Meeting starting time: 5:10                          Minutes taken by Jay Rumas, Meeting run by Gage Blanchflower

Confirmation to the Payroll special committee

• First meeting is this Thursday at 11 AM at Library 205, and Friday at 2 PM the union, probably Rams Den.
• Vote to confirm administrators to Payroll Committee (10-0-0)

Should we implement Robert’s Rules or Order in Campus Committee due to our size?

Allison: Can we just implement a speakers list without implementing the full rules?

Gage and others: Yes, I will tell Mark Gall.

Handicap Accessibility on Campus:

• Marotta: Why are they building new buildings when the others are inadequate?
• Rumas: It’s a capacity issue, so they have to build more buildings if they have an increase in students before they renovate old buildings
• Gage: Also, many new buildings are built through grant money which is intended for new buildings
• Menard: They might not want to renovate buildings they know they are going to replace in the future.
• Bagley: We need to go to the media, expose the issue to the public. That will make them take action.
• Lantagne: We need some kind of audit, ex “per audit of the student senate this many buildings create obstacles for students with disabilities.
• Bagley: Let’s look at other universities in the area and see if they can make older buildings handicap accessibility.
• Marotta: We should have an event where we go around with the Campus committee and ask Pres. Dooley to try to use a wheelchair to get through areas. That would be poignant for him.
• Wood: We did something like that already, and the counter-argument is that people who use wheelchairs know how to use them, as we often don’t.
• Nelson: We’re taking pictures because it doesn’t demean anybody and it is also easy to tell whether an area is accessible by observing it.
• Menard: URI is constantly making improvements. We’re trying to go back to Davis and to older buildings that they aren’t improving. They might slowly phase out some of these buildings. It’s not happening overnight.
• Rumas: I think we should focus on one building for now. That will allow us to push for action to be taken a specific area and it is easier to argue for.
• Nelson: Start on an easier project and go from there
• Marotta: It is insulting to students with disabilities that the university is breaking ground on new projects and meanwhile old buildings are inaccessible to them.
• Gage: I say we look at other schools and see what they are doing with this issue.
• Padro: I can go take pictures as Yale University and see how they are handling handicap accessibility.
• Lantagne: We also have to consider the social cost. Being divorced from your peers can have negative social impacts.

HRL Laundry Search Committee

• Monday

Nick’s Resolution- High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Parking on Campus

(10-0-0)

Marotta:Parking has been an issue here for a long time. I’ve talked with administrators and we often hear talk of a parking garage, lots, etc. the point of this resolution is to incorporate High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) parking on campus. 56 spaces in Fine Arts and 49 in Plains Road. You’re increasing the number of spaces and are reducing URI’s carbon footprint. 800 pounds of carbon dioxide saved each weak. These sports would be in the most convenient areas, in the spaces that are always filled. I’m sure you are going to ask about enforcement.

Wood: Yeah, how would we make sure people are following the rules with this?

Marotta: The first way of enforcement is to levy a fine for those who park in a HOV spot without multiple people in your car. Because the traditional fine is roughly $85, and taking an HOV spot is taking a spot from 3 people, I think the spot should be 3x that. Another method would be visible enforcement, with security saying that there are people there. Another is a code on your phone that confirms there are 3 people in your car.

Meeting ends at 5:57