The Student Senate has received four applications from candidates looking to fill the vacant student government secretary seat.

The Student Senate will fill the secretary position today.

When Christy Anderson, the previous secretary, became the new student executive vice president she left the secretarial position open.

“It is essential for (the secretary) to be at every meeting and for the whole meeting,” said Anderson, a senior communication disorders and sciences.

Student Senate Speaker Jarrod Scherle said the secretary needs to have good note taking skills as well as computer skills with Microsoft Word and Excel because the secretary is in charge of recording the minutes for each senate meeting.

While many members of the senate may come and go at meetings, Anderson said the secretary cannot do that.

“They are one of the most unbiased members of senate,” said Scherle, a senior finance major.

The secretary is not allowed to vote but is still very active in the student government, which allows them to be a good person to help with the election commission.

The secretary also has lesser known responsibilities like becoming the head of the election commission, Scherle said

Scherle also said the senate is looking for someone who is willing to serve multiple semesters. Unlike other student senate positions, the secretary does not have any term limits.

Anderson had been the secretary for three semesters.

“It avoids the dilemma of having to rehire and retrain a new secretary,” Scherle said.

Anderson said the candidate needs to be prompt for every meeting because it is the secretary’s job to record what happens in the meeting.

The decision of who will be the next secretary of the senate will be made Tuesday, and the secretary will have his or her first meeting on Wednesday, Scherle said.

Anderson said she hopes the new secretary will enjoy the position.

The Student Senate meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Arcola-Tuscola room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

“It’s really a neat position,” Anderson said. “You really get to know all the senate members.”

Courtney Bruner can be reached

at 581-2812 or cbbruner@eiu.edu