Brad Saribekian, a junior accounting major, issued a resolution during the last Student Senate meeting asking for a money allocation that will pay for two Eastern students to go to the Illinois Board of Higher Education-Student Advisory Committee conference.

Student representatives of Illinois public universities will travel to Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on Feb. 12 to vote on behalf of their universities.

“There are certain things that universities do that have to go through board approval and (the Student Advisory Committee makes) recommendations to the board,” said Saribekian, a junior accounting major.

The IBHE-SAC is made up of university students who meet six times a year in an effort to better higher education.

Saribekian, Illinois’ public sector chair, along with a soon to be appointed Eastern voting delegate will travel Saturday to represent Eastern among the other public sector universities.

“I work with students from almost every university: public, private, and community,” Saribekian said.

According to the IBHE website, the IBHE analyzes the needs and requirements of Illinois higher education and modifies the master plan that guides development of the state’s system of public and private colleges and universities.

“I will be requiring a full report if I am not able to go,” said Anderson, a senior communication disorders and sciences major.

The voting delegates will vote as a student advisory committee and then will profess their views as a cohesive body, Anderson said.

“The voting delegate will be able to discuss with the other delegate about issues on the table,” said Christy Anderson, the student executive vice president.

Illinois universities are broken up into three sectors: public, private and community.

“It’s a way of breaking up the advisory committee so we can deal with issues that directly affect us because things that affect the private sector might not affect the public,” Saribekian said.

Saribekian was voted by other public sector voting delegates to act as the public advisory chair.

“Almost every single public university attends where as the private community colleges have not yet elected their chairs,” he said.

“Eastern’s strong point is that we have a good report with the administration not every university has that,” Saribekian said.

Saribekian said he asked for $492 to cover travel, room and food expensive coverage for a three-day stay, but the trip is now consolidated to one day.

The money allocation will be discussed during Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting.

The Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Arcola-Tuscola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-2812

or [email protected].