The URI Student Senate

With tremendous honor and gratitude, introducing the Goswami-Feroz administration of Student Senate for the Academic year 2024-25. Aspiring to increase inclusivity, collaboration and affordability, we transition into the new year with higher optimism and confidence of serving our student body. Photo by Brigid Locke.

We are honored to announce the Spring 2024 election results! After witnessing one of the highest turnout, most contested competitions in recent years, our annual Spring elections have produced an impressive set of 26 elected General Assembly Representatives who’ll serve the 2024-2025 Student Senate term. We also congratulate Argha G. and Sanah Feroz who were elected Student Body President and Vice President respectively. Both the upcoming Goswami-Feroz Administration and all Senators-elect will be formally inaugurated at the Annual Meeting on April 3rd 2024 in Senate Chambers (Room 300 of the Memorial Student Union). 

Last week, the Cultural Affairs Committee, led by Chair Meilin Quiroa Reyes, and the Community First Responder Program (CFRP) presented a Naloxone training at the University of Rhode Island. This training involved insightful knowledge about distinguishing opioid overdose symptoms and how to correctly administer Naloxone (Narcan) in the event of an overdose. This knowledge is particularly relevant as opioid overdose rates continue to spike across the state of Rhode Island. Taught by Victoria Gugliotti, a 6th year PharmD student, this presentation was attended by the undergraduate student body of URI as well as Senators of Student Senate. Thank you to the Cultural Affairs committee and Ms.Gugliotti for hosting this educational experience.

Introducing Meilin Quiroa Reyes. Currently serving as the Chair for the Cultural Affairs committee for the Academic year of 2023-24. Meilin upholds the values and virtues of the multicultural community within the Student body through engaging in advocacy and representation. This role specifically offers visibility to diverse cultural and ethnic groups, through hosting events and introducing resolutions that aim to inform, teach and bring awareness to these communities. As of April 2023, Chair Reyes has collaborated with Senators to recognize the diversity on campus with a First Gen College student event, conducting Scholarship Panels, and addressing matters relevant to Multicultural student organizations. Chair Reyes is additionally a President of R.A.D while majoring in Biological Sciences and Chinese, and minoring in Chemistry and Leadership Studies, thus displaying her continued dedication to the Student body and academia. We invite you to connect with Meilin Quiroa Reyes on all cultural affairs!

Introducing Chris Hoover. Currently serving as the External Affairs Chair of the Student Senate for the Academic year of 2023-24, Chris advocates for the rights, concerns, and interests of the 8700 URI off-campus students. Chair Hoover works with URI officials, landlord foundations, police agencies, state, and local governments, to create a positive off-campus living environment for off-campus students. Chair Hoover is an accounting major, and is heavily involved with the URI College of Business, and URI campus recruiting for Ernst & Young. Chris strives to ensure that all students’ voices can be heard, showing his commitment to URI and the constituencies he represents. We invite you to connect with Chris Hoover on all off-campus matters and concerns!

Introducing Sophia Buono. Serving as the Chair for the Campus Affairs committee for the Academic year of 2023-24, Sophia brings light to the wide array of matters and requests made by the Student Body surrounding Campus life and related affairs. This role specifically entails pursuing and ultimately solving matters that pertain to safety, housing and on-campus residency, dining and food services. As of April 2023, Chair Buono has worked alongside the Executive body and Senators to address these matters by conducting Blue Light safety training, engaging in necessary communication regarding recent on-campus parking updates and collaborating with dining services to provide an optimal dining experience. Chair Buono is additionally an active leader of the URI Mock Trial while majoring in Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Philosophy thus displaying her continued dedication to the Student body and academia. We invite you to connect with Sophia Buono (She/Her) on all campus-related affairs! 

Introducing Lauren Peckham. Serving as the Chair for the Academic Affairs committee for the Academic year of 2023-24, Lauren empowers the Student body by preserving and expanding the rights of the Student body in the Academic realm. Prioritizing the academic requests and concerns of students, Chair Peckham specifically acts as a Liaison by ensuring smooth delivery of examination rights, academic integrity and Professor-Student transparency. As of April 2023, Chair Peckham has worked alongside the Executive body, Senators and Academic entities within the 7 colleges of URI, to address these matters by ensuring equitable access to higher education, creating a resolution to provide attendance leniency and conversing with the Student body regarding DAI accommodations. In addition, Chair Peckham is serves as the Academic Chair on P.I.N.K Women and is the Vice President of Women in Pre-Law while triple majoring in Criminal Justice, Psychology and Political Science, thus showcasing her pursuit of academic excellence. We invite you to connect with Lauren Peckham on all academic-related affairs!

Introducing Nick Johnson. Serving as the Chair for the Student Organizations committee for the Academic year of 2023-24, Nick oversees and addresses all matters relevant to the diverse range of Student Organizations on campus. With an aim to enhance Student body engagement and representation through a variety of Student organizations, this position specifically engages with Student clubs through regulating group structures, granting Senate-recognition, and resolving concerns that pertain to the functioning of student organizations. As of April 2023, Chair Johnson has worked to recognize numerous Student-created organizations, has conversed and clarified inquiries regarding the functioning of these clubs, and has ensured the application of guidelines and rules applies in an equitable manner across all groups. We invite you to connect with Nick Johnson on all student org-related affairs! 

Introducing Cameron Chadronet Serving as the Speaker of the Student Senate General Assembly for the Academic year of 2023-24, Cameron contributes to the Student Senate by presiding over meetings of the Senate’s General Assembly. As Chair of the General Assembly, he writes the Senate’s agendas, moderates debate, assigns committees, invites guest speakers from across campus, and provides information to the Senate on our instruments of organization and parliamentary procedure. Since April of 2023, Speaker Chadronet has led sixteen General Assembly meetings, written and distributed the General Assembly meeting agendas and minutes, and invited guest speakers such as President Marc Parlange, Vice President Ellen Reynolds, Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services Coordinator Kelley Ryan, and Assistant Vice President Thomas Cooley. Speaker Chadronet is a marine biology major and a member of the URI College Democrats. We invite you to connect with Cameron Chadronet to learn more about Senate, our procedures and meetings!

Introducing Sanah Feroz. Currently serving as the Director of Communications of the Student Senate for the Academic year of 2023-24, Director Feroz oversees the dissemination of information within the Student Senate and throughout the Student body and campus. With an emphasis on establishing transparency and open communication, Sanah manages the social media accounts of the Student Senate with the ambition of presenting a pristine and influential image of the accomplishments of Student Senate. This ambition has led to collaborations with Senators, Committee Chairs, President Rizk, Student organizations and The University of Rhode Island. As of April 2023, Director Feroz has created and published more than two dozen Instagram posts, achieving a reach of 3,000 accounts and establishing a following of nearly 2,300 accounts during her tenure. She has also planned, organized and headed recruitment initiatives at RhodyFest and QuadFest, thus attracting a new set of fresh, enthusiastic prospective Senators. In addition to her dedicated role, Director Feroz is a double major in Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies, and is an active executive leader in the South Asian Students’ Association, Muslim Students’ Association, and P.I.N.K Women, thereby emphasizing her strength to academic and social pursuits. We invite you to connect with Sanah Feroz on all matters Social Media and visibility through Senate!