The Vagina Monologues will go on this year, despite a lack of funding from the Financial Assistance Committee for Clubs and Societies (FACCS).
Vaginas Against Violence was denied FACCS funding in the fall because its production of the Vagina Monologues, which makes up most of the club’s expenses, takes place in the winter term, according to co-director Polly Leger.
Leger said the club has received funding from FACCS, a Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) committee in charge of funding Carleton clubs and societies, in the past but not this year.
The funding the club gets goes straight to production costs for the show, proceeds from which are donated to charity — with 10 per cent going to V-Day, an international organization working to end violence against women, Leger said.
CUSA vice-president (internal) Ariel Norman told the club in the fall she would help out by giving them $1,400 from a special projects fund. Although the special funding more than matches past FACCS funding, Leger said production costs this year are upwards of $1,500.
“For a production that is entirely not-for-profit and which hopes to raise $9,000 for other non-profit, anti-violence organizations, a lack of FACCS funding severely limits our ability to put on a production at all, let alone reach our targeted fundraising goal,” she said.
After applying for the funding and being denied again in the winter term, Leger said she felt the decision was CUSA management’s fault.
“I think CUSA screwed up their budget, and didn’t want to admit it. They just cut us. I just think it’s really poor management of the team that’s been in charge,” she said.
Norman said the decision was made because the club posted a surplus.
“What I heard [is] they had an $8,000 surplus on their budget,” she said. “The way it works on FACCS is we’re able to fund clubs up to 75 per cent of their revenues. If their revenues exceed their expenses, it doesn’t make sense to give them funding.
FACCS funding isn’t to give charitable donations, Norman said.
“The board interpreted it in that case that if they would have given funding, it would have been a direct charitable donation to their cause,” she said.
Leger said she was frustrated at the decision.
“I think it’s ridiculous; it’s a play that more than 40 Carleton students put on,” she said.
She added that for her, the worst part is the lack of communication she said she received from CUSA.
“That’s what bothers me the most, that they haven’t given me a real reason. We appealed the funding the week before reading week, we haven’t heard back,” she said. “It’s so stupid. Just be honest and open.”
Despite being denied FACCS funding twice, the production will be put on with the special funding from Norman from the fall and additional funding from the Bill Ellis Centre for Mature and Part-time Students and the womyn’s centre, as secured by CUSA vice-president (student services) Marc Proctor.
Though Leger said she’s happy with the support, she still thinks Vaginas against Violence should receive FACCS funding.
“It’s marvelous, wonderful, but . . . FACCS’ mandate is to help clubs and societies.”
