York Federation of Students is refusing to reveal how much money was spent on specific events such as the Yorkfest Major Lazer concert, the cancelled A$AP Rocky concert, and Festival Village in September 2013.
When asked about the costs of several events, Jessica Thyriar, YFS president, stated in an email, “We have contractual obligation not to release the amounts that were spent on these events.”
Thyriar also added the cost of the Major Lazer concert could not be released because the “negotiated rate with the artist is confidential.”
The Major Lazer concert was announced days before their performance.
They were the back-up artists for the event, as A$AP Rocky was slated to perform at Yorkfest but was dropped due to allegations of an assault during one of his prior concerts.
The YFS is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Ontario Business Corporations Act and receives $1.62 per enrolled credit from York undergraduate students as an ancillary fee allocated towards expenses and funds.
Richard Leblanc, an associate professor at the school of administrative studies, teaches a course called Governance of Governmental Enterprises and Not-for-Profit Organizations. He says with nonprofit organizations, people want to see complete transparency of all the organization’s activities.
“Transparency and accountability should trump any contract arrangements because if you don’t see it, you’re vulnerable to side deals,” says Leblanc.
“If you don’t see something, generally that’s a red flag,” says Leblanc.
Leblanc adds that organizations should be accountable to students and let them know where exactly their money is being spent.
“Saying that you’re protected by contract, that’s inadequate. You want disclosure so students [know] the organization is accountable and see where their levies are going in a very detailed way,” says Leblanc. “You should have a breakdown, event by event. What was spent on what.”
After weeks of asking how much each concert cost, Excalibur discovered, in the September 9 board of directors’ meeting minutes, that the YFS motioned and approved, in an in-camera discussion (private and not for public knowledge), an allocation of up to $150,000 to find a new artist for Yorkfest, which was to be taken out of their contingency reserve account.
The cost of the Major Lazer concert can be added to the $115,000, which was the total budgeted cost of Yorkfest 2013, according to Thyriar.
When asked for more information about the decision, Thyriar stated, “We had to cancel the artist to get another artist to make sure the event was a success. We have a reserve account specifically for unforeseen circumstances that were not in the budget.”
Bismah Firasat, a third-year political science student, says because students are paying the YFS, the organization should be more transparent about students’ money.
“We should definitely see more of where it’s going and how it’s being invested and what they’re doing to benefit us […] At the end of the day it’s students’ contributions,” says Firasat.
Firasat also notes as a student, she is not aware of the budget or where it can be found, stating the YFS should be more vocal about it. When asked for a copy of the contract and about why the YFS signed a contract that would prevent students from knowing the amount that was spent on events at Yorkfest, Thyriar states individual amounts and contracts are confidential at the request of the service provider and that YFS is a transparent student organization.
Victoria Alarcon
Assistant News Editor
