Funding Confusion Between KPIRG, SOCC, and KSA Draws to a Close

Origin of Genocide Across Space and Time event funding uncertain until shortly before the event

Bemusement was in the air this month between the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group, the Kwantlen Student Association, and the Students of Colour Collective (SOCC)—a KSA club—when none of the three parties could conclusively say who was funding an educational event planned for July 21 entitled “Genocide Across Space and Time.”

Near the end of June, a planning tool requesting $2,050 in funding for “Genocide Across Space and Time” was submitted to the KSA by SOCC. However, the Students of Colour Collective was not mentioned on the event’s Facebook page, nor were their names written on several of the posters promoting it around campus or online. Only KPIRG’s name and logo were on the electronic promotional materials at that time, which raised the question of why the Collective was asking for funding from the KSA when it appeared that they were not heavily involved.

On July 7, KSA President Alex McGowan commented that he was under the impression that GAST was an entirely SOCC-run event, and that KPIRG’s role in its organization may impact whether or not the funding would be approved.

Technically KPIRG cannot ask for funding from the KSA, as a fee is already gathered from the KPU student body on their behalf. However, all of the KSA’s seven constituencies—including SOCC—can and are encouraged to ask the KSA to fund their events.

With KPIRG’s large budget—which yielded a $44,556 surplus in 2015 after expenses—and mandate geared towards “better understand[ing] the root causes of our social and environmental ailments and work together to find solutions,” they are well-suited to fund an event like “Genocide Across Space and Time.” The public event hosted several guest speakers, a forum, and panel discussion in the hopes of bringing attention to a rarely examined and commonly sensationalized subject, so the morals behind it fall neatly in line with KPIRG’s values.

The Students of Colour Collective, constituted by ex-KPIRG Directors Ayesha Khan and Nubwa Wathanafa, were abroad for a summer school program in Geneva during part of the planning for GAST, and therefore unable to be reached for an extensive interview.

“Because of this [trip], we are utilizing KPIRG’s event coordinator staff to provide us with logistical conference support, including marketing materials and chairing conference planning meetings in our absence,” write Khan and Wathanafa, in an email from July 7.

“Judging from your questions, it seems as though you are using our event as a platform to complicate the relationship between KPIRG and KSA. Both organisations work towards the betterment of the student body and should in no way be reflected as anything else,” they add.

At that time, it was believed that GAST remained a SOCC event with only “logistical conference support” provided by KPIRG, so the funding proposal to the KSA remained valid.

Just under a week later, on July 13, McGowan reported hearing that KPIRG decided to fund the event themselves, and on the day before it was held, KPIRG Events Coordinator Sonja Kreuzkamp provided confirmation.

Kreuzkamp explains that their decision to fund GAST, which was made on July 8, came about because of inconvenient timing. If the funding were to go through the KSA, it would not have been approved until the day of the event, meaning that SOCC and KPIRG would not be able to pay honorariums in-hand to speakers from out of town or be guaranteed financial support for any of GAST’s expenses. Therefore, KPIRG stepped in to provide the $2,050 and officially decided it was co-hosted equally by both KPIRG and the Students of Colour Collective.

Kreuzkamp and KPIRG Research Coordinator Deanna Fasciani say that the reason they did not offer to fund GAST earlier is that they feel the constituencies should go to the KSA before they go to KPIRG. Rather than being the first source of event funding, Fasciani describes KPIRG as “a safety net” for those that don’t get what they need from the Association.

“They’re a KSA collective. [SOCC] would go to the KSA because it was their plan, their idea, from the get-go,” says Kreuzkamp.

“We’ve had student collectives and constituencies come to KPIRG when they’ve been denied funding from the KSA,” says Fasciani. “Often, [students] will submit a planning tool and be told that it’s not going to get to council before the event. They’ve come to us when they’ve been denied funding, and that’s happened many times.” One example she provides is for “certain KDocs events.”

“Sometimes, these groups come to us first and we tell them, ‘You’re a KSA club. Go to the KSA first and make use of that resource, because obviously they have more money and we try to use our money as wisely as possible.”

Last year, approximately 7.2 per cent—$14,858—of KPIRG’s total expenses was attributed to events, $3,752 less than the year before. The KSA’s Clubs and Events Fund for 2015 cost $231,751, which represents approximately 11.1 per cent of their total expenses, $21,751 less than the year before.