SENATE RESOLUTION CELEBRATING MARCH 19, 2026, AS "RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

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LC006114
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING MARCH 19, 2026, AS "RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE DAY" IN THE STATE
OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By:
Senators Lawson, Ciccone, Tikoian, Gallo, Raptakis, Vargas,
Appollonio, Murray, DiPalma, and McKenney

Date Introduced:
March 16, 2026

Referred To:
Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar
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WHEREAS, Established by the General Assembly in 1854, and originally named the
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"Rhode Island State Normal School", Rhode Island College (RIC) is a public college located in
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the City of Providence and is the second oldest institution of higher education – and the oldest
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public institution of higher education – in Rhode Island; and
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WHEREAS, Comprised of a 180-acre campus, RIC has 282 full-time faculty members,
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and a student body of more than 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The college offers
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more than 50 undergraduate and over 25 graduate degree programs, and a doctoral program in
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nursing practice; and
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WHEREAS, In addition, RIC offers programs and classes in professional and workforce
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development, continuing and adult education, and community programs and initiatives that
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"empower our citizens and strengthen our communities"; and
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WHEREAS, RIC also offers a panoply of athletic opportunities as a member of the
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National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III with 21 varsity sports, including 9
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men's sports teams and 12 women's sports teams; and
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WHEREAS, Earning recognition throughout the Northeast for its excellence, RIC is
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among the top 10 regional public colleges/universities in New England and the top 10
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college/universities in New England for social mobility in a 2026 U.S. News and World Report
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article; and its Zvart Onanian School of Nursing was named “one of the best nursing master’s
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programs for your money” in 2025, according to Money Magazine’s annual rankings; and

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WHEREAS, Rhode Island's motto "Hope", became reality for Rhode Island residents in
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the fall of 2023, as the college initiated the Hope Scholarship, which will benefit its students
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seeking a 4-year degree; and since its inception in 2023, 568 Rhode Island students have
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benefited from the scholarship; and
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WHEREAS, Rhode Island College is now on the cutting edge of programs in healthcare,
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cybersecurity, biotechnology, data science and artificial intelligence, allowing its students
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opportunities to find meaningful and lucrative work in these critical fields. The programs will
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also ensure that our State, as well as our nation, will have the needed expertise in these emerging
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technological fields; and
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WHEREAS, The people of Rhode Island have chosen to invest in the State’s high-tech
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future at Rhode Island College, approving funding in two successive bond referenda to
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completely modernize the College’s physical sciences facility, Clark Science, which opened in
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the Fall of 2025, and to transform Whipple Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, into a
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state-of-the-art Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies with a cyber range and
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security operations center; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates March 19,
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2026, as "Rhode Island College Day" and thanks the College and staff for the significant
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contributions they provide to the citizens of our State; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Dr. Jack R. Warner, President of Rhode Island
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College.
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