In the final meeting of the semester, the URI Student Senate voted on a bill to create a new model constitution.
The model constitution is aimed at making it easier for new or already established clubs to have a guideline for creating their own constitutions.
An amendment was added to the bill talking about advisors and how clubs need to list their advisors so the Senate can get a hold of them easily. They also added that in order to remove a member from a club, there needs to be a general consensus that the member should be removed. They must get six additional members to sign on to the removal of the member.
Debate ensued on whether or not the names of the six members who voted to remove the member should be made public to the member who was ejected from the club. This ended up with the Senate agreeing that the names of the six members signing should be public to parties involved in removal upon request.
After the amendment was added, the bill was successfully passed.
Chair Johnson announced a bill to add Sojourn URI as an official club. It passed quickly.
A new club bill was brought to the Senate. It aimed at recognizing the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity as a Senate recognized organization. The Senate voted to pass the bill.
A new resolution was brought to add language to give military members, members of the National Guard or the reserves, the ability to make up work that would have been missing. It was announced by Senator Ebrahimpour and was also quickly passed. It marks his first resolution.
Another resolution was brought up to allow students to park in the faculty lot after 5 p.m.. The resolution was tabled for the next meeting as the Senate needed more time to look over current language and gather more information about the policies as they stand today.
Chair Hoover announced a new bill to initiate further communications with the Narragansett Town Council about their anti-student housing ordinances that have been passed.
“We are running around in circles, the town is looking to pass another ordinance to reduce access to housing even further,” External Affairs Chair Hoover said.
Vice President Steinweh-Adler announced the Senators of the month as Chair Nick Johnson and College Senator Kiersten Sundell for the month of November.
“Chair Johnson’s self-sacrificial ethos is evident through his leadership for the Student Organization Committee,” Steinweh-Adler said.
The resolution was enthusiastically passed.
President Rizk updated the Senate about the resolution the Senate passed last month about the time limitations on study rooms in the library. Staff are currently reviewing the resolution. He also mentioned that as part of his platform as president, he and Vice President Steinweh-Adler wanted to get more menstrual products in the library bathrooms. Communications with members of library staff are in progress on that.
Chair Peckham announced that Senator Ebrahimpour will serve as the new mental health liaison and will be working with Health services.
Vice President Steinweh-Adler announced his fundraiser event for the Student Senate in the Memorial Union on Monday, Dec. 11.
The Senate finished off the meeting with a pass-the-gavel, giving every Senator the opportunity to congratulate the graduating seniors.