The student senate approved a $5,000 contingency grant for the Asian Students Association’s annual Culture Show and heard updates from the Graduate Student Association on Wednesday.
The senate unanimously approved the funding bill to support the ASA’s 32nd Culture Show, which will take place on April 17 at Edwards Auditorium at 6 p.m. The event is expected to draw more than 400 attendees and will feature performances celebrating a variety of cultures.
Franny Duong, treasurer of the Asian Students Association, and President Kenzie Dymek spoke to senators about the significance of the event and the rising costs associated with hosting it.
“Our culture show is one of our biggest events that we hold,” Duong said. “It provides an opportunity to showcase culturally significant artists and local student groups, as well as spreading awareness of different cultures throughout campus.”
The funds would primarily be used to book a headline performer and cover associated expenses such as travel, accommodations and technical production, according to ASA representatives.
Booking fees for performers have risen sharply in the past several years, according to Duong. An estimated performer booking fee alone has increased more than 200% since 2018, while their overall budget has only grown by about 50%.
Despite attempts to secure lower-cost performers, less recognizable acts typically result in lower attendance and reduced campus engagement, according to the ASA.
“When our performers had larger fan bases, our attendance levels were significantly higher and the community response was much stronger,” Duong said.
The culture show will be free for URI students, faculty and staff, while non-URI attendees will be charged a $5 admission fee.
The bill passed unanimously.
Graduate Student Association President Justin Watkins spoke during the public forum, outlining several initiatives aimed at strengthening the graduate student community and increasing collaboration with undergraduate students.
GSA is working to expand graduate student representation and visibility at URI while also building partnerships with other campus groups, according to Watkins.
“We’re gaining some real momentum this semester,” Watkins said. “We want to share opportunities and build connections across departments and across the university.”
The GSA’s priorities are expanding interdisciplinary collaboration, supporting graduate student research and entrepreneurship and improving access to resources such as networking and career development.
GSA is also launching initiatives to address food insecurity among graduate students, including providing food boxes and supporting campus food pantry efforts.
A resolution supporting the creation of a centralized website designed to help student organizations access resources more easily.
The proposed platform, called “Rhody Club Connect,” would compile resources such as budget forms, instructional guides and FAQs into a single online hub.
The initiative was created in response to feedback from student organizations struggling to navigate existing systems, according to Student Organizations Committee Chair Arpan Singh.
“We heard a lot of complaints about communication and resource retrieval,” Singh said. “This website puts everything in one place so clubs can answer simple questions on their own.”
The senate also unanimously recognized the URI Chamber Music Club as an official student organization.
The URI student senate will reconvene after spring break on Wednesday, March 25, in Room 300 in Memorial Union, with only two meetings remaining before the end of the term.
