The University of Rhode Island student senate convened Wednesday to discuss parking, position changes and the investigation of complaints.
Head Jurist Andrew Ebrahimpour attended the meeting to make senators aware of the confidential complaints. Senators will be interviewed one by one in the following weeks as the investigation continues.
Ebrahimpour discouraged senators from speaking with one another about the subject of the interview.
The senate entered their first executive session of the semester to discuss issues pertaining to senator absences. They elected to keep their staff advisor, Maureen McDermott, and Ebrahimpour in the room for discussion.
Student senate was in executive session for 39 minutes.
External Affairs Committee Chair Sophia Buono will be taking a leave of absence, leaving her position to Sen. Cameron Hudson in the interim. Sen. John Estes has been appointed as interim vice chair.
Buono will be absent for the remainder of the fall semester, pursuing an internship with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office. In her parting speech, she encouraged senators to use their power to make positive change on campus.
“You guys are so impressive and you are such an essential part of this university,” Buono said.
Buono was commended by her fellow senators on her willingness to step back from her position.
“If you stretch yourself too thin, it’s okay to say no to certain things that seem like a commitment,” Estes said.
URI Transportation and Parking director Joe Paradise visited the senate chambers to discuss student issues with parking. Sen. Rose Walding expressed concern over the number of Emergency Medical Services parking spaces at Health Services.
There are four dedicated EMS parking spaces, but more than four EMS workers on shift at a time, Walding said.
“So when I go to park at EMS, if I don’t get a spot I would get a ticket,” Walding said.
Consideration for more spots is on the table, but EMS workers should park in other lots for now, Paradise said.
“What gets me though, is why do you have a personal vehicle?” Paradise said. “Because you’re in an ambulance right?”
The student senate will not be meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Their next meeting will take place on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Memorial Union Room 300.