By Joseph Barrios
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Members of the UA's greek community are getting ready to take student government to court _ the ASUA Supreme Court, that is.
Dan Cunningham, president of the Interfraternity Council, and Vicki Sjong, president of the Panhellenic Association, submitted an appeal to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona Supreme Court to rescind a Central Governing Council decision prohibiting student government from funding greek chapters.
"It's a conflict, not only with university policy, but it's a conflict with federal law," Cunningham said. "I certainly feel strongly that our position is right."
Cunningham cites Title IX of the Constitutional Education Amendments of 1972 that gives social fraternities and sororities certain rights and allows them to have secular membership.
"I don't believe it's the role of the ASUA Supreme Court to interpret (United States) constitutional issues," said Dan McGee, member of the Graduate and Professional Student Council. "I don't think they have a case."
McGee and Sen. Naomi Mudge authored the proposal because they do not want ASUA funds given to campus organizations that they feel exclude people based on sex, gender, race or sexual orientation.
The CGC voted 7-1 on March 25 to approve the bill.
The court will not hear the appeal until the end of next week at the earliest, said Scott Bernstein, ASUA Supreme Court chief justice. Bernstein said the appeal has to be reviewed by the other four members of the court before a trial date can be set.
Bernstein also said a new time has been set for the appeal submitted by former presidential candidate and ASUA Sen. Jason Wong, a political science senior. Wong is appealing possible campaign violations by the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association in the March 29 and 30 presidential elections .
The hearing is scheduled for April 11 at 8 p.m. in the College of Law building. Read Next Article