The Student Government Board’s Judicial Committee unanimously voted the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association guilty of violating the Allocations Manual, the governing doctrine SGB and student groups must follow during the allocations process, and now must return their funds.

The committee found the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association, a student group dedicated to bringing cultural, educational and social activities from the Caribbean and Latin America to campus, guilty of violating sections 4.03 and 4.04 of the Allocations Manual after Allocations Chairwoman Nasreen Harun brought a case against the club before the committee Sunday, March 23. 

Section 4.03 of the Allocations Manual states: “No admission fee will be approved to generate funds for a donation, and the collection of the donation may not be taken at the door when entering so as to avoid any interference that giving a donation is a precondition for admittance.” Section 4.04 states: “No admission fee may be charged to generate funds for the organization sponsor or for donations for any purpose.” 

The Judicial Committee stated in the letter that based on the violations and “case precedent,” the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association must pay back all the funds they were allocated from the Student Activities Fund for the Masquerade Ball, a total of $602.85.

Harun argued that the association had advertised ticket sales on banners hung around campus and on the group’s Facebook page for the Masquerade Ball the student group hosted Jan. 18. 

According to Judicial Committee Chairwoman Audrey Winn, the committee came to a decision after two hours of deliberating after the Sunday night hearing at approximately 5:30 p.m. that evening. Winn said she notified the Allocations Committee and the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association of the Judicial Committee’s decision on the hearing Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Cynthia Thomas, secretary of the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association, said the organization will be more careful with wording to be sure that she and other members of the Association don’t violate the rules in the Allocations manual.  

“I’m relieved that [the Judicial Board] understood it was a misunderstanding,” Thomas said. “We hope to next year make sure that there is no ambiguity.”

In an official letter from the Judicial Committee addressed to the Allocations Committee and the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association, the committee members wrote that the association violated both sections of the manual because the group had made it “ambiguous in advertisements that the event was free to students not choosing to donate.” 

According to the Judicial Committee, the advertisements did not explicitly say that the ticket prices were voluntary donations. 

Before the event, the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association advertised ticket prices to the Masquerade Ball, its first charity event, on banners around campus and on the organization’s Facebook event page.  

According to the group’s Facebook event page, the tickets cost $7 each and $10 for a ticket and a mask. 

Harun said she thought the ruling was fair. 

“The violations seemed pretty clear, but it’s only fair to see the other side of the story,” she said. 

The committee members wrote in the letter that they did not believe the Caribbean and Latin American Student Association had intentionally tried to make students pay admission.

“The committee believes they did so out of lack of knowledge and not out of dishonesty or malicious intent,” the Judicial Committee said in the letter. 

Winn said the committee members argued the pros and cons of both sides of the case and decided the verdict. Then, they decided on a consequence for the guilty party. 

The Judicial Committee said in the letter that they will work with the Allocations Committee to review the manual to ensure that all policies are clear and make sure student groups understand the rules to avoid similar situations in the future. 

Harun said she, Student Government Board President Mike Nites, Board members Mona Kazour and Abby Zurschmit and the Allocations Committee are currently making changes to the Allocations Manual to ensure that the rules of the allocations process are clear for students.

Thomas said she looks forward to these changes. 

“It is our responsibility as student leaders to read and understand the Allocations manual,” Thomas said. “The manual itself should diminish confusion.”