UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
FACULTY SENATE

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
November 22, 2005

At the October 20, 2005 meeting of the Faculty Senate, Student Senate Bill #SS-05/06-23 “BILL CALLING FOR THE URI STUDENT SENATE TO FORMALLY REQUEST CONSIDERATION OF CHANGES TO THE STUDENT HANDBOOK” was referred to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for consideration (Faculty Senate Action #05-06--3).  

From late October through mid-November, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee undertook a review of the issues involved.  The Executive Committee interviewed Assistant Vice President and Dean Fran Cohen and Student Senator Cristin Langworthy. Dean Cohen chairs the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee and Ms. Langworthy was a member of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee and is the Student Senator who handled SS-05/06-23.  In addition, the Executive Committee reviewed Minutes, notes and e-mails of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee as the committee undertook its review of the Student Handbook and the regulations on student discipline.  The Executive Committee also examined materials distributed to the members of the Faculty Senate at the October meeting and a subsequent proposal for SS-05/06-30, which was under consideration by the Student Senate.

It is the consensus of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee that there was no inappropriate action on the part of the chair or the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee (SR&R) and therefore, sees no reason to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate the SR&R Committee’s deliberations between 2003 and fall 2005.  It was also the consensus of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee that the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee as an official joint committee of the President and the Faculty Senate is duly authorized to consider all matters related to the implementation of the student discipline system and to make recommendations to the Faculty Senate and the President.  

The FSEC agrees with President Carothers that the implementation of the policy will determine appropriate limits. They also agree the Student Senate, through its student representatives to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee, may introduce for discussion any of the matters proposed for consideration by an ad hoc group.