The Student Senate passed two bills during this week’s meeting, dissolving the Instruments Committee and approving the menstrual product project in the Memorial Union.
According to Instruments Committee Chair Christopher Bove, the Instruments Committee was implemented into the Student Senate constitution two years ago.
“The Instruments Committee was never meant to be a committee to last forever,” Bove said. “Two years ago, the Senate completely rewrote its constitution and bylaws and it fundamentally changed its structure. It was made into a standing committee to make sure that the bylaws in the constitution were finished.”
Bove believes that the bylaws are now complete, and with that, there is no longer a need for the committee. According to Bove, the constitution and the bylaws are not things that need to be changed every semester.
“When the Instruments Committee is not changing the constitution and the bylaws, there is virtually nothing for the committee to do,” Bove said.
Bove said that going forward if any changes need to be made to the constitution, any five senators can propose a bill and have it voted on rather than having a whole committee to do so. The bill was passed unanimously.
Following this, Campus Affairs Chair Michael Bentley proposed a contingency grant request to supply menstrual products for all the female-identified and gender-neutral bathrooms in the Memorial Union, the Robert L. Carothers Library and Learning Commons and other public areas around campus.
Last week, the Senate passed a bill that allows these products to be installed. It will cost the senate $320 for 16 bins, $1,250 for 5,000 tampons and $1,050 for 5,000 menstrual pads.
The bill passed with 21 votes.
Bove announced that he and senator Angelica Tyson have been discussing a new bill to be proposed in the upcoming weeks.
This bill would request an alternative to the UPASS bus system implemented last year, which, due to budget cuts amidst the pandemic, was canceled for the fall 2020 semester. The system gave students free access to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) bus line with a student bus pass.
“The problem with the UPASS is that it was costing the state $375,000 a year to give to students, but students were only using it for about $14,000 worth of bus fare,” Bove said.
Due to this, the University deemed it not viable to continue this system.
In replacement of the UPASS, the University has been selling students 10 rides on the RIPTA busses for half price in the Memorial Union. Bove and Tyson have been negotiating with the Division of Student Affairs to make these passes free for URI students.
The Division of Student Affairs proposed partnering with the Senate to split the cost of providing these rides to students. According to Bove, this would cost about $10,000 for the Senate.
President Austyn Ramsay and Academic Affairs Chair Thomas McGrath made a statement to the Faculty Senate Committee at their meeting regarding the loss of spring break and its effect on the mental health of students.
McGrath said that the meeting went well and both parties worked together to discuss options to provide relief to students.
After McGrath spoke, Student Organizations Committee Chair Katie Siegle announced that the committee is currently planning a spirit week that would include special events and grab-and-go options in the upcoming weeks.
The next Student Senate meeting will be on March 17 at 6:30 p.m.