The Illinois Board of Higher Education board meeting will take place at 1 p.m. today in Chicago and will address concerns voiced by student representatives who serve on the student advisory committee.

On the last weekend of March two student government representatives from Eastern traveled to Illinois State University to advise the IBHE on student issues.

Brad Saribekian, chair to the public sector and a sophomore accounting major, said members of the committee examine whether projects are favorable by questioning how students were involved in the planning process and how they feel toward it.

“If we can say ‘yes’ with ease, then we are more than happy with university advancement,” Saribekian said. “However, if the student body was passed over and they are strongly against it, we are able to bring the students’ voice to the IBHE, thus giving the students their lost voice.”

Saribekian, who has been attending meetings since December 2008, represents all the public universities in the state, which each get one vote in matters addressed by the board. As an executive member of the committee, Saribekian gets an additional vote.

In the past, this committee has supported full funding of the Monetary Awards Program.

Saribekian and Eric Wilber, student government executive vice president, spoke in favor of the renewable energy center at the committee meeting.

“We attested that students were in strong support of the project and it was mission-critical,” Saribekian said.

Erica Whelan can be reached at 581-7942 or elwhelan@eiu.edu.