Student Senate elects students to serve on Rules, Ethics Committee

04/09/09 - The University of Rhode Island Student Senate elected five senators to the Rules and Ethics Committee last night.The Rules and Ethics Committee with disputes within clubs and different committees of the senate. When an issue between two parties comes to fruition, the committee sits down with both sides and acts as a mediator, using the senate bylaws to make an unbiased decision.

Six senators, Gianna Prata, Jacob Holzman, Noel Slater, Steve Messineo, Joe Puleo and Brianna Valenti, were nominated for the five spots on the committee. The senate elected Prata, Holzman, Slater, Messineo and Puleo.

Senator Prata has been nominated and lost twice before, but received support from both Student Senate President David Bedard and Finance Committee Chairman Allen Petit.

"I feel I am very unbiased and level-headed," Prata said.

Senator Holzman, who was unable to attend the meeting, has served on the committee in the past.

"He always comes to an overall solution to a problem," Chairman Steven Boiteau said of Holzman.

Petit, who nominated Holzman, commended his past experience on the committee and said his knowledge is what rules and ethics need.

Messineo, in his statement to the senate, said he would feel comfortable going against the consensus view if he feels it's the right thing to do.

"He has the power to make the right decision even if it is unpopular," Petit said.

Senator Puleo was recently elected to the senate. According to senator and Student Organizations Advisory and Review Committee Chair Katherine Holland, Puleo wanted to get involved and participate more in senate duties.

Puleo told senate he has the ability to step out of a situation and not be biased.

"He has a high standard of values and morals that will help him make the right decision," Petit said of Puleo.

Though senator Valenti never served on the Rules and Ethics committee before, Holland threw her support behind her.

Holland told the senate she thought Valenti "will be able to bring fresh ideas to the committee."

Valenti, like Messineo, said that she is not afraid to go against the grain of the popular vote in order to do what is fair for the students.

The nominees were asked their personal definition of ethics during the meeting.

Puleo's view of ethics was how one addresses the issues of morality, and Messineo called ethics a personal code of honor.

Senator Valenti received some laughs when she said, "ethics is like your culture, and you're not going to go around walking naked.