The Student Senate is looking to fill nine open seats for the semester.

Applications are available in the Student Activities Center and are due by Friday at 4:30 p.m.

Student Senate Speaker Zach Samples, a sophomore history major, said applications will also be available today at the information table at the Spring Pantherpalooza, which is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Nine seats are available because some student senate members left to study abroad, graduate or work at other organizations such as New Student Programs, Samples said.

The requirements to be a Student Senate member are to be a full-time student, to have a minimum 2.3 GPA and to be able to attend Student Senate meetings at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

“I am looking for people who really do show a dedication and love for Eastern,” Samples said. “I think it is beneficial to have students who are involved on campus in organizations and already have leadership experience, but we have also had (Student Senate members) who aren’t involved in other activities, but they bring as much if not more to the table.”

The application process consists of an interview and if appointed by the Student Senate Speaker, then the new Student Senate members will move to be approved on the consent agenda.

Samples said recruitment strategies for the nine seats include advertising by posting leaflets, having applications at the Spring Pantherpalooza and creating a Facebook group announcing that applications are available.

“The term for the new (Student Senate members) is unique because instead of serving a full-year term, they will serve a semester-long term since they are being appointed and not elected by the general student body,” Samples said.

Once the new members are sworn in, they will participate in a mentorship program to help them find their footing in the Student Senate, he said.

“Last semester, we tried to have a mentorship program, but the extent of it was to work with committees chairs to help them,” Samples said. “This semester we are planning to make it stronger by having discussion-based group meetings to give them more direction.”

Those who are not approved as student senate members will be invited to take part in the committees as non-senate members, he said.

“Even if students don’t get a seat, we don’t want to loose people who show interest in the Student Senate,” Samples said. “They will also participate in the mentorship program.”

Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].