The Student Senate recommended Wednesday the university end its practice of parental notification.

Currently, university policy states that parents of students under the age of 21 who are financially dependent on their guardians will be notified by the university of certain disciplinary actions taken upon that student.

Senate Speaker Adam Weyhaupt said parental notification is typically directed at students who are suspended or expelled because of a second alcohol-related offense.

Senate member Dwight Nelson, who co-sponsored the resolution with fellow senate member Hugh O’Hara, said Eastern students, as adults, should be treated as such.

“We’re at college, we’re adults,” Nelson said. “People should take responsibility for their own actions.”

O’Hara added that University Housing, which is charged with enforcing the policy, does not have the staff to notify the parent of every student who is disciplined. “(The policy) is not carried out due to lack of man-hours,” Nelson said. “Why have a policy we don’t even use?”

Nelson said he co-sponsored the resolution out of a feeling of duty to represent students’ interest.

“(As a Student Senate member), my obligation is not to the parents of students, but to the students,” he said.

Several senate members disagreed with the recommendation, which passed by a vote of 18-7-0.

“These are not responsible people that will be targeted in this resolution,” said Tommy Brewer, student vice president for financial affairs. “These people behave like children, so they are children.”

Senate member Nina Samii also came out in support of parental notification.

“(Students) are a financial investment and parents deserve to know whether or not they are violating the laws,” she said.