UISG votes to partially fund 25th UI Powwow
UISG allocated nearly $18,000 to the UI Powwow, an event that brings awareness and support of Native American students on campus.
UISM members discuss funding for KRUI, the university radio station, at a meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.
March 12, 2019
University of Iowa Student Government voted to allocate $17,930 to the 25th University of Iowa Powwow, which will take place on April 20.
The organization has requested funding from 43 UI departmental sponsors and 47 local business sponsors. The group has yet to receive donations, according to UISG documents.
The Powwow Committee has received $2,468 from a Center for Student Involvement and Leadership grant to go toward the event, the documents said.
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The Powwow Committee’s grand total for the event is $41,648. However, the committee members are only asking for UISG to fund the Honoraria Committee to pay the dancers who will perform at the event, Sen. Adriana Peterson said.
“[The Honoraria Committee] is the most important aspect of the Powwow. If we don’t have that, there’s no chance of us having a Powwow,” Petersen said.
The Powwow Committee needs to raise an additional $21,250 in addition to funding from UISG. The members will raise the funds through the businesses they’ve asked to sponsor them, Petersen said.
UI senior and member of the Powwow Committee Jessica Owens said the event is an integral part of supporting Native American students at the UI.
“The Powwow has been an integral part of my growth as a student,” Owens said. “For a lot of students on campus, its essential for them to experience on campus — especially for students coming from a reservation attending a predominantly white institution.”
Sen. Sarah Henry supported the legislation.
“A lot of the stories came from Native students from the Does UIowa Love Me? campaign were about being rejected by the administration for events and opportunities because the community isn’t big enough on campus,” Henry said. “The Powwow is an awesome event, and it deserves to continue.”
