A proposal introduced at tonight’s Student Senate meeting would allow bylaw changes to only be introduced and voted on during the last four weeks of the semester.

The rest of the semester, senate members would not be allowed to have any bylaw changes on the floor.

Student Senate Speaker Isaac Sandidge does not necessarily agree with this proposal.

“The fall semester we would probably be fine,” Sandidge said. “In the spring though, the last four weeks are used for fee increases for different fee committees and they take about an hour or an hour and a half to discuss and there would be no room for other proposals.”

Sandidge thinks there will probably be a debate on this proposal at tonight’s meeting.

“If Student Senate debates for so much time on whether to increase senator’s office hours or extend library hours, then they will probably debate on this issue as well,” Sandidge said.

Sandidge said he was pleased last week with the debate on increasing senate office hours from two to four hours.

“We are in senate to debate things, and I think it was good that the senators are expressing their concerns,” he said. “The senators brought up a lot of good points.”

Sandidge still thinks office hours should still be four hours a week for senate members, though.

“The old senators think it can be done, while the new senators think it is over their heads,” Sandidge said. “I spend around eight hours in there a day.

“Even though I am an executive and have more responsibilities, I still do not think fours hours is too much to ask for. I do not think the senators are necessarily wrong for going against it, though.”

In other business, Chris Kromphardt, chair of Academic Affairs Committee, is also bringing back the edited resolution for extended library hours at tonight’s meeting. It will be re-worded to only research the possibility of extending library hours by polling students to see whether they think it is a good idea.

The proposals to have off-campus and on-campus senators at hall council meetings will be voted on and the student government forum in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, which all non-student government members are urged to attend, will be held on October 28.

The last two Student Senate members will also be appointed this week as well.

No more applications will be taken after this week and there will be one vacant off-campus seat for the remainder semester.

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

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.