What should be an annual celebration showcasing the work of OCAD U students has become steeped in controversy as the university apparently asks student volunteers to pay the salaries of custodial and security staff at the event.

For the past six years, the OCAD U Artist Alley (OAA) has been a celebrated tradition among the university's community where student artists can sell and showcase their work in a one-day marketplace on campus.

The event looks to be in jeopardy this year, though, as the student organizers recently published a statement, alleging that OCAD U Management will be requiring student organizers to pay the salaries of cleaning and security staff who work the event.

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The statement, signed the OAA team, claims they were initially told that they would be required to only cover the salary of custodial staff, and, upon pushback from the student community, the university's management scheduled a meeting with organizers.

"After deliberations as a team, we share the news that this was not a productive or mutual conversation, and the new information brought forth in the conversation has left our concerns unacknowledged, and our opinions dismissed," the statement reads.

"Going forward, we are not only required to compensate the salary of OCAD University's custodial staff, but must now also compensate the salary of its security team."

The statement then breaks down that they would incur an additional $515 cost to raise for their one-day event, and an additional $1030 for their two-day event in September.

A not-for-profit event, there's seemingly no way for the student organization to raise the funds, especially in time for their April 6 event, to cover the costs.

Moreover, the student group argues, as paying students (with tuition fees of $10,000 and more a year,) they should not be made responsible to pay the salaries of university staff. After all, where is their tuition going, then?

"We are puzzled as to why OCAD University is unable to accordingly pay its staff, and would instead enforce unreasonable expectations on its paying student body for an event in which the institution benefits from," the statement reads.

According to the statement, the university's management provided the student group with options for raising the funds to pay the salaries (applying for a 'micro-grant' of up to $250 or charging table fees,) but none of the options were feasible, says the statement.

The student group organizing OAA has now created a petition to fight against the school's requests for organizers to pay these fees, but only current students and alumni of OCAD U may sign.

The OCAD Artist Alley will be held on April 6 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at 100 McCaul Street, and will feature work by emerging OCAD U artists and alumni.