The Student Senate will vote on a bylaw change at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Tuscola/Arcola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

After a period of discussion, the senate will be amending the bylaw that covers the attendance policy that senators follow for attending meetings.

The current attendance policy states senators are allowed three excused absences and two unexcused absences.

Upon the second unexcused absence, a senator is removed from office.

The change calls for three unexcused absences instead of two and up to three excused absences with the opportunity for senators to appeal the unexcused absences to the speaker instead of being removed.

Maralea Negron, the Student Senate Speaker and author of the bill, said she hopes the new bylaw change will help senators be more accountable.

Negron said the change would also allow senators some leeway before being removed from office by repealing an excuse.

Courtney Sage, the student vice-president for student affairs and co-author to the bill, said it has to be an extreme case in order for the senator to appeal the excused absences.

Negron said that before the repeal is approved, she will determine if the excuse is valid.

Ariannah Lambert, the student university enhancement committee chair, said attendance is important and the attendance policy change is fair.

“I agree that things happen and sometimes students do need a break,” Lambert said. “We are human and deaths in the family happen, illnesses happen and emergencies happen.”

Lambert also said that the change would be beneficiary to senators because it will allow students the opportunity to stay on Student Senate.

Senators will also discuss events expected to take place this week and next week.

Lambert will remind senators about the Trash Bash event that will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday in front of Old Main.

Trash Bash is like a parade where students have the opportunity to walk around the campus and the community with trash bags and gloves picking up trash, Lambert said.

Catie Witt, the student vice president, will pass around a sign-up sheet for senators to volunteer for voter registration.

“We want to inform students of the importance of voting and also the different candidates running for the different parties,” Witt said. “We want students to be aware of what they’re voting for.”

Voter registration is an event hosted by student government and the Political Science Association of Eastern designed to help students register to vote.

Witt will encourage senators to spread the word and inform other students to come out to register to vote.

The event will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. between Coleman and Lumpkin Halls, on Wednesday 11 a.m. in Taylor Dining Halls, on Thursday at 5 p.m. in Thomas Dining Hall, and Friday at 11 a.m. in the Union.

Witt said the goal is to register 1,000 students.

The senate will also approve Colleges against Cancer as a Registered Student Organization.

Analicia Haynes can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].