[AUUG-Talk]: Lions Chair/Dissolution of AUUG

[David Newall]

I just reread AUUG's constitution, and I don't think AUUG can fund the 
UNSW Lions Chair.  Section 3 of the constitution sets out AUUG's aims 
and which activities they may engage in, and "sponsor worthy people, 
positions or organisations" is not one of them.  Curiously, "subscribe 
to or cooperate with or affiliate with or amalgamate with other 
associations formed elsewhere with similar aims," is.

I'm uncertain of my facts here, but I think the Lions Award is funded by 
a trust, totally separate to AUUG, though AUUG appoints the trustees 
from time to time.  In other words, it's not AUUG's money.  AUUG would 
certainly need to change its constitution to help endow a chair, and 
surely the trust deed would also need to be changed.

The constitution says what should be done on AUUG's dissolution, which I 
paraphrase by, "give the assets to charity."  A chair-endowment is not a 
charity.

I'd like members to imagine a world in which Linux Australia didn't 
form, but AUUG became them instead; AUUG's name and constitution 
replaced with Linux Australia's.  I wonder whether or not John Lions 
would have approved of that change.  I think he would.

It is with these points in mind that I'd like to highlight that curious 
activity listed in the constitution, which I noted above: "For the 
furtherance of these aims and to achieve its purposes, the AUUG may 
[...] subscribe to or cooperate with or affiliate with or amalgamate 
with other associations formed elsewhere with similar aims".