Student government members plan to welcome 17 new non-senate committee members at their meeting today.

Each new committee member has something unique to bring to the table, according to Student Senate Speaker Zach Samples, who appointed the new members. He said each new appointed committee member represents students of different ages, from freshman to a middle-aged student.

The new committee members will have a place on various student government committees including: Academic Affairs, Diversity Affairs, External Relations, Panther Express, Student Affairs and University Development and Recycling.

Mellisa Schwab, a freshman kinesiology major and non-senate committee member, said she was passed up for a position on the student senate and was encouraged to apply to be a non-senate committee member. She said she chose to volunteer on the Student Affairs Committee because it had the most interaction with others.

“I just really wanted to get involved,” Schwab said.

She said the driving force behind her decision to become a non-senate committee member was the interaction with the other students and faculty, as well as being able to make a difference. Schwab also said she was hoping to gain experience as a leader and learn to be more organized through the experience.

Schwab also said she is looking forward to is going to meetings and having a productive way to spend her time.

Samples said he plans to announce the first three meeting places for “Senate on the Road.”

He said Pemberton Hall will sponsor the first “Senate on the Road” meeting on Oct. 12, followed by Thomas Hall on Oct. 26.

Kaci Abolt, the student vice president for student affairs and a junior political science major, said she will discuss the unveiling of the leadership wall.

Abolt also said, within the next few weeks, she would like to reactivate the Student Organization Committee either on a monthly or biweekly basis.

She said Student Organization Committee’s purpose is to gather all the leaders of Eastern’s Registered Student Organizations and help promote communication and problem solving between the different organizations.

Abolt said the committee was activated three years ago, but it did not stay active.

“I’m hoping to bring it back in a way that sticks,” Abolt said. “Getting all the different leaders to come together for one meeting would be really powerful.”

She said she is hoping to amend the student government constitution in order to make the committee a mandatory aspect of the student vice president of student affairs position. “I’m hoping to have enough senate members to help me out,” Abolt said.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-7942

or [email protected].