The Student Senate tabled the resolution to have combined student parking instead of the current under-and upperclassman separated parking.

Student Senate member JR Patton, who wrote the resolution with Student Senate members Kaci Abolt and Zach Samples, voted to table their previously tabled resolution.

“We are not trying to punish anyone or make it easier for people to drive from class to class,” the junior political science major said.

This is not a perfect solution, Patton said. The resolution would leave Eastern’s parking lots divided into staff, student and visitor parking.

Abolt said tabling the resolution for another week would allow the Student Senate and campus to get a better understanding of the resolution.

“Hopefully next week we’ll have some more audience participation,” said Abolt, a sophomore political science major.

The Student Senate members were told to continue to talk to Eastern students.

Three previously discussed resolutions were also approved while one new resolution was tabled.

The Student Senate passed a resolution authored by Student Senate Speaker Jarrod Scherle and Student Senate members Kyle Scherle and Alex Lais to buy plaques for the Student Senate committee chairs.

Although the bill was passed, some of the Student Senate members were hesitant to approve the resolution.

Blake Pierce was one Student Senate member that was against the resolution deeming it an unnecessary participation award

“I don’t think that just because you have a job title entitles you to a certificate that says you did a good job,” said Pierce, a senior finance major.

The second resolution requesting a money allocation was passed allowing Christy Anderson and Zach Samples, the co-chairs of the Student Action Team, to travel to Springfield.

Anderson and Samples will be visiting Eric Wilber, the student executive vice president from 2008-2010, before bringing the newly assembled Student Action Team.

“This (resolution) is just to get us to Springfield so we can do some planning for our lobby day,” said Anderson, a senior communication disorders and sciences major. “I think that it’s essential that we are there.”

The Student Senate also approved 11 Eastern students to the Student Action Team, but Anderson is still accepting applications throughout the semester.

Student Senate member Miriam Torres said she was excited to start the lobbying process.

“It’s important to meet with our representatives in Springfield,” said Torres, a senior political science major.

The MAP Grant is one of the things the Student Action Team should lobby for, Torres said. Torres said because she has received the benefits of the grant she would want to lobby for it.

The Student Senate also passed the fan bus additional money allocation that was approved by the Appointment Board last week while it tabled the Student Action Team- Legislative Luncheon.

The Student Action Team- Legislative Luncheon, if approved, would bring together the executives of the Student Action Team, Eastern executives, State Sen. Dale Righter and State Rep. Chapin Rose allowing them to further discuss lobbying on April 14.

“(Ceci Brinker and I) decided that if you’re going to invite legislators here you’re going to have to do it on a little bit higher caliber – we can’t be feeding them (Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches),” Anderson said.

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]

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction March 1, 2011:

The headline “Three parking resolutions approved, new idea tabled” was incorrect and changed to “Student senate tables parking resolution again.”