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

[Greg Rose]

David Newall wrote:
> 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.

In the best of all worlds there might have been such an agreement, but 
to the best of my knowledge there isn't, and the money has just been 
sitting in a separate bank account. Speaking as both a trustee and a 
donor I don't see any conflict in giving it to the Lions Chair fund.
> 
> 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.

It is a tax exempt charity for almost all purposes. I (or Steve Jenkin, 
who's closer) can get further clarification if necessary.

Greg.
> 
> 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".
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