Senate grants $2,700 for next 500 Family event

02/26/09 - After much deliberation last week, the University of Rhode Island's 500 Family club was granted $2,700 to bring Nicki Minaj to the Memorial Union Ballroom for a dance party at the Student Senate meeting last night.At the last meeting, the 500 Family club asked for $3,000.

The bill was initially voted down last week. Later during the meeting, the bill was motioned to be reconsidered, during which the bill was referred back to the financial committee.

"There were some concerns presented on the floor at last week's meeting that we were not aware of, which I think that was why there was a lot of confusion," Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Allen Petit said.

During the financial committee meeting, the vote was split on the issue. According to Senate Bylaws, in the event of a tie, the bill fails. Next, the bill was appealed to the executive committee, who ruled the floor should hear it at last night's meeting.

"We have a few senators in there that believe the 500 Family should not be on campus, so therefore they based their judgment and voting on personal opinion," 500 Family Club President Lowell Williams said, "and it should not be that way."

One of the main concerns, according to Petit, is that now there will be less money left in the programming contingency fund. Roughly $1,500 is left for the rest of the semester now that this bill has passed

"It is not their fault that the contingency is low," senator Anthony Sinapi said.

But to refuse the 500 Family their right, just to save money for other organizations would not be fair to any group many of the senators mentioned, he said.

"By denying them to help other groups, would be the same as helping them and denying other groups," senator Katherine Holland said.

The 500 Family club promised to return all the money from their ticket sales [back to the senate], though it is not required to do so. Only in the case of a loan is a group required to return money back to the senate.

Since the club was on a time crunch, a loan was out of the question because they cannot be immediately considered, according to Petit.

The last event the 500 Family club held surpassed the Ram's Den's capacity with roughly 650 people at $10 a head. Williams told the senate that by their next meeting, the money would be returned into the programming contingency fund.

The Student Alliance for the Welfare of Africa, Public Relations Society and Latin American Student Association are among the clubs that will be helping the 500 Family club host the event this Saturday.

Williams said the senate is full of great people and the views of some people should not stop the university from progressing.

In other news:

The Students for a Sensible Drug Policy were approved a grant for their 10th annual Hemp Fest. The event will take place on the Quadrangle where around 10 to 11 bands will perform, according to club president Spencer Ginsberg. The goal of SSDP is to educate students about the drug war and the harms that come from it, Ginsberg said.

All of the forums to discuss the arming of campus police have been completed. The opinions and information gathered will be sent to the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education to help them make a decision.