The $900 proposal for Campus Safety Week was passed 25-0 with one abstention at Wednesday night’s Student Senate meeting.

Student Body President Levi Bulgar worked for the last three weeks trying to pass the event, which will be held April 6 through 10.

During discussion, Student Senate member Chris Kromphardt motioned for a line item vote, dividing the bill into three fiscal parts.

The motion for a line item vote failed 13-12 with one abstention. A two-thirds majority was required.

Student Senate member Brad Saribekian said every part of the bill was vital and advertisement is needed for the event to be successful.

“How good will this be if no one comes to learn?” he asked.

Senate member Tyson Holder said spending $900 for a week’s worth of events is well worth it, while Senate member Isaac Sandidge pointed out how if the event saves even one student, it is well worth it.

Kromphardt disagreed with Bulgar proposing $290 for advertising, but agreed with the event.

“I think advertising was a little excessive,” Kromphardt said. “I think the group has become too dependent on advertising. We need to focus on other ways because people don’t point out to fliers and come. We need to do some word of mouth, Facebook and going out to groups.”

Bulgar said he is trying to obtain sponsorship for the event.

The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council each have tabled resolutions worth $200 of possible co-sponsorship for a future vote.

Also, Facilities, Planning and Management will give $500, replacing a lost sponsorship.

Student Action Team letterhead was passed unanimously for $120. This is for mailing material to state representatives, especially for the Renewable Energy Center.

In other business, Eric Wilber, student executive vice president said the Student Action Team will meet Gary Reed, director of Facilities, Planning and Management, and Paul McCann, interim vice president for business affairs, 7 p.m. Monday in the Bridge Lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. They will present on how to lobby for the steam plant more effectively.

“My freshman year, former (vice president for business affairs) Jeff Cooley and Gary Reed came in and talked about the coal plant center and I learned how to lobby for it,” Wilber said. “I wanted to give our members the opportunity to learn about it so they could be more prepared on how to lobby for it.”

Student Senate member Andy McLaughlin is trying to work on off-campus tenet rights. Students need to know about what landlords are required to fix and other issues, he said.

“Oftentimes, I don’t know what my rights are and I want to compile that information because it seems that tenets don’t step up and find out their rights,” McLaughlin said.

Jose Alarcon, co-chair for the Internal Affairs Committee, said one member has three absences and two have two. Three absences are required for removal from the senate.

Alarcon said only Saribekian, Kromphardt and himself signed up to help Wilber tabling for registering students for the city election. Wilber said during the meeting he thought the number was low.

Also, only Holder has done tabling for Student Government, Alarcon said.

Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.