State of the student body address

The following State of the Student Body Address was given by Rhode Island College Student Community Government President, Dante DiGregorio, during the parliamentary meeting of Oct. 8, 2025. President DiGregorio asked that The Anchor post the address in the interest of sharing his intentions for his 2025-2026 presidential term. To view the speech in full, visit @AnchorTVRIC on YouTube. 

Photo of Dante DiGregorio by Nakita Guerrouxo

Members of Parliament, students of Rhode Island College, friends and colleagues—

There are moments in the life of an institution when it must prove itself worthy of the trust it asks for. For Student Community Government, this is such a moment.

For too long, SCG has been known more for its titles than its impact, more for its processes than its results. That reputation ends today. This year marks what I call “The Great Promise.” A promise to rebuild trust through action, to match our words with results, and to make this institution worthy of the students it represents. Legitimacy is not declared; it is demonstrated. And this year, we will demonstrate it.

You can already see it. Clubs are forming at a pace unseen in years. New students are not only arriving on campus—they are stepping into leadership, shaping the future of student life. Students showed up, filled the quad, and reminded all of us that when we invest in student life, we invest in a campus that feels alive.

But let us not be blind to the challenges before us. Worn down residence halls, high textbook costs, hit and runs in parking lots, low four year graduation rates, and students voices that’ll never make it to my ears, or anyones. But what I’m here to offer up is an alternative. The moment in front of us is written with potential. We are seeing enrollment rise, freshmen signing up for clubs, taking out petitions for parliament, and aching for involvement.

To the freshmen: hold on to that energy. The list of problems will always grow—but so can your impact. To the juniors and seniors: don’t think you’ve learned it all. While many of us feel like we understand it all and could fix it all given just enough time, just enough resources, just enough influence, we have much to learn like our freshmen. Many of us have also not yet maximized our potential into the leaders we can still yet become. This is a unique time in RICs history where we all can make something special of the moment we’re living in, and recognize that Student Community Government is that place to do it.

This year, we’ve already hit the ground running. SCG has already sat down with our Vice President for Administration and Finance to discuss accessibility and safety measures, and will meet with campus police, to discuss accountability and immediate solutions. Safety and accessibility are not privileges—they are rights—and we will not rest until they are guaranteed for every student. Meeting with the campus master plan committee will drive a scope of change never seen before on campus, modernizing our facilities, roads, and accessibility. 

For SCG itself, this is a year of transformation. We are not waiting. We are moving. We are leading. Already, we are in talks with Dining Services to secure cheaper alternatives for food costs for clubs. We are pushing forward on reducing textbook costs by ensuring more of them are covered under tuition. I’ve joined the National Association of Student Government Presidents and created a network with colleges around the state to expand our scope and potential for change. And we are finalizing a new recognition policy that will ensure every club upholds basic standards of inclusion, fairness and responsibility.

But reform does not stop there. We are reshaping the very foundation of SCG to make it more effective, more accountable, and more student-driven. We are transitioning the Deputy Speaker role into a new Conditions Controller, whose sole focus will be surveying and data collection—providing the hard facts we need to make real change, not just for SCG, but opening up communication channels for every department across this college. And we will retain the traditional Deputy Speaker responsibilities in a cabinet role beneath the Speaker, ensuring that nothing is lost, only strengthened.

We are creating an Academic Officer, an entirely new role, dedicated to leading the Academic Affairs Committee and serving as a direct bridge between students, faculty, and administration. For too long, academic concerns have been scattered. With this role, they will have a home, a leader and a direct line of communication that cannot be ignored.

Financial responsibility will guide all of this. With the finance question sheet, no request will reach the Finance Commission without justification and accountability. Every club, every dollar, every decision will be scrutinized, because this is not our money—it is the students’ money. And with a new inventory policy, we will stop wasting resources buying the same items over and over again. Everything SCG purchases will be tracked, reused and managed responsibly.

But let me be clear: the boldest reform is yet to come. For decades, our Executive Board has been elected by Parliament alone. That will change. Every single student pays the Student Activity Fee. Every single student deserves a voice in choosing the leaders who manage their money. We will open elections for all Executive Board positions to the student body, and in doing so, we will open SCG itself. This is about legitimacy. This is about democracy. This is about giving students the power they already deserve.

Members of Parliament, students of Rhode Island College: this is not just another year. This is a turning point. We are laying the groundwork for an SCG that will last beyond all of us—an SCG that is transparent, accountable, and unafraid to fight for students.

I ask you to imagine a Rhode Island College where the campus is accessible and of higher quality, where textbooks don’t drain wallets, where every student can join a club and know it is inclusive and responsible. Imagine an SCG that doesn’t just manage money, but shapes the future of this campus with vision and integrity. That is the Rhode Island College we are building. That is the SCG we are becoming. That is The Great Promise — not of a single president or a single year, but of a student government reborn through action. We will not slow down. We will not step back. We will not accept the way things have always been. Together, we will create change that lasts—not for one semester, not for one year, but for the future of every student who will walk this campus after us. The state of the student body is strong, but our determination is stronger. Thank you.