The Student Senate passed a bill Wednesday requiring candidates for a Student Government office to attend an informational meeting.

The bill was passed by a 15-7-1 vote, after a lengthy debate.

Under the bill, candidates for Student Senate, Executive Board and Student Dean would have to attend one of two informational meetings organized by the Student Government to be eligible to run.

“A lot of of people think (Student Government) is like student council,” said Kristen Rutter, student vice president for academic affairs. “They don’t know what they’re getting into.”

Several senate members opposed the bill, saying the meetings should not be mandatory.

“Things happen. If you can’t make a meeting, it just happens,” said senate member Dwight Nelson. “I don’t want good people to be turned away on a technicality.”

Senate members also voted to define procedures for compensation for executive officers in the event of a resignation or removal from office. An executive that leaves office will now be compensated on a prorated basis.

The clarifications were part of a proposed bylaw change that would also only compensate executives for 12 credit hours, with the rationale that all officers should be paid equally.

That part of the bylaw change was tabled.

In other business, senate members passed two pieces of legislation concerning the new rider/roommate board, and tabled five budget proposals passed by the Apportionment Board last week.

The rider/roommate board, which allows students to post requests for roommates and rides to various destinations around the country, was not being used a lot in its old location near the food court, Weyhaupt said.

The senate allocated $200 towards constructing a new rider/roommate board near the First Mid-Illinois Bank branch in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. A bylaw change giving the senate housing the responsibility of maintaining the board was also passed.

AB chair Tommy Brewer, vice president for financial affairs, presented budget proposals for five fee-funded boards supported financially by the AB. The five boards – University Board; sports and recreation; “Players”, a dramatic organization; Student Senate; and the AB itself, asked for a total of $441,000.

The senate, who will vote on the five budgets next week, has the final say on whether the budgets will be approved.

The senate also approved the 2001 election commission, a seven-member impartial body that will conduct and monitor the Student Government elections on April 17-18; Dwight Nelson was appointed to the Parking and Traffic Appeals committee; and EIU NAACP was approved as a Recognized Student Organization.