Spring Break
SR&R committee closes meeting, dismisses public
Bridgette Blight
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: News
03/04/08 - The dean of students closed a meeting of the University of Rhode Island Students' Rights and Responsibilities Committee to the public Friday, saying she wanted a "more comfortable" environment for committee members.
The meetings of the committee, which makes changes to the university's conduct rules, are normally open to the public. But on Friday, Dean of Students and chair of the committee Fran Cohen asked members of the public and a reporter to leave, saying the board would discuss its composition. The makeup of the committee had come under fire by the student members in a letter to the Cigar published that day.
In the letter, the student representatives complained of conflicts of interest of four faculty, staff and graduate student members on the committee. The students said that the four members that enforce the rules should not also write them because it creates a temptation to change the rules to simplify their jobs. Specifically, the students complained that a Campus Police officer, faculty member who duels as a member of the conduct board, graduate student who works for Housing and Residential Life and Cohen all possessed conflicts of interest.
Student member Allen Petit objected to Cohen barring the media and questioned her about her decision. Afterwards, he said he believed students had a right to attend and hear about the meeting.
"I don't think it was right of her to do that because it wasn't, in my opinion, a private meeting," Petit said. "It was still a public meeting and there was no reason for her to close it."
Petit said Cohen told the student members she would consider removing Campus Police Maj. Stephen Baker from the committee and replacing him with a member of the student conduct board.
Petit said the student representatives were considering her request and soliciting feedback from Student Senate before deciding whether to agree to the move.
During the open part of Friday's meeting, the committee went through changes to sections of the Student Handbook relating to drug and alcohol infractions as well as the URI discipline system.
The meetings of the committee, which makes changes to the university's conduct rules, are normally open to the public. But on Friday, Dean of Students and chair of the committee Fran Cohen asked members of the public and a reporter to leave, saying the board would discuss its composition. The makeup of the committee had come under fire by the student members in a letter to the Cigar published that day.
In the letter, the student representatives complained of conflicts of interest of four faculty, staff and graduate student members on the committee. The students said that the four members that enforce the rules should not also write them because it creates a temptation to change the rules to simplify their jobs. Specifically, the students complained that a Campus Police officer, faculty member who duels as a member of the conduct board, graduate student who works for Housing and Residential Life and Cohen all possessed conflicts of interest.
Student member Allen Petit objected to Cohen barring the media and questioned her about her decision. Afterwards, he said he believed students had a right to attend and hear about the meeting.
"I don't think it was right of her to do that because it wasn't, in my opinion, a private meeting," Petit said. "It was still a public meeting and there was no reason for her to close it."
Petit said Cohen told the student members she would consider removing Campus Police Maj. Stephen Baker from the committee and replacing him with a member of the student conduct board.
Petit said the student representatives were considering her request and soliciting feedback from Student Senate before deciding whether to agree to the move.
During the open part of Friday's meeting, the committee went through changes to sections of the Student Handbook relating to drug and alcohol infractions as well as the URI discipline system.
