Week of March 21, 2011
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Vol. 83, Issue #22
Chafee’s budget proposal increases funding for higher education By Rita Nerney News Editor
Governor Lincoln Chafee recently proposed a $10 million budget increase to higher education. The additional funding, if supported by the General Assembly, would affect the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island. “If the legislature accepts the budget, RIC will still face a $4.6 million budget gap, which will necessitate some belt tightening and most likely a modest tuition increase,” said President Nancy Carriuolo. Tuition increases are still unknown at the state colleges,
except for CCRI. Chafee has assured members of the community college that the tuition there will stay the same, since it affects a large number of the state’s students, about 17,800. Tuition at Rhode Island’s state colleges has increased by more than 30 percent since 2008, and it will continue to increase next year at RIC and URI. The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association reported that Rhode Island is ranked lowest in the nation in higher education support. The majority of funding for URI, RIC and CCRI comes from student tuition.
Anchor Photo/Hayden James
Gov. Lincoln Chafee at Rhode Island College for the gubernatorial debate last fall.
See BUDGET Page 5
Parliament creates Student Entertainment Committee By Rita Nerney News Editor
After a controversial debate that spanned multiple meetings, Parliament approved the Student Entertainment Committee and its accompanying policy with little fanfare. The passage means that, beginning next year, committee members will be able to plan an end-ofthe-year entertainment event on campus within a set structure. The Parliament meeting was held on Wednesday, March 9 in Parliament Chambers, Student Union 307. A few changes were made to the agenda before the meeting began. Deputy Speaker Kyla Pecchia announced the next Town
FEMA on campus to help prevent tragedy By Kyle Grant Anchor News Writer
Anchor Photo/David Okon
Pres. Escobar, center,
says he is happy with
Hall meeting is set to take place on March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. Parliament voted to make it mandatory for all Parliament members to attend in order to
SCG’s progress.
reach out to their constituents. Members of the By-Laws/ Adjudication Commission, who ironed out the details of See COMMITTEE Page 6
Hundreds of educators, first responders, police operatives and federal agents packed the Student Union Ballroom for the Rhode Island Higher Education Preparedness Seminar with one major goal: they plan to prevent tragedies like the Virginia Tech shootings of 2007 from happening on Rhode Island campuses. The seminar, a collaboration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, illustrated how
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to prevent disasters from occurring on college campuses. All Rhode Island colleges were represented and colleges from as far away as New York travelled to RIC to learn how to prepare for and prevent catastrophes from occurring on campus. The seminar was the first FEMA event to occur at RIC and the first of many major steps RIC is taking to make the campus as safe as possible. President Nancy Carriuolo personally invited FEMA to hold these events at RIC to further her goal in making the See FEMA Page 7