The student government is currently accepting applications after the former executive vice president resigned last semester.

Student Body President Michelle Murphy will be giving an optional informational meeting for those students who are looking to fill the vacant seat.

The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Casey Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union today with applications being due Wednesday in the Student Activities Center.

“The meeting is not mandatory, but it would definitely be beneficial,” Murphy said.

Elections for the position will be done online through the student government website on Jan. 24-25.

“I always hope for at least 10 percent of the student population to vote, which would be around 1,200 students,” Murphy said.

The position involves being the student representative on the Board of Trustees, talking with other university committees, lobbying in Springfield and other various responsibilities.

“The elected applicant needs to be outgoing and not afraid to talk to strangers,” said Ashley Hoogstraten, the vice president of business affairs.

Hoogstraten said the elected applicant needs to be in contact with Eric Wilburg, a former Eastern student and the Executive Vice President for two years before Wiessing took office.

Wilburg now lobbies in Springfield and helped write the Campus Master Plan.

“Lobbying is the heart of the (Executive Vice President’s job and they need to have a passion for it,” Hoogstraten said.

Aaron Wiessing, the former Executive Vice President, said the elected applicant should be ready to work and warns the long meetings can get tiring.

“The job can be draining if you don’t have a positive attitude towards it,” Wiessing said. “You need to remember to have fun with the position, too.”

Rebecca Johnson, a member of the student senate and one of the members who called for the impeachment of Wiessing, said she would like to see production with the Student Action Team.

“(The) Student Action Team is a big part of the Executive Vice President’s job and it is important that we’re represented in Springfield,” Johnson said.

More information on what the Executive Vice President has to do can be found on the student government website.

Murphy is holding the meeting to inform potential applicants of the many responsibilities involved and she wants to make sure they know what is expected of them before getting too far into the position.

“The new (Executive Vice Presdient) needs to be able to learn the job quickly,” Murphy said.

He or she will have a lot to cover and there has to be production on the first day, she said.

The applications are available now in the Student Activities Center located in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Erin Riedl can be reached at 581-2812 or edriedl@eiu.edu