The Student Senate discussed student fee allocations and an increase in graduation fees at its meeting Wednesday.

Student senate member Edwyn Mitchell said there would be a graduation fee increase for students. When asked for more details he refused to give further details because he did not have the specific information, such as the amount it would increase, on hand.

Derek Pierce, student vice president of student affairs, said $50,000 was allotted to student government. Pierce said the Apportionment Board discussed carefully how they would allot the funds throughout the entire semester.

“We started with a blank slate and went from there,” Pierce said. “The cuts were just proportioned on what the apportionment board wanted, which I felt was a good representation of campus because we had on the board a member of ROTC, (an) athlete, it was about a perfect 50-50 split of males and females. It was also people involved in all sorts of different stuff across campus.”

Student Senate member Zac Cohen commented on a lobby day the Student Senate participated in that morning in Springfield to discuss the higher education budget crisis. Cohen said there were six students and two graduate assistants who participated.

“We were very productive in seeing how they do things,” Cohen said. “My biggest takeaway is knowing that they know they have a problem with higher ed and they are trying to fix it, instead of just thinking they’re shoving us off to the side.”

Student Senate member Claire Boarman said the academic affairs committee is in the process of finalizing its plans to prepare students for finals week. She said the committee is planning to host Panther Scream, do-it-yourself stress balls and a “Study with Billy” activity, which would allow students to go to the library and get pictures with the Billy the Panther mascot while preparing for exams.

Boarman said Panther Scream will be noon the Monday before finals week.

“I’m hoping this works better by it being in the daytime around lunch. It’s just everyone yells,” Boarman said. “I should probably tell (the University Police Department,) but I think they’ll be fine with it.”

Student Senate member Danny Estrada said he is excited to be helping with the diversity committee’s “Help Me Help You” student forum with Eastern President David Glassman to discuss making Eastern a more welcoming community for diverse students. The forum will be 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Charleston-Mattoon room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Refreshments will be provided.

“We will be talking with Dr. Glassman about issues that may occur and impact minority students and diverse (registered student organizations,)” Estrada said. “Also, I am making this a diversity event I would like (the executive board) to attend.”

Estrada said the student government is privileged because it gets funds and other necessities that may not be readily available for other organizations.

“Don’t just talk about it, be about it when it comes to diversity,” Estrada said. “We can claim we’re a diverse student government all we want, but until we do what we did today, actually going to the Capitol and representing EIU, people are going to say ‘There’s student government, they’re not really doing much.”

Chrissy Miller can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].