The Student Senate received some good input during its first meeting of the year Wednesday night.

After some agenda amendments, Senate Speaker Joe Robbins turned the floor over to Reed Benedict of the external relations committee, who spoke to the senate about involving the university with Oktoberfest on the Square.

“The senate could use this involvement as a building process to give the university a more active voice in the festival, and in the community at large,” said Benedict.

Three senators attended the meeting with the Uptown Committee, comprised of businesses on the Square, and reported that the town was very interested on student input for the festival.

The festival coincides with Family Weekend, and has the potential to extend those festivities throughout the entire town.

Caleb Judy made a presentation for the University Board, updating the senate on activities UB has planned and the new promotional merchandise it has obtained.

“We are going to focus on the Seventh Street Underground having activities every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this year,” said Judy. “It was a very successful program last year, and will provide students under the drinking age opportunities to go out and have fun.”

Vice President for Public Affairs Darryl Jones appointed Katie Cox as the chairperson of the Student Action Team, a group that lobbies on behalf of the university in Springfield, and Hugh O’Hara as the representative to the Illinois Department of Education.

Jones also brought the idea before the senate of getting water-purifying machines on campus, citing the fact that they would probably pay for themselves and students could get higher quality water than what is currently available to them.

Finally he informed the senate that he was going to work closely with the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, in an effort to find out about businesses moving close to campus, and to provide student input to the chamber regarding those businesses and the ones already in place close to the university.

Robbins also gave a presentation to the senate to initiate the new members and familiarize them with the official procedures of their office.