Student Senate passed a bill Wednesday night to release $560 to send a fourth member of the senate to the Conference on Student Government Affairs (COSGA) with a vote of 15-7-3.

The senate passed the bill with no discussion, which came as a disappointment to some members.

Senate member JC Miller, who abstained from the vote, said she had no doubt that going to the conference would benefit the individual, but she had questions as to whether one more delegate would “make enough of an impact” on the entire student body to justify releasing the money.

Senate member Jeff Collier said sending a fourth representative is a waste of money. COSGA is an opportunity to gather ideas from other student governments to try on Eastern’s campus, then return the next year to present them, Collier said. Because returning members have not yet established programs, he said going back for more ideas is unnecessary.

“Ideas from last year are still in progress on this campus,” Collier said.

Senate member Maurice Tracy, who also voted against the bill, said the senate voted last year to limit the number of representatives at the conference to three. This decision was made because of budget cuts, Miller said.

“As senators who run for office, we should follow what we’ve voted on,” Tracy said.

The senate should have discussed the applicants and narrowed the representatives to three, Tracy said, instead of releasing the money to send an additional person.

Ryan Berger, speaker of the senate, voted to send the fourth applicant but agreed senate should have discussed the bill.

All senate members scheduled to attend COSGA are “highly qualified,” Berger said, but discussion would have been beneficial to new members who are less familiar with the executive board and other senate members.

Last year, Eastern’s Student Senate presented its tuition and fee review process, Berger said. The senate will not be presenting anything this year.

“(COSGA will generate) a lot of good material for the student body and (Student Senate),” said Adam Howell, Student Government executive vice president.

The conference will be held Feb. 26 at Texas A&M University. Senate members Andrew Berger and Jill David will join Ryan Berger and Howell at COSGA.

Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Arcola-Tuscola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.