Seeking to avoid a “bad precedent,” the Student Senate rejected a motion Wednesday that would have allocated $100 for a full-page advertisement in the Miss Black EIU pageant program.

The senate also heard from students about proposed cuts in the Music Department and tabled a revised housing rate plan.

Senate members stressed that the 9-13-2 rejection of the motion was not a rejection of the pageant itself.

“I think everyone agrees that this is a great cause,” said senate member Joe Robbins.

However, senate member James Paton said that if the motion was passed, other organizations would start to solicit the senate for funds.

“You have the potential for a lot of people knocking on our door, asking for money,” Paton said.

Senate member Kristen Wooden agreed, and said approving the bill would set a bad precedent for future senates.

Bill supporter Dwight Nelson, though, warned the senate not to generalize.

“To be fair and consistent, you need to take things on a case by case basis,” Nelson said.

Student Vice President for Student Affairs Art Davis said that the money would not have been a donation to the pageant.

“It’s an ad. It’s not supporting the pageant – it’s for us,” Davis said.

Senate member LaTasha Cain tried to place the debate in perspective.

In the 40 minutes that the senate discussed the $100 bill, Cain said, 440 people in Africa died of AIDS.

“There are things of greater importance,” Cain said. “We need to be concerned about how we spend our time.”

The senate also heard from students opposing a recent decision by the university to slash the Music Department’s budget.

“We’re interested in having our voice heard and we’re looking for other options,” said Curtis Schroyer, a sophomore music education major.

The senate also tabled a bill that would recommend that the Board of Trustees approve an increase in housing rates for next year.

Today, senate members began to survey students about housing expenses.

Tuition and Fee Review committee member Donna Fernandez, who distributed surveys in Stevenson Hall, said that response to the survey was good, but varied.

Students she surveyed though, Fernandez said, seemed not to like the residence hall newspaper program.