The Woodsworth College Student Association (WCSA) has encountered severe financial problems and has suspended its funding of at least five student clubs until further notice. WCSA has an annul operating budget between $160,000 and $180,000, which is largely comprised of student fees and is supplemented by revenues such as locker rentals and event revenue. According to Tom Gleason, vice-president of internal affairs at the WCSA, the WCSA receives student fees through compulsory non-academic incidental fees collected by the university on behalf of the association which amount to $7.50 per semester per student.

For the release of student fees, the WCSA must present audited financial statements each year, including a third party report on the financial health of the association. The audit then moves to the University Affairs Board, which meets to decide if student fees will be released. If the student fees are not released, they will then be withheld until the next audit is complete.

Tariq Haddadin, vice-president of financial affairs at the WCSA, says that when he came into office he encountered a financial disaster including missing records and two incomplete audits, resulting in the WCSA receiving only part of their expected annual student fees. While there are varying accounts of what became of the records, the records went missing during a period of office renovations. Since last year, the WCSA has been eating into its savings, and in an effort to protect the dwindling of funds, Haddadin worked with an executive team and signing authorities to come up with a new financial policy for the WCSA resulting in all unnecessary activities being cut or pushed back.

Responding to allegations of a lack of financial transparency at the WCSA, Haddadin said: “I would say there is extreme financial transparency where it is sought.”

The WCSA has 27 board members, some  of whom receive funding to pursue initiatives throughout the year. The WCSA hosts year-round events and also offers support to clubs and other affiliated groups such as the Woodsworth Howl newspaper and the Mature Students Association. Following the financial hardship, some new clubs such as the Ping Pong club had their funding completely cut, while other pre-existing groups such as the Arts Society, Movie Club, and Woodsworth Howl suffered severe financial cuts. Other activities affected include trivia nights, a chocolate decadence event, and reductions in the size and cost of the annual Woodsworth leadership conference. According to Rhys Smith, the president at the WCSA, students involved in the WCSA activities are predominantly Woodsworth students, however events allow opportunities for non-Woodsworth student involvement.

The Woodsworth Howl is Woodsworth College’s student newspaper, and has been in existence since 2005. In previous years, the Howl produced monthly issues and received all of its funding from the WCSA amounting to $5,000. This year, when the Howl went to publish they were denied by their publisher due to insufficient funds. Lucinda Ro, the editor-in-chief at the Woodsworth Howl, said “We didn’t know about the financial issues for the longest time. I feel like they should share this information, especially when it comes to money.” The Woodsworth Howl is considering turning its production online, following an offer from the WCSA to advertise in the WCSA weekly newsletter which is emailed to all Woodsworth students. Ro plans to run for vice president external at the WCSA in an effort to change the state of affairs.

One event which was not cut is the upcoming annual Woodsworth gala on March 21, which cost the WCSA $39,500. According to Haddadin, the gala is an end of year event which honours Woodsworth students and acts to enhance student experience. The gala is taking place at the Westin Harbour Castle, totalling $36,000 in venue costs.  The WCSA placed their payment for the gala in December, and executive members claim to have not known about the severity of their financial situation until mid-January. Once the payment is made, cancelling the event would mean only receiving a fraction of the payment back. According to Gleason, “At a certain point it becomes more cost effective to have the event and make money off of ticket revenues than to cancel the event and lose the payment.” Tickets for the event are $45 for Woodsworth students and $55 for guests, and the WCSA is expecting an attendance of 270 students.

According to Gleason, Haddaddin, and Smith, the WCSA constitution mandates that there must be an annual gala which is better or equivalent to those in years prior. Ro says that the WCSA interpreted that as putting more money into the event, instead of simply making it better.

Liza Nassim, the dean of students at Woodsworth College, says that although members of the administration encourage student societies to provide the required audits, groups such as the WCSA are ultimately independently responsible for how they wish to spend their fees, and of their of internal processes.