Multicultural Student Services Center Director Melvin Wade attended the Student Senate meeting to discuss the 20th Annual Diversity Week.
Wade noted the change of the event over the last 20 years, which he credits to the student body and in particular, this generation. Although the event drew over 3,000 attendees last year, he stressed the importance of drawing large crowds for the event.
“Your generation is a special generation,” Wade said. “It’s important for you to make this connection to diversity. You’re on the cusp of another civil rights movement.”
Another highlight of Diversity Week is the three workshops on the Black Lives Matter movement and the role it’s playing in modern diversity and civil rights.
Next, Student Senate unanimously voted to move forward with the discussion to recognize URI Club Baseball. The club’s representatives stressed that many of its members have been playing baseball since they were children and display a deep passion for the game. Senate President Cody Anderson cautioned that while the Senate has a lot funding, they have to disperse it amongst many groups, however, the team has no problem paying for their equipment.
The absence of baseball at the club and intramural level was accredited by one of the members to a general disinterest amongst the student body, but now with a roster large enough to field a team, the club believes it deserved the opportunity to be recognized by Student Senate.
The meeting proceeded with the topic of the upcoming Fall Elections. Anderson noted that there is a small number of individuals to declare, and stressed the importance of current members recruiting potential candidates.
Anderson discussed the Senate trying to extend library hours during final exams and discussed how getting any more time would be beneficial. Additionally, he discussed the idea to make the campus more handicap accessible, as some buildings are not feasible. Lastly, the Senate is looking into student employment and how to increase employees on campus.
An alarming note that Anderson brought up was that Housing and Residential Life was under investigation by state auditors. Anderson couldn’t elaborate further, but said that “it’s important you know what’s going on on campus.”