This week, Christopher Bove will be on the ballot for next year’s University of Rhode Island Student Senate president.
Bove, a Rhode Island native, is a sophomore triple major in political science, history and communication studies. At URI, Bove has served as the student representative on the Board of Trustees, the instruments committee chairman, president of College Democrats and the secretary of URI ACLU. He is also the membership director of the College Democrats of Rhode Island and the secretary of the Middletown Democratic Town Committee.
Through each of these positions, Bove believes he has learned the importance of student voices. According to Bove, it will take the help of everyone who wishes for change on campus to unravel problems at the University.
Bove is also legally blind and has faced challenges when appealing for on-campus accommodations. He said that this will heighten his ability to empathize with a diverse group of people on campus, especially those who face similar issues.
“Given my experiences in leadership and my experiences being a student with a disability, I have learned not only what the problems are on campus, but how we can solve those problems together,” Bove said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bove believes that student feedback has been silenced by senior leadership. He has noted a repeated behavior of decision-making before addressing student concerns, especially in regards to recent housing adjustments.
Addressing this lack of student opinion is at the forefront of Bove’s agenda.
“I will focus on rebuilding by addressing the culture on campus and the disconnect between students, faculty and senior leadership,” he said. “I will work to ensure that faculty senate and student senate are on the same page when we take action.”
Bove also believes that the implementations of COVID-19 exposed the flaws in many of URI’s systems and practices. He said that some senior leadership decisions from the past academic year were poorly executed, and aims to steer away from this damaged system.
“During COVID, administrators felt as though they could do whatever they wanted, and they expected students to go along with it,” he said. “There is an issue where senior leadership and faculty have unchecked control and no one to hold them accountable. That is something that I wish to immediately address.”
Bove feels prepared to take on these responsibilities after having frequent meetings with administrators at URI. He is confident that his leadership abilities will shine in a position that warrants more responsibility than his current seat in the senate.
Improving the campus experience and the academic experience after COVID-19 are pressing matters to Bove. He has vowed to work closely with Housing and Residential Life, as well as with Dining Services, to solve issues of housing and dining insecurity on campus.
Bove also hopes to ensure that students are receiving proper academic guidance, expressing how physical and mental health are two areas that deserve more focus from the University.
“Our college years are our most formative years, so we need to make sure that everyone on campus is getting what they need,” he said.
He is also passionate about expanding transportation access on campus, including the return of free access to public transportation for all students. He wishes to work with senior leadership to reinstate the U-Pass or come up with a budget to create a similar model.
Bove chose sophomore Angelica Tyson as his running mate in the upcoming election. Tyson is a double major in criminology and criminal justice and psychology with a minor in leadership studies.
As a senator, Tyson has advocated for student feedback on the Memorial Union’s lower-level murals. She also serves on a committee working towards finding a new campus police chief who recognizes the racial injustices occurring in the community.
Bove said that Tyson has proven herself to be willing to address sensitive issues and the pair, who are long-time friends, will work swiftly in initiating their shared ideas surrounding university reformation.
According to Tyson, Bove is a strong presidential candidate due to his charisma and sociability.
“Chris is definitely the best people-person I know,” she said. “He is able to connect with everyone, and I think he would be the best face for URI senate since he works so well with students.”
During the Student Senate meeting on Wednesday, Bove and Tyson seconded each other’s remarks and expressed that their strengths and weaknesses complement each other nicely.
Elections are being held Monday and Tuesday through their new online voting system, Campus Labs.