The main goal of the External Relations Committee of the student government is to build the connection between the city of Charleston and the university.

“Our outcry is to the city, and we then relate it to students,” said Tommy Nierman, who heads the committee.

Of the 20,000 or so residents of Charleston, about 10,000 are Eastern students.

Because these students live at Eastern for more than four months of the year, Charleston is allowed to include the students in its census.

The committee consists of four members, including Nierman, who has been involved with the commitee for three years.

The committee has done a few events already this year. Recently, the committee hosted its second “Lunch with the Mayor” event, which took place on Nov. 10.

Additionally, the committee is responsible for the Local Business Expo.

The third annual expo took place this year and more than 30 businesses from around the area came to the South Quad. At least 500 students also attended the expo.

This committee has also performed two trash pickups throughout Nierman’s time on the student government.

Their next event, scheduled for Dec. 7, is “House Parties, Toga Parties, and Can My Landlord Really Do That?!”

This is the second time the program is being presented.

“Sometimes students don’t know what their landlords can do because the police can’t always send out tickets,” Nierman said.

Last year, more than 50 people showed up to the educational forum. A lawyer and officer came to talk to the students about the topic.

“We’re really looking for more people to go,” Nierman said.

The External Relations Committee meets every Friday at 1 p.m. in the bridge lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Jacob Swanson can be reached at 581-7942 or at jrswanson@eiu.edu.