URI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008<\/p>\n
A.
\nCALL TO ORDER:
\n6:32 PM
\nB. ROLL CALL:
\nAbbe, Ahrens, Almeida, Aronoff, Bedard, Bickham, Boiteau, Brown, Clarke,
\nCoates, Einhorn, Faustin, Gaudio, Ginsberg, Harrington, Holden, Holland, Holzman, Infusino, Inthisone,
\nKearns, LaRocca, Luther, Lynch, McCormick, Meehan,
\nMessineo, Mingoia, Moss, O\u2019Brien, Pelletier, Petit,
\nPrata, Rodrigues, Shah, Sinapi, Slater, Smith, Stein, Stewart, Stolow, Valenti, Walsh, Yensan
\nC. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
\nChange recommendations on bills SS-08\/09-50 and on bill
\nSS-08\/09-55. Because of the r
\necommendation put on bill SS-08\/09-5
\n0, change the bill to failure.
\nD. READING AND APPROVAL OF THE MI
\nNUTES: change finance report from
\nlast week to say $400 instead of $1400, minutes approved
\nE.
\nANNOUNCEMENTS:
\nPetit
\nmotions for pledge, Holden seconds, opposition, vote, passed
\nGinsberg-
\nZETA asked to read, Holly Anderton benefit, passed away from Liver cancer. Holding a pasta
\ndinner, tickets are 5 dollars each. All of the money ra
\nised will help pay for a tombstone. Kingston church
\nacross from upper college rd.
\nThis Friday December 5
\nth
\n.
\nShah-
\nStephen Lynch, Ryan Center tomorrow, 10 dollars at 8pm tomorrow. Check him out on You Tube.
\nHolzman-
\nDining halls have comment cards, very under utilized. Got a very nice thank you letter from
\nButterfield. Only get two comment cards\/day. We are on senate to make change, if you want to change in
\nthe dining halls, fill out cards.
\nF. PUBLIC FORUM:
\nLucas Lussier
\n\u2013
\nRIPTA- Thank you for inviting me here, I\u2019m a business analyst university
\nemployee. Manage the RIPTA service on campus, brie
\nf overview of the current
\nservice and what we are
\nlooking to do for next year. Currently, 7 shuttles on campus, 4 with 211 Kingston connection line, main
\nroute from parking lots through cen
\nter of campus, accesses frat circle and keaney lots. 2 shuttles in
\nmorning and afternoon and 2 in the evening. They have an 8 minute head way, there are traffic conditions
\nduring certain times of the day, bus sometimes gets stuck in the traffic. We also have one additional
\nshuttle, 210 flex service, reservation based, anyone can ca
\nll to be picked up and brought to their class. This
\nis highly utilized and scheduled before classes start. Th
\nat is filled within the first 2 weeks of the start of the
\nfall semester. We are looking into adding additional
\nservice. We have 2 more, the campus hill climber,
\none was added a year and a half ago to resolve overcrowding on plains rd lot. A lot of students use this to
\ngo to memorial union and then to upper college rd. It used to only run from 830 to 1230 and last spring, we
\ncontinued to see additional overcrowding, this fall semester, we enacted a full day additional campus hill
\nclimber. That runs until 530, accesses residence halls, uni
\non and upper college rd. I invited ripta to be here
\nto talk more about the statewide service, I\u2019m less fam
\niliar with that but I can answer any questions. I spoke
\nto Amanda and I hope to have them here for next semester to answer any other questions. We also offer a
\n50% subsidy, students can purchases a bus pass in the union for half off to use throughout the state.
\nClarke-
\nfor the flex bus, is priority given to students with disabilities?
\nLucas-
\nworks just like any other ADA service, students with disabilities cannot be denied but priority is not
\ngiven. That is the same throughout the state.
\nKearns-
\nEarlier in September, started a project about
\nsigns to let students know about signs, I was
\nwondering how process is going and why hasn\u2019t it been completed.
\nLucas
\n– 2 separate issues, one is the actual bus stop signs, several have gone missing, ripta individuals have
\nbeen here since the 1
\nst
\nof December reinstalling signs that were
\nmissing. I will get feedback from ripta
\nwhen that is complete.
\nSecond issue- individual signs that show the actual bus stop locations throughout campus, looked at option
\nwith ripta about individual time points.
\nRipta has still been working on scheduled time points and back and forth about if they want to do it,
\nbecause of traffic, hard to stick to
\nbut without time points, hard to enfo
\nrce timeliness with route for driver.
\nWe have ordered the display cases to put the maps in at individual stops. Facilities is going to be installing
\nthose over the winter break, the inserts are still up in the air and that is a ripta decision.
\nAdepoju-
\nIs it possible to get more stops, not more shuttles.
\nLucas-
\nYes, if you want to email me any stops you woul
\nd like to see added, that is a possibility, the more
\nstops along a route, the longer the trip gets. Each st
\nop is going to extend the time to travel around campus.
\nllussier@uri.edu
\nis my email address.
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n2
\nLaRocca-
\nBeginning of the year, second hill climber runs til 5:30. I am on campus mon-fri and have not
\nseen hill climber past 3. I was out at 5pm, at 5:15 a 211 went to Keaney and then no other shuttle came
\ndown until 5:38. I have been getting diff
\nerent answers about the evening schedule.
\nLucas-
\nevening schedule starts at 6:30, there is a lapse between 5:30 and 6:30 when we switch. The
\ncampus hill climber runs until 5:30. It goes to about a 15 minute headway for the campus hill climber. The
\nmajority of the issue is that there is a new driver on
\ncampus that is unfamiliar with the route, ripta will send
\nsomeone down who can help them out. Attention can be brought to me or parking services.
\nHarrington-
\nIs there any set time during your week that you are in your office?
\nLucas-
\nI am not always in my office, I always do respond
\nby email, that is the best way to reach me. New
\nservice we are looking at for next fall, express servi
\nce to eastward look, negotiations with ri dept of env
\nmanagement to utilize beach parking lot. We will have a direct shuttle from that lot and be able to board
\nthe shuttle to campus. That would be a shuttle that comes every 40 to 50 mins. We are also looking at the
\npossibility of a night shuttle to go to south county area, mews and casey\u2019s.
\nPetit-
\nMotion to extend the time un
\ntil all questions are answered.
\nLaRocca
\nseconds.
\nYensan-
\nOne in particular point, the traffic situation on campus, 25,000 vehicles entering and leaving, and
\nthen drivers being new to the program. The 3 times that I have actually spoken to drivers, first time on the
\njob, I think one of the things we can work on, stacking up of the busses.
\nLucas
\n– We call it bunching, another issue is construction.
\nYou will get a bus caught up in traffic. 8 minute
\nheadway gets reduced when busses catch up with one another. The bus behind wants to stop and let the
\nfirst one go forward. That\u2019s often
\ndifficult because there are people who n
\need to get to class. It happens
\nelsewhere throughout the state as well, it does affect the
\nschedule. The best thing to do is look at where the
\ncongestion occurs and see if we can solve those issues.
\nSlater-
\nUnofficial numbers for when the busses should show up at each stop?
\nLucas
\n– They aren\u2019t always accurate depending on traffi
\nc, if you are at plains rd, we have the two 211
\nbusses services and the hill climbers, the wait should be between 6-8 mins. The times are all posted on
\nparking services website. If you go to the Kingston connection. When they finally do the sign, it will say
\napproximately what time.
\nBrown-
\nWe have people who are concerned about routes, about fiscal development, particularly internal to
\nthe campus but also external?
\nLucas-
\nWe don\u2019t have any plans to cut internal, 6 of 7 on campus are funded by transportation fee, one of
\nthe hill climbers is fully supported by Ripta, no cuts ex
\npected of our on campus service. Only one cut that
\nwas going to affect the university but just heard
\ncut is not going to happen, 64 service, Middletown
\nNewport shuttle to the university. Average of 8 riders a
\nday which is very low. Generally faculty and staff.
\nAs of late august, had decided to cut as of Jan 1
\nst
\n. My contact thought that would be overturned and I have
\nheard that that service will not be cut. Planning to add another providence to uri shuttle for next fall
\nsemester.
\nAdepoju
\n– As far as off campus, we also have off campus students coming from providence, are their any
\nincentives as far as fairs.
\nLucas
\n– subsidiaries we already offer, highly used providence to URI, sometimes on Fridays, students are
\ndenied rides on the bus because there are so many pe
\nople. For the month pass, it is 45, so university
\nstudents only have to pay 22.50. For the 15, it is also half price, also can buy a one time use pass.
\nPetit-
\nWhat are you doing to hold bus drivers accountable?
\nLucas
\n– any info I pass onto ripta, most hopefully if I have bus number, license plate number, send to ripta
\nand shift manager usually meets with them when they return to ripta, I usually get an email response to the
\nsituation. We once had a driver curse at an individual, individual got number and it was followed up,
\ndriver was reprimanded.
\nIf anyone has any suggestions for anything else, feel free to email me.
\nG. REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES:
\n– FINANCE COMMITTEE:
\nSS-08\/09-49 CONTINGENCY GRANT REQUEST FOR HILLEL
\nWhereas,
\nHillel is a Senate reco
\ngnized organization, and
\nWhereas,
\nHillel would like to hold a programming event on campus, and
\nWhereas,
\nit is within their mission statement to do so, and
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n3
\nWhereas,
\nHillel would like money to help cover the costs of the event, and
\nWhereas,
\nthis request is within the finance policy of the Senate and it is the Senate\u2019s custom to grant such
\nrequests, therefore be it
\nResolved,
\nthat the Student Senate grant $1,800.00 from our Programming Contingency to the Category
\n#130 (Programming) line in the budget of Hillel.
\nSPONSOR: Finance Committee
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairman Petit
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3
\nrd
\n, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (5-0-0)
\nEXPIRATION DATE: Upon Dispensation
\nACTION: Passed
\nPetit
\nmotions for immediate, Ginsberg seconds.
\nHolzman-
\nHillel wants to bring in music group of African
\nAmerican and Jewish individuals. They do a
\nmix of music. 3 programs over 2 days, Utilizing fine
\narts for one of the programs. We will be charging
\nadmission. 3 dollars for students and 10 for non students. We have gotten a lot of co-sponsorship money
\nbut are still a bit short.
\nYensan
\n– I am not active in Hillel, they throw serious events
\n, they advertise on faceboo
\nk. Let\u2019s support this
\nand try to make this unanimous. They do a very good job and spend senate\u2019s money very well.
\nAronoff-
\nI am a member now, we should support as well, they reach out toward everyone. They hold
\nevents all the time, they have
\nweekly dinners. They are
\nfor the entire URI community.
\nClarke
\n– When is the event and how much?
\nHolzman-
\nFirst is Thursday, January 29
\nth
\n, concert is Thursday night, wed evening as well is the workshop.
\nThe workshop and convocation are
\nfree. The concert is 3 for stud
\nents and 10 for non students.
\nHolden motions to vote and Gorman seconds.
\nAbstentions from senator Holzman, Ginsberg, Aronoff.
\nSS-08\/09-50 CONTINGENCY GRANT REQUEST FOR 500 Family
\nWhereas,
\n500 Family is a Senate recognized organization, and
\nWhereas,
\n500 Family would like to hold a programming event on campus, and
\nWhereas,
\n500 Family would like money to help cover the costs of the event, and
\nWhereas,
\nthis request is within the finance policy of the Senate and it is the Senate\u2019s custom to grant such
\nrequests, therefore be it
\nResolved,
\nthat the Student Senate grant $3,000.00 from our Programming Contingency to the Category
\n#130 (Programming) line in the budget of 500 Family.
\nSPONSOR: Finance Committee
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairman Petit
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3
\nrd
\n, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Failure (1-3-0 )
\nEXPIRATION DATE: Upon Dispensation
\nACTION: Passed
\nMonday- 500 family came to finance asking for 10,000
\n. Finance denied and they appealed to exec. Exec
\ndecided on 3000 and it would come to full floor for a vote. It has a recommendation for failure.
\nPetit
\n– motioned for immediate consideration and holden seconds.
\nVice president of 500 family-
\nsummary of what we are planning on doing, February 13
\nth
\n, pre-valentines
\nday show with Ginuwine cosponsors with pink, sec, senate and hearing from panhel. We are
\ntrying to cosponsor with a lot of female orgs.
\nThe artists is Ginuwine, he has been out for
\nabout 10 years now, February 13
\nth
\n.
\nAdepoju
\n– The reason we want Ginuwine, really great marketing scheme, as far as co sponsorship, we have
\ngotten go ahead from all except panhel so far. Incorporation 6 orgs that may not work with
\neach other generally. 500 family
\nis going through with mission st
\natement. ASA, Pink women,
\nSEC, PRS, we found a common interest through entertainment. We are looking for a very
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n4
\nsuccessful show. We feel as though this is can\u2019
\nt lose. Ginuwine is a very universal artist.
\nPlease vote to approve this bill.
\nGinsberg
\n– To Petit- reading the language of the bill, why is
\nthere no whereas that says it is within mission
\nstatement.
\nPetit
\n– We brought it up in finance, felt it was not really in their mission statement, our understanding was
\nto bring groups together and then do programming not program themselves and then bring
\ngroups.
\nClarke-
\nI can only think that this even
\nt will be successful, I th
\nink they will succeed in bringing out people
\nto the concert.
\nAhrens-
\nWe are also going to try to do events as senate to raise some money with them. We have a bunch
\nof groups and feel confident in being able to se
\nll out this show. Won\u2019t be that difficult of a
\nchallenge. Ginuwine has all different genres. 500
\nfamily is doing a really good job promoting.
\nWe have always wanted to promote weekend programming, this is a great way.
\nAdepoju-
\nGo off of what Allen mentioned about mission statement, it was never asked at finance, they
\nnever asked what exactly we were doing with the show. The 500 family, we are basically
\nsetting up this so these orgs can work the show. The 500 family will not be as hands on
\nbecause the other orgs will be taking over. We
\nare having a show and after party, pink women
\nwill be running the after party, hopefully panhel and asa will help put on the show. We want to
\nstructure it so others can facilitate.
\nHarrington
\n– originally asked for 1000, can you run the show with only 3000 or where are you going to get
\nthe rest of the money.
\nAdepoju-
\nFinance was not able to full give the 1000, first time finance has given the money, giving 3000,
\nthrough Bruce and Allen, came up with notion, if we can get 7500 of show set and in our
\nhands, would override the 10000 to day of show, as soon as ticket sales start, and have the extra
\n2500, will sign the contract. The other 2000 is coming from student senate co sponsorship.
\nCoates-
\nBall park figures on admission, 18 for students and 30 for others.
\nAdepoju-
\ngenerally 25,000 dropped down to 10,000
\nSlater-
\norgs that wouldn\u2019t normally work together are working together, by blocking this, would probably
\ndo more harm, just give it a chance, facilitating an event, wouldn\u2019t be fair to not give them the
\nchance.
\nGinsberg-
\nOther orgs you are working with are facilitating,
\nyou are just brining them together, why aren\u2019t
\nthe other orgs coming for the money to do their part of the event. Normally the group asking
\nfor money is the group facilitating the event.
\nAdepoju-
\nSome of the orgs we are working
\nwith aren\u2019t level 2 or 3. We didn\u2019t want to drain the accounts
\nof the bigger orgs, we want to have it set up for them to get the show actually rolling and show
\nthem that these orgs can work together in the future. We don\u2019t\u2019 want the ball to fall just on
\nthese orgs.
\nRep
\n– Although we are just recently organized as a group, we have had other events. We are trying to teach
\nother orgs how to have an event like this. We pass it on to other orgs. We asked pink women
\nif they would like to facilitate
\nthe after party, because we are
\ngoing to be handling the actual
\nshow. We still have an active role in every aspect of the show, giving other orgs a chance.
\nBrown-
\n2 part question, how much if any co-sponsorship money if any has been put forth, how much will
\n500 family stand to gain.
\nRep-
\nAs of right now, we have about 5000, we are anticipating a revenue large enough for an event this
\nSaturday, hope to be able to pay back loan, we aren\u2019t looking to make a huge profit but to be
\nable to pay for everything and give back the contingency money.
\nAhrens
\n– Talking to Lowell, hoping to generate a profit so they don\u2019t have to come to us for large amounts
\nof money, hoping to be self sufficient, I feel
\nfully confident that we will be paid back.
\nAdepoju
\n– If we sell out Edwards with all URI students, we would make about 16000, we would need about
\n3000 to give back to senate.
\nVote- abstentions from Adepoju, Brown, Inthisone
\nBill Passes
\nSS-08\/09-51 \u2013 TAX GRANT RE
\nQUEST FOR STUDENT SENATE
\nWhereas,
\nStudent Senate funded the creation of the URI Challenge Course in 2000, and
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n5
\nWhereas,
\nthe purpose of the course was to benefit the student body and be at no cost to Student Senate
\ngroups, and
\nWhereas,
\nthe usage of the course has in
\ncreased by hundreds each year an
\nd this demand is expected to
\ncontinue to increase, and
\nWhereas,
\nthere is a request to expand upon the URI Challenge Course to allow for opportunities for URI
\nstudents to fulfill the increased demand, and
\nWhereas,
\nthis request is within the finance policy of the Senate and it is the Senate\u2019s custom to grant such
\nrequests, therefore be it,
\nResolved,
\nthat the Student Senate grant $25,000 from our Activities Tax to the Student Senate\u2019s budget and
\ntherefore be it also,
\nResolved,
\nthat the URI Challenge Course be available free
\nof charge to all URI st
\nudent recognized groups.
\nSPONSOR: Finance Committee
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairman Petit
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3
\nrd
\n, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (4-0-0)
\nEXPIRATION DATE: Upon Dispensation
\nACTION: Passed
\nPetit- One more thing, voted on first meeting we get back, bill explains it, I have a copy of the proposal. I
\ncan pass it around now or leave it on table in th
\ne office to be reviewed. Talk to myself or
\nanyone on the committee. Melissa Boyd and staff w
\nill be coming to answer more in detail. She
\nwill have a presentation about it. Talk to myself and committee beforehand. I just need to see
\nfinance committee after the meeting.
\n–
\nSTUDENT ORGANIZATION
\nADVISORY AND REVIEW
\nCOMMITTEE (SOARC):
\nSS-08\/09-47 Bill Calling for the Recognition of
\nURI Physical Educatio
\nn Club at Level 4
\nWhereas,
\nthe purpose URI PE Club is to raise money for
\nphysical education works
\nhops and reach out to the
\ncommunity by providing information about physical education and health sciences, and
\nWhereas
\n, URI PE Club meets the requirements for recognition at level 4, and
\nWhereas
\n, it is the custom of the Student Senate to do so, therefore be it
\nResolved
\nthat the URI Student Senate recognize URI PE Club.
\nSPONSOR: SOARC
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairwoman Clarke
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (5-0-0)
\nEXPIRATION: Valid Until Next Re-Recognition
\nACTION: Passed
\nClarke-
\none bill
\nRep-
\nTreasurer, going to be a professional development, we want to raise funds to attend events held by
\nphysical educators community. Want to network for personal reasons and support URI\u2019s program. Most
\nschools have a club like this, most people have their names out there. People aren\u2019t recognizing our
\nprogram. We want to do things for the community, hoping to get food drive going and get after school
\nprograms for kids to stay after.
\nClarke-
\nReally beneficial to be recognized, will be able to get meetings rooms, more members and take out
\nbooths.
\nYensan-
\nMore of a comment, going to elementary schools, I think you should try to get college students to
\nbe more active. A large percentage is not being active.
\nRep-
\nSome of our fundraisers, help college students get active, family fun night, all of the fundraisers
\ngeared toward college students.
\nGinsberg-
\nmotion to previous question, second by Harrington.
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n6
\nVote- Passed
\nSS-08\/09-52 Bill Calling for the Recognition of
\nthe URI Field Hockey Club at Level 3
\nWhereas
\n, the URI Field Hockey Club will provide an outlet to practice, play and compete in the Northeast
\nDivision on a field hockey team, and
\nWhereas
\n, the URI Field Hockey Club meets the requ
\nirements for recognition at level 3, and
\nWhereas
\n, it is custom of the Student Senate to do so, therefore be it
\nResolved
\nthat the URI Student Senate recogn
\nizes the URI Field Hockey Club.
\nSPONSOR: SOARC
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairwoman Clarke
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (8-0-1)
\nEXPIRATION: Valid Until Next Re-Recognition
\nACTION: Vote Next Week
\nSS-08\/09-53 Bill Calling for the Recognition of th
\ne Human Development and
\nFamily Studies Club
\n(HDF Club) at Level 4
\nWhereas,
\nthe HDF Club will provide professional developmen
\nt support, social networking for students and
\nprovide opportunities for student
\ns interested in HDF to supp
\nort each other academically, and
\nWhereas
\n, the HDF Club meets the
\nrequirements for recognition at level 4, and
\nWhereas
\n, it is custom of the Student Senate to do so, therefore be it
\nResolved
\nthat the URI Student Senate
\nrecognizes the HDF Club.
\nSPONSOR: SOARC
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairwoman Clarke
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (9-0-0)
\nEXPIRATION: Valid Until Next Re-Recognition
\nACTION: Vote Next Week
\nSS-08\/09-54 Bill Calling for the Recognitio
\nn of the URI Car Club at Level 3
\nWhereas
\n, the URI Car Club will unite car enthusiasts with
\nin the URI community through weekly meetings
\nto discuss car appreciation and plan as well as host car shows, and
\nWhereas
\n, the URI Car Club meets the requirements for recognition at level 3, and
\nWhereas
\n, it is custom of the Student Senate to do so, therefore be it
\nResolved
\nthat the URI Student Senate
\nrecognizes the URI Car Club.
\nSPONSOR: SOARC
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairwoman Clarke
\nDATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: Passage (9-0-0)
\nEXPIRATION: Valid Until Next Re-Recognition
\nACTION: Vote Next Week
\nClarke-
\n3 more bills to be voted on first Wednesday when we get back. A few announcements, hoping to
\nhave meetings Mondays at 5:30 in room 314. Announcement to general senate, when a group comes in to
\nhand in recognition paperwork, remind them they need to sign up for a SOARC meeting.
\n– ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Stolow-
\nLast week we had a meeting
\nwith provost DeHayes to talk about changing the gen ed programs. Really great ideas from students.
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n7
\nEveryone should come to these meetings. We just had the last meeting but next semester they will
\ncome out. I\u2019ve yet to get in contact with paul about the bookstore. I will stop by tomorrow, I\u2019ve been
\nbusy. Hopefully more teachers have submitted books.
\nI\u2019ll send an email. Besides that my committee
\nneeds to give me availability for next semester.
\nLarocca \u2013
\nplease pass on my suggestion that American
\nsign language should be counted as a language
\nin gen eds
\nStolow –
\nsure
\n– EXTERNAL AFFA
\nIRS COMMITTEE: O\u2019Brien-
\nThe bus isn\u2019t cancelled. Got
\nemails from ripta, Working to get together a booklet of everything we do as a student body, going
\nto present to coalition, that is our big project.
\n– CULTURAL AFFAIRS
\nCOMMITTTEE: Adepoju-
\nGingerbread houses are
\nfreaking beautiful! Voting was great, 60 to 70 people voting on the houses, hoping that people
\nvote tomorrow, maybe about 150 votes. Thank my
\ncommittee for helping me out. Cultural affairs
\nnext program with soarc, inauguration on January 20
\nth
\n, ballroom if possible. Rhody Market if
\npossible or TV and food. Meeting time next Monday, schedules leave in my mailbox. No other
\nannouncements, you are all beautiful
\n, hope to see you next semester.
\n– CAMPUS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: LaRocca-
\nPlease let me know if you think
\nof anything else for ripta, I can pass questions on to him or you can use his email address.
\nCommittee, you gave me schedules. Ellery pond, when we come back, going to finalize plans for
\nchunk of land to be utilized. If you know any
\none who is an art major or landscape architecture,
\nwe need artist renderings or a URI alum. Pref
\nerably someone who is there right now.
\nGinsberg-
\nIf we know the artists, should they contact you?
\nLaRocca-
\nYes and they can join the Ellery pond restora
\ntion project. If you are friends with me or
\nofficer mark.
\nClarke-
\nFor the pictures, do you want there designs?
\nLaRocca-
\nWe are going to get the technical stuff but will give them something to be able to
\napprove the plans and have them work something out.
\n– EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
\nSS-08\/09-55 Bill Calling for the Student Senate
\ns Response to the Offensive Images &
\nDescriptions of President elect Barack Obama
\nWhereas,
\nin the past two months, on three separate occas
\nions; there have been offensive descriptions and
\nimages that have been brought to
\nthe attention of the University, about
\nthe President elect Barack Obama,
\nand
\nWhereas,
\nthese comments and images represent a disregar
\nd and lack of respect fo
\nr not only the President
\nelect Barack Obama, but to the University of Rhode Island Community and our Nation, and
\nWhereas,
\nthe Student Senate acknowledges
\nevery individuals right to their freedom of speech and believes
\nthese rights should not be infringed upon, and
\nWhereas,
\nthe Student Senate also understands and does feel
\nthat actions such as these cannot and will not
\nbe supported by the University of Rhode Island Student Senate, therefore be it
\nResolved,
\nthat The University of Rhode Island Student Senate disapproves of the actions taken by these
\nindividuals, and does not condones these behaviors; an
\nd will raise awareness to avoid similar behaviors in
\nthe future.
\nSPONSOR: Executive Committee
\nBILL HANDLER: Chairman Adepoju
\nDATE: Wednesday, Dec. 3
\nrd
\n, 2008
\nRECOMMENDATION: (9-0-1)
\nEXPIRATION: In Perpetuity
\nACTION: Passed
\nAdepoju-
\nBill is talking about some of the offensive images or actions about president elect Obama.
\nSomeone drew a picture of Obama with negative words in one of my classes. I wanted to put a bill on the
\nfloor to show how we feel as students. If you
\nread the bill, it is simple and very basic.
\nClarke-
\nmotions for immediate consideration, Ginsberg seconds.
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n8
\nCoates-
\nI realize that we don\u2019t live in a wo
\nrld that is free of racism, it surpri
\nses me that we are feeding into
\nthese incidents when people like this are looking for attention, I was surprised that things here made the
\nlocal news. I understand why the bill was written, and
\nI understand the reference to events. Where does a
\nlack of respect begin and end. If this was a bill that condemned hate speech without regard to one
\nindividual but I don\u2019t think it should specifically be about Obama.
\nAhrens-
\nThe reason this bill was brought up was because of specific events with Obama, the reason it says
\nfor not only president elect, discussing any sorts of pr
\nejudice or racism being co
\nmpletely inappropriate.
\nWe are dealing with things that are going on directly,
\nthings that directly imp
\nact URI students, state our
\npoint that we do not accept what is going on, we are go
\ning to be reps saying that people are open, welcome
\nand diverse. It is much broader than one person and sending an important message to the campus.
\nGinsberg \u2013
\nagree with Coates, president elect Obama was not
\nthe only one this semester to have something
\ndone against him. I think the bill should be overall and not have a specific name.
\nAdepoju-
\nAs far as what was said about Obama, not about
\nhis character, about his physical features, in
\nclass, called him a monkey, different if talking about his
\npersonality or education.
\nI feel that this uncalled
\nfor to talk about his physical features. This bill is
\ncalling for student senate to not support actions toward
\nanyone on campus.
\nYensan-
\nHuge issue recent, phrase post raci
\nal society in America, discussed
\nin class, be careful when using
\nthe phrase, racism is not gone because of who has been
\nelected president, just want
\nto say openly, if you are
\ngoing to gain in this type of racist activity, you don\u2019t
\nbelong at uri, at any institution and we don\u2019t want you
\nhere.
\nBrown-
\nPerspective to agree with both Ahrens and Coates, language does commentate politics,
\nunderstanding the nature of conflict at hand because
\nof the direct target, havi
\nng difficulty seeing the
\nimmediacy, reflects larger body of th
\ne racist sentiment on campus. We should all come to an agreement,
\nhowever I consider that this might be beyond the scope of our power. We maybe should be looking at the
\nbroader scope but with this bill, looking at president.
\nPetit-
\nWe should maybe amend the bill to take on a broader scope rather than just this one incident.
\nGinsberg-
\nI also agree that it should not say this person, throughout the bill, should talk about all of the
\ncases of racism, be against racist act
\ns and not just against the one person.
\nAdepoju-
\nin the bill it does not say racist acts, just says
\ndisrespectful, as far as incidents with president
\nelect, not just rumors, brought to highest powers of our university and in newspapers. Not just minor
\nincidents, I have not heard any about John McCain, not
\nto say that it was because of race, for the most part,
\nbrought to light because it was disresp
\nectful. I did not hear of anything
\nelse, if I had heard, it would be
\nabout all political candidates. For the most part, thes
\ne disrespectful actions are
\nnot appropriate and should
\nnot be fed through the university.
\nGinsberg-
\nWhat I was referring to wa
\ns Zionism and September 11
\nth
\n, also brought up to provost and VP
\nDougan.
\nAhrens-
\nBill was created based on these specific events. It is not rare for us to talk about things that
\nspecifically happen. Just because there are bigger issu
\nes, this particular bill is based on the 3 separate
\nincidents concerning Obama. I feel confident to pass
\nthis bill because we are in the press about racial
\ntension on campus because th
\nese specific incidents were inappropriate.
\nIf we want to do another bill about
\nother issues, we can do another bill. This bill is about particular things.
\nYensan-
\nMax and President Ahrens just nailed it. It is
\nabout a specific incident. If we want to make
\nanother bill about racist activity, then I will support it 100%.
\nO\u2019Brien-
\nThe way I see this bill, it is a specific thing that
\nwe are going against. We should be combating
\nthese things. It should be implied that we do not support racist acts. I think this bill is just letting people
\nknow about specific incidents.
\nCoates-
\nIf we are not talking about racist actions and
\nare talking about disres
\npectful ones, chairman
\nAdepoju talked about the pictures, Newsweek ran an issue with our president as a monkey. If we aren\u2019t
\ngoing to come out against hate speech, I don\u2019t think this bill should be in the front of us.
\nAdepoju-
\nNewsweek is not an organization at URI. I put this on the floor to speak about senate\u2019s actions.
\nAs far as my being the cultural affairs chair, this bill is about incidents on our campus.
\nGinsberg-
\nAgree with Coates, don\u2019t see a reason why this bill should be on the floor. I think a letter to the
\neditor would have sufficed what we wanted. Would have given people a chance to talk about this.
\nMotion to vote by Adepoju
\nOpposition, vote, bill passed.
\nAbstention from senator Brown.
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n9
\na. Director of Communications- Simon-
\nnot here, just leave a note
\nfor her if you have anything for newsletter.
\nb.
\nSecretary-Pelletier
\nKudos to Yvens Faustin for gingerbread work,
\nHave a great break and Holidays.
\nc.
\nTreasurer- Shah-
\nPut notes with receipts, there are 3 random ones,
\nI have no idea what they are, I
\nam not going to pay those until I
\nknow what they are. Good luck on your finals.
\nd.
\nVice President-Bedard
\nLast meeting, going to try to keep every bad job
\naspect out of my report. Formal is Tuesday, I gave Amalfi an official number so
\nif you haven\u2019t paid, you are not going. We have exactly 60 people between
\nourselves and SEC. If you live on campus, bu
\ns circle at 6:30 to amalfi. If you
\nlive off campus, you are responsible for yourself. Our DJ is former COO Kevin
\nSullivan.
\nOnly December meeting, Brianna Valenti,
\nTom Sibbald, Nicole Pelletier and Steve
\nBoiteau Happy Birthday!!
\nLast meeting of the semester, do your office hours, you are not required after next
\nweek. Committees, you are not required to ha
\nve more meetings except for this week.
\nBecause it is the last meeting, going to A
\npplebee\u2019s after the meeti
\nng. Good luck on
\nfinals. Happy Holidays, Have a Safe Break!!
\nAronoff- No office hours next week?
\nBedard- You just need to do one before Friday if you haven\u2019t done one since
\nMonday. After Friday, not checking but still encourage you to do hours.
\nPetit- Just so you know, Kim is going to be working on the website during finals, if
\nyou have any suggestions, bring them up to her. If you are good with making
\nwebsites, I am sure she woul
\nd appreciate that help.
\nf. President-Ahrens
\nLast meeting of the year, hope everyone is doing well in
\nclasses, tomorrow morning at 7am, will be in the front of the union selling PC
\ntickets. If you want tickets, first come first serve basis, game is Saturday at 2pm in
\nprovidence. Following night, Friday night, sponsorship with black ice, event til 3am,
\ndance, 2 canned food items. Going to go to Juelia and Maxwell for our canned food
\ndrive. Thursday night, over at Bobby G\u2019s with Beta, collecting more food items.
\nBeginning of the year, set some accomplishm
\nents, we have had a fairly successful
\nyear, battle of the bands, tentville, dona
\nted 250 to ADA, fought tuition increases,
\nMaxwell had vote or die, rerec happened
\nflawlessly, lawsuit still going on, Ellery
\npond service project and canned food drive. Started off campus programming.
\nWhite out with PRS. Academic affairs is
\naggressively going after SETS. Having
\nformal, did gingerbread house competition and had a retreat. Really good semester, I
\nam sure there is a lot more that I am forgetting. Great job everyone. We have it set
\nup so when we return from break, first men\u2019s and women\u2019s game will be URI
\nsponsored game, will have a chance to talk to during half time, also going to be
\nhandling a half time musical chairs competition. If you are around during winter
\nbreak, going to be going over student BOG and senate\u2019s role with other senates at RI
\nschools. With tuition increases and presid
\nential search, be a more active role earlier
\nin the process. I\u2019ll be here all winter. Be safe and have a great holiday.
\n– RULES AND ETHICS: no report
\nH. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
\nBylaws Committee- no report
\nI. SPECIAL ORDERS:
\nNominations and Elections of Elections Committee Members
\nAronoff nominates Allison, Rodrigues seconds
\nLaRocca nominates Luther,
\nseconded by Holden
\nCoates nominates Ginsberg, seconded by Holden
\nHolzman nominates Noble, seconded by Rodrigues
\nLarocca nominates Pelletier, seconded by Harrington
\nStolow Nominates Shah, seconded by Holden
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n10
\nPelletier respectfully decline.
\nShah respectfully declines.
\nPetit nominates Ahrens, seconded by Ginsberg. Respectfully declines
\nPelletier nominates LaRocca, seconded by Petit
\nGinsberg motions to immediately vote.
\nLaRocca- It is really hard to plan
\nthis, if you are elected to this
\ncommittee, please do your job.
\nGinsberg motions, Gorman seconds, Motion passed to vote immediately.
\nThe spring election is the bigger election, two sepa
\nrate, one in the beginning and one in the end of
\nFebruary. Typically has to be people not running in the election.
\nNew elections committee is LaRocca, Allis
\non, Ginsberg, Luther and Noble.
\nNomination for Rules & Ethics
\nBedard \u2013 one open seat. 5 person committee. They deal with complaints and bylaws interpretations. Exec
\ncommittee members are not eligible. Elections comm. is not eligible.
\nStolow nominates Einhorn seconded by Harrington
\nPetit nominates Prata seconded by Stein
\nGins nominates Aronoff seconded by Messineo
\nClarke nominates Holland who declines
\nMax nominates Abbe second by Ginsberg
\nRodrigues nominates Messenio who declines
\nGorman nominates Rodrigues who declines
\nGinsberg motions to close nominations, Harrington seconds.
\nNominations closed, reopen in January.
\nGinsberg-f you are thinking about Rules and Ethics, please talk to others.
\nBedard- If you are interested, current
\nmembers please raise your hands.
\nThere are a number of people who have been on it before.
\nResults of the elections committee, congrats A
\nllison, LaRocca, Luther, Noble and Ginsberg.
\nLaRocca- Meet after the meeting.
\nPelletier- Utilize Kim.
\nShah- Talk to me about budget.
\nJ. Unfinished Business- Secret Snowpers
\non! Thank you Kim for the candy!!
\nK. NEW BUSINESS:
\nL. GENERAL DISCUSSION AND OPEN FORUM:
\nAdepoju
\n– Bring up the discussion about the exec bill. After it was voted on, sat back and looked at what
\nwas written. Read what the bill said. Talked about what opposition is saying today, should not be just
\nabout Obama, not only issues pertaining to him but any type of discrimination or prejudice. Quite
\naggressive during that, would like to apologize. Only way that I could press the issue and make my point
\nclear. Bill like this needed to be unanimous. About letting people know that student senate did not respect
\nor approve of any actions taken with any individual.
\nBrown
\n– Appreciate that, apology is not necessary, atmosphe
\nre for that type of debate. A few other points,
\nseemed to create some type of discrepancy, subjective
\norientation with the articulation, should all strive for
\nobjectivity when dealing with these hi
\nghly contentious issues. In the dr
\nafting of bill, chai
\nrman reached out
\nto affiliates. Still argue that bill does not address the
\ngenuine issues that actually prompted the outcome.
\nWould like to question what role we have in the university in addressing these issues. What role in making
\nactual desire for change.
\nAdepoju
\n– Agree with senator brown, as far as wording, not just one incident, not just after the second
\noccurrence, took initiative, senate just
\nplaying a favored card, after issue in my class, felt need to draft bill.
\nLanguage stands strong as far as lack of respect and disregard. Looked at issue and people not feeling as
\nURI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008
\n11
\nthough it is an issue. Talking about not only presiden
\nt elect Obama, what is repo
\nrted on a daily basis.
\nEditorial in the cigar, really felt as though it needed
\nto be addressed once it happened a third time. Needed
\nto look to deans of college and senate needed to say something for students.
\nBrown
\n– Just questioning when you mention student senate, does it talk about entire senate or what you
\nthink about it.
\nAdepoju
\n– The bill was on the common table and the executive committee also had the chance to edit the
\nbill. If you picked up your minutes and agenda, you should have seen it on the table.
\nCoates-
\nI appreciate the apology, unnecessary, I still seriously disagree with the bill that was put in front of
\nus. If we are not talking about an issue of hate speech, everyone has the right to disagree. Talked about
\npolitical satire and Newsweek. All things that everyone se
\nes everyday. Some might be harsher than others.
\nClarke-
\nThink that chairman Adepoju was right in brining up subject to talk about the bill.
\nGinsberg-
\nThat was how the bill went.
\nBrown-
\nAgree about this being the right thing to do, would like to question the fact but think the bill has a
\nlack of substance.
\nLaRocca
\n– I wish these points were brought up before we vot
\ned. It stinks and we can talk about it all we
\nwant but we all just voted for it. It\u2019s a lesson to a lot of people that we should speak up.
\nAdepoju-
\nThere is a difference between hate speech and ta
\nlking about what you feel without talking about
\ndisrespecting and not liking what is said. Can\u2019t just
\nsay whatever we want because we have laws against
\nhate crimes.
\nCoates-
\nI don\u2019t believe that I raised any new points that I missed earlier, agree with Max.
\nBrown
\n– In response to LaRocca, I was hoping to make t
\nhose comments known but the vote was rushed.
\nPetit
\n– Reminder for finance, meet me and I\u2019d appreciat
\ne it. Everyone have a good, safe break.
\nBedard
\n– Senate as whole, when a bill comes out of senate, whether you vote for it or against it, it is
\nconsidered the official stance of the senate and it is
\nunderstood that you support senate\u2019s decision as a
\nwhole when you leave this room.
\nStolow
\n– Forgot to say in my report, star
\nting next semester, new way to evaluate teachers, no more SETS.
\nBruce
\n– reminder, this Friday afternoon, closing of nominations for Rainville. Very simple, takes about 2
\nminutes online. Maureen and I want to
\nwish you all success with your exams.
\nGinsberg
\n– Thank everyone for a great semester, happy holidays, good luck on your exams and be safe over
\nbreak.
\nMessineo
\n– New senators, senate hasn\u2019t done a lot this seme
\nster, this is a great example to what we do as
\nsenate. Great hat we all have our own opinions and can have a discussion about them. Dark knight is not
\nplaying tonight in honor of senator Gorman.
\nRodrigues
\n– Victoria Secret\u2019s fashion show is at 10pm.
\nMessineo
\n– 9pm preshow.
\nO\u2019Brien
\n– My committee, we are meeting Friday, Happy break!
\nLaRocca
\n– Elections is meeting in the back.
\nAdepoju-
\nHuge thank you to my committee, have pushed
\nand accomplished a lot this semester. I heart you
\nguys, be strong and really make cultural the number one committee of senate.
\nReminder- Formal starts at 7, bus at 6:30 at the bus circle. 7-11pm, look forward to seeing you all.
\nM. ROLL CALL: AYE:
\nAbbe, Adepoju, Allison, Almeida, Aronoff, Bickham, Boiteau, Brown,
\nClarke, Coates, Einhorn, Faustin, Gaudio, Forman,
\nHarrington, Holland, Holzman, Infusino, Inthisone,
\nKearns, LaRocca, Luther, McCormick, Meehan, Me
\nssineo, Mingoia, Moss, O\u2019Brien, Petit, Prata,
\nRodrigues, Sinapi, Slater
\n, Smith, Stein, Yensan
\nNay- Ginsberg, Stolow
\nNo Vote- Bedard, Pelletier, Shah
\nN. ADJOURNMENT: 8:40<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
URI STUDENT SENATE MINUTES December 3, 2008 A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:32 PM B. ROLL CALL: Abbe, Ahrens, Almeida, Aronoff, Bedard, Bickham, Boiteau, Brown, Clarke, Coates, Einhorn, Faustin, Gaudio, Ginsberg, Harrington, Holden, Holland, Holzman, Infusino, Inthisone, Kearns, LaRocca, Luther, Lynch, McCormick, Meehan, Messineo, Mingoia, Moss, O\u2019Brien, Pelletier, Petit, Prata, Rodrigues, Shah, Sinapi, Slater, Smith, Stein, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":581,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-senate-minutes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/581"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2243\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/studentsenate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}