In this week’s Student Senate meeting, Vice President Steinweh-Adler gave updates on URI student action for sustainable composting.
Student Action against Sustainability and the Senate Campus Affairs Committee received funding from the 11th Hour Foundation. This foundation was started by the former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt. Schmidt is giving money to campuses across the country for sustainability efforts.
A template has been created by SAS that highlights what students can do to benefit composting.
Chair Peckham sponsored a bill calling for exam and practical scheduling leniency.
“If a student has more than two exams scheduled for one day, one of the professors can be lenient and say you can take the exam in a day or two,” Peckham said. “Just so that the student is able to put their full time and effort into study for that exam.”
This idea came from the concept of “final exam rights.” These rights specified that a student cannot have more than two final exams scheduled within a day. Peckham believes this logic should also apply to syllabus specified exams that are weighted 20% or more.
The bill passed. Peckham plans to send the bill over to the Faculty Senate for approval. She also hopes to gain support from the Academic Enhancement Center.
Additional bills passed called for the acknowledgment of various clubs as Senate recognized organizations.
These clubs included the Public Health Club, Women in Pre-Med and the American Society of Landscape Architecture.
Stiles, the advisor of the Student Senate, mentioned concerns around the immediate consideration of bills.
“The rapid movement to immediately consider voting does not give people the opportunity to reflect on those bills and gain more information,” Stiles says. “I would ask that you take into consideration the bills in advance so that we are not voting on bills as we walk in the door.”
Stiles wants Senators to reflect and review the bills in order to make informed decisions.
President Rizk reported that the Senator of the month for October will be announced next week. Rizk is also in the talks with the Housing Residential Life Director Tom Cooley. Together, Rizk and Cooley are planning to have advertisements for the Student Senate in the residential and dining halls.
Rizk also mentioned open positions on the student advisory groups for HRL. In the advisory groups, students get to voice their opinions on housing at URI and discuss what can be improved.
Senator Rudolph mentioned that Friday is the last day for Senator voting in the fall election. There are twelve people declared for the five positions open for the first year, four declared for the single at-large seat, and no declared candidates for the College of Pharmacy.
For a guide or advice on how to join the Student Senate, the Elections Committee is happy to help. Another option is the Student Senate website. There is an Elections Campaign guide for potential candidates to follow.
The Senate will meet next Wednesday, Nov. 1.