Student Senate approves lobby-related trip to NIU

Student Senate members proposed and approved a resolution allowing four student government members to go to Northern Illinois University for an Illinois Board of Higher Education Student Advisory Committee meeting.

At the senate meeting, the budget to go to Northern was approved allowing Kaylia Eskew, the student body president, Shirmeen Ahmad and Yazmin Rodriguez, who are both senate members and Cayla Maurer, the public relations manager, to go talk about issues regarding higher education.

The budget to cover the trip is $271.

Much of the cost to go was cut because Northern will be providing the hotel accommodations.

The Student Advisory Committee meeting will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday.

At the meeting, student government from various state schools will overview key issues involving higher education including university funding and student loans.

They will also be planning what they are lobbying in April.

Carrie Klaphake, a graduate adviser, also provided some information on the Nearly Naked Mile, which is a mile run where participants will take off their clothes periodical until the only thing covered is their “bathing suit area.”

Sign-up for the mile is at 9 a.m. and the race will start at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Carmen Hall parking lot.

They will take off their clothes at the three to four stations throughout trail leading them back to the start.

The clothes will be donated to Standing Stone Community Center.

The shoes will be donated to the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe and the money from registration will be donated to the Charleston Food Pantry.

To register at the race costs $15 and pre-registration costs $10. There are already 30 who are signed up for the run.

Klaphake said she is hoping for 50 more by the time of the race. She added many register right before the race so she is optimistic.

They also had a short video on the WICD Channel 15 Newschannel so Klaphake said she expects more soon.

Despite the fact there are stations along the trail to drop their clothes, she said volunteers will not be forcing you to strip and donate your clothes.

“The volunteers at the boxes are going to go, ‘Hey, give me your gloves,” Klaphake said.

Jarad Jarmon can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].