Spring Break
Senate grants $2,700 for next 500 Family event
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Campus
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.
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.
