The Student Senate will be voting on a resolution and a bill at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Student Senate meeting in the Arcola-Tuscola room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Resolution 15-16-03 is intended to educate the general student body on the budget impasse and allocations to higher education institutions.

According to the resolution, the Student Government will inform students on the issues by using social media and physical outreach.

Maralea Negron, the student speaker of the senate, said it is important to educate students about the budget impasse so they know what the school is in need of and why their education and Eastern are at stake.

“If students do not know why this budget impasse is happening or why we do not have our allocations then they can not appropriately demand that our state do something to fix the problem,” Negron said.

Negron said the need for this resolution came to the executive board’s attention after the recent FundEIU rally.

Although some students who attended the rally had good intentions advocating for a budget and allocations, many did not understand what the cause of the impasse was, Negron said.

“For example, students who were not in the know of the political background behind this matter became more worried that EIU would be closing its doors rather than reassured that the student body, community, faculty and staff were standing together to become one unanimous voice and take a stand together to push for a budget and our allocations,” Negron said.

Negron said if students do not understand what the problem is and do not realize that it is a statewide problem rather than an Eastern problem, they cannot fully understand the motives and purpose of the FundEIU campaign and the causes of the conflict in Springfield.

“If students are more educated on what is happening they might not feel as inclined to believe rumors about our institution’s financial standing,” Negron said.

Negron said the resolution is sort of a goal and responsibility for student government to help inform the student body, but in the future a long-term goal would be to start a campaign.

Student Senate will also vote on Bill 15-16-09, which calls for the additional allocation of $700 for the “Konnichiwa Sushi Event.”

According to the bill’s rationale, the University Board wants to bring back the event as a result of popular demand.

“I do believe the majority of senate is comfortable with the $700 allocation for this event,” Negron said.

Since the event is held during Asian Heritage Month, it provides students a fun way to be exposed to cultural diversity, the rationale said.

The allocation will come from the Apportionment Board’s budget.

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