Club Alleges Mistreatment

The Columbia University Kung Fu Club alleged it has been unjustly charged and poorly treated by the Columbia University Club Sports Governing Board, the group announced on Tuesday.

The governing board has ended recognition of the club for a litany of infractions, including the mishandling of club funding and its continual bungling of documentation with the board.

The kung fu club claims it has been mistreated by the board ever since it first received a letter informing members of the formal charges against them following a "systematic review" of all club sports teams last fall. They are charged with "major infractions" including the "falsification of information," "accounting irregularities," and "misuse of University facilities," according to a letter sent to the club from Brian Jines, director of Intramural and Club Sports.

The increased tensions found an outlet last night when former kung fu club member Yuriy Krylov, SEAS '04, was ejected by Columbia University Public Safety from a full body meeting of the Governing Board body while sitting quietly in the back of the room. Krylov claimed Jines was responsible for his removal.

At one point during the meeting-which was primarily concerned with the election of next year's governing board-Jines headed to the door and addressed two students before denying them access to the Lou Gherig Lounge in Dodge Fitness Center where the event was being held. After the meeting, they revealed themselves as Jin Yudi, SEAS '09 and vice president of the kung fu club, and Natalie Lopez, BC '10 and secretary of the club.

"He looked at us, and he said, 'Yeah, you can't come in,'" Yudi said.

Liz Berger, CC '09 and president of the kung fu club, said that a lot of the problems the board had with the club stemmed from the fact that martial arts instruction differs greatly in nature from other sports.

"Every school has a different style," Berger said, referring to the fact that the relationship between an instructor and a class of students is important in kung fu. Had they changed their method of instruction, "it would be a completely different club."

Because of this unique relationship, the club was practicing at a commercial gym downtown from campus. After the systematic review, it became apparent that the club was directing money to this outside facility.

Berger claimed that other martial arts clubs at Columbia have similar relationships with their instructors and submit their budgets in a similar manner without facing disciplinary action, adding that when she informed the governing board of this, its members seemed sympathetic.

The Columbia University Kung Fu Club members claimed that the proceedings brought against them were used to legitimize the new disciplinary proceedings instated after the scandal involving fliers posted by the men's ice hockey club team last fall, which some found offensive.

"We were their guinea pigs," Yudi said.

Jines declined to answer questions last night, referring future communications to a spokesman who was not immediately available for comment.