The hiring of a Student Government marketing director will be voted on at tonight’s Student Senate meeting.

Scott Murray, a junior rhetoric major, would be paid $10 per hour for up to $500 per semester and would design fliers for student government events.

Student Senate Speaker Megan Ogulnick wrote the bill and has had Murray designing fliers for several weeks, free of charge.

Ogulnick said he usually charges clients $15 or $20 per hour as a web designer, but he is reducing his price for the student organization.

Student Senator Adam Martinelli was one of many who was concerned about the need for a marketing director at the March 5 meeting.

Good art students who want professional exposure could make the fliers free of charge, Martinelli said.

The idea of giving marketing responsibility to senate members was also discussed. However, a lack of senate member involvement has been a topic of discussion recently.

If a senate member does the advertising and is not paid, he or she may not produce as high-quality work as a paid non-member, said Student Executive Vice President Levi Bulgar.

Student government representatives are elected for their ideas and communication skills, not for computer-based skills, senate member Ryan Kerch said

But several senate members asked why Murray has been willing to work for free now. Ogulnick responded that the senate needs to pay Murray for the work he has already done.

Alison Kostelich, student vice president for academic affairs, pointed out a flaw in paying Murray $10 an hour now in compensation and then possibly paying him $7.50 next year after a decision is made.

The $500 per semester has been incorporated into the fiscal year 2009 budget that was presented to the Apportionment Board. If the resolution fails, the budget proposal may need adjusted, Ogulnick said.

Another vote will determine whether 12 computers in the Student Activity Center get replaced at a cost of $13,000. Bulgar’s budget proposal was approved by the Apportionment Board but has been met with steep opposition from fellow senate members because of the high cost.

Senate member Chris Kromphardt asked Bulgar during the March 5 meeting to return with an explanation of the possible recycling plan. The university cycles computers throughout the campus to replace older computers before new machines are purchased.

If the resolution passes, Bulgar plans to have new rules written to regulate the content usage to prevent virus exposure.

Senate member Eric Hiltner also expressed concerns about whether the new computers are needed because of the limited usage.

Editor’s note: Scott Murray is a biweekly columnist for the Daily Eastern News.

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or at rwkambic@eiu.edu.

Alison Kostelich, vice president for academic affairs, references a flier during a March 5 discussion about hiring Scott Murray as the marketing director for Student Government. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

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