Student Senate swears in 16 new senators

10/09/08 - Sixteen newly-elected senators took their seats last night as official members of the University of Rhode Island Student Senate.The senate voted unanimously to validate the results of the annual fall elections held two weeks ago to fill vacant seats.

Elections were held for 21 empty positions: five freshman representatives, one College of Human Sciences and Services representative, one College of Business representative, three on-campus housing representatives, six off-campus housing representatives and five at-large representatives.

The College of Human Sciences and Services representative position remains empty and will be filled through internal senate elections, where senators will nominate and vote to elect representatives. The internal elections process will begin next week.

Senate Vice President David Bedard said he met most of the new senators during the orientation program he directed.

"They're a pretty good group, pretty excited . pretty gung-ho about senate right now," he said.

Newly-elected at large representative Gage Kearns, a freshman, said he ran for the position because he wanted to get more involved in campus life, a sentiment expressed by many of the new senators.

"I love it," Kearns said. "It looks like it's going to be so much fun."

Sophomore Kevin Walsh, another new at-large representative, said he joined the senate to make a difference, although he said he had no specific plans.

"I want to make sure our college can be the best it can be," he said.

Junior Ronald Bickham II, a new on-campus housing representative, said he decided to run for senate after he was unable to get a club he had started last year recognized. As a senator, Bickham said he hopes to improve communication between the senate and student groups.

Off-campus housing representative senior Tim Noble, said he joined for a similar reason.

"I want to understand how the senate works with student groups," Noble said.

Noble said he plans to start a film club next semester, and, as an outgoing senior, wants to make sure remaining members understand how things work.

Noble said he was also concerned about proposed RIPTA cuts.

"Because I live off of campus, I'm interested in off-campus issues in general," he said.

Memorial Union and Student Activities Director Bruce Hamilton, who serves as an adviser to Student Senate, addressed the new senators after they were sworn in.

"Despite the fact that on campuses across the country student governments are often looked at by their peers as just a thing that goes on, you make a difference, you have made a difference," Hamilton said.

Four of the 20 new senators were not present at last night's meeting due to scheduling conflicts and will be sworn in next week, Election Committee Chairwoman Nicole Pelletier said.

In other business:

Senate President Thomas Ahrens announced that the senate was looking to gather statements from anyone who felt they had been negatively affected by Narragansett's orange sticker policy for use in the ongoing lawsuit.

Bedard announced that the URI Presidential Search Committee would be holding a meeting Tuesday, Oct. 14, on the URI Feinstein Providence campus.

"If you want your two cents [heard], as of right now, that's the only option that we're presented for voicing our opinions," he said.