The Student Senate decided to go against what might be best for the university to do what they thought the students wanted and said they would not support the tuition increase proposed by interim President Lou Hencken.

“When I got this position, I knew that there would be a possibility that I would have to make a decision where the students believe one thing, but what was right for the university might be another,” Daryl Jones, student vice president of public affairs, said Thursday.

Jones is also a student member of the Board of Trustees, and will vote on the proposed tuition increase Monday morning.

Jones said he’ll probably vote against the tuition hike in favor of the Student Senate’s decision Wednesday, but it will be a hard decision.

The same night the Student Senate voted to officially thank interim President Lou Hencken for his efforts and understanding, the members voted to go against a motion calling for support of his tuition increase.

“It’s important that we maintain good relationships with Lou (Hencken) and the Board of Trustees, but I don’t think putting the burden on the shoulders of students is the right thing to do,” said Amy Leonard, student senate member.

Senate members were torn between supporting Hencken, who they said has been trying to avoid the tuition hike, and maintaining their position as the voice of the students.

“I’ve been campaigning saying I’m going to try to keep tuition low and I think it would send the wrong message to students saying I’m voting on the increase,” Leonard said Thursday.

Student senate members cited the efforts of Hencken and Jill Nilsen, vice president of external affairs, who lobbied the capitol and sought every option available to avoid a tuition increase.

The overwhelming notion filling the Arcola/Tuscola room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union was that Student Senate must remain the voice of the students, no matter how legitimate Hencken’s request may be.

Ronnie Deedrick, internal affairs committee chair and shuttle bus committee chair, said the tuition hike may happen regardless, but he is not comfortable letting the administration affect the integrity of the senate’s decision’s.

“When are we going to put our foot down and stop acting like sponges…letting them wring us out,” Deedrick said Wednesday.

Marty Ruhaak, external relations committee chair, said the students should not compensate for the state’s failure to perform.

“The fact still remains, we’re paying for the mistakes made in Springfield and the economic recession,” Ruhaak said Wednesday.

Senate members agreeing with the proposal said Hencken’s decision will benefit students and will eliminate the need to cut back on faculty, staff and curriculum.

“I felt that Lou and Jill Nilsen did a lot to find different ways to get the funding next year,” Bill Davidson, student senate member, said Thursday. “Nobody that I talked to could think of anyway to find the funding next year.”