be a possible bylaw violation, and passed a preliminary injunction against reimbursing APSA for the conference.
“On a personal level, I think this conference is an amazing opportunity,” Herrick said. “The only problem is that, in adherence to the bylaws, I don’t think we can fund something like this. I can’t let my opinions get in the way of the bylaws.”
The main point of contention in Herrick v. WCSC focuses on whether the conference, which is targeted at high school students, actually benefits the Warren student body.
“There are approximately 40 active members from Warren College on APSA at this time, [and] at least 20 of those members sit on the APSA board and the high school conference committees,” Warren Student Advocate Charlene Cheng said during preliminary hearing remarks.
Although WCSC has funded this particular APSA conference in previous years, the financial bylaws Herrick cited were only passed at the beginning of this school year, according to WCSC President Erik Ward. Whether APSA will receive reimbursements for this year’s conference will depend on the outcome of the final hearing.
“I don’t have a problem with the conference and I wouldn’t have a problem with funding it if [last year’s college activity fee] referendum had specifically mentioned outreach,” Ward said. “I think it’s a great opportunity, but I don’t know what students would think about funding something that’s only for high school students.”
Herrick also filed a motion on Nov. 9 requesting that Khanna step down from presiding over both the preliminary hearing on the case and any other potential related hearings. Herrick argued that, since Khanna was on record as supporting the APSA funding, he could potentially act on personal bias. After consultation with the Judicial Board, Khanna denied the motion for his own removal, arguing that he did not have a personal connection with the case.
The final outcome of the case should be decided before Nov. 22, according to Herrick.
