Petitions for the Fall 2011 student government executive branch are currently available in the Student Activity Center as well as online and will be due by noon April 7. Ashley Hoogstraten, a senior communication studies major, is the current student vice president for business affairs-a position that currently has two Student Senate members from two student government political parties vying for it.

The student vice president for business affairs position is primarily about budgets, Hoogstraten said.

Hoogstraten, who has been the student vice president for business affairs since last fall, said her biggest job began during the fall with having to appoint a full Apportionment Board right away.

“According to our bylaws we need to have our first meeting before October 1,” Hoogstraten said.

Because the AB is run as its own organization separate from the student government, it also has its own bylaws.

The AB’s bylaws stipulate that the board must consist of eight students appointed by the student vice president for business affairs and three faculty members provided by the Faculty Senate.

“I am also in charge of interviewing a (paid) secretary position for the board as well as having a vice chairperson and a Student Senate Liaison,” she said.

The student vice president for business affairs will also have to maintain the student government budget and report expenditures and incomes at the senate’s weekly meetings. Then in the spring the new student vice president for business affairs will contact the AB, student government, the University Board and the Student Recreation Center to come present their budget requests for the following year to the AB, Hoogstraten said.

Roberto Luna

Year: Junior | Major: finance | Party: LEAD

Hometown: Deerfield

Time on Student Senate: 3 semesters

Current position on senate: business affairs committee chair

Promise to students is to: work hard and try my best.

Project goals: I am currently looking into starting a registered student organization allocation fund where each RSO on campus would get $100-$200.

First goal if elected: I would want to make the Apportionment Board more open to talking amongst itself.

Best candidate because: I think I can provide the most experience because I have been on Student Senate for a while.

Changes to the Student Senate: I want to get (Student Senate) members to interact with Eastern students.

Biggest challenge: changing Eastern’s perception of student government.

One word to describe opponent, Mary Lane: friendly

Mary Lane

Sophomore | Major: elementary

education | Party: PULSE

Hometown: Jacksonville

Time on Student Senate: 3 semesters

Current position on senate: internal affairs committee chair.

Promise to students is to: never stop listening to what the students want.

Project goals: to have stricter rules on the Apportionment Board

First goal if elected: I am going to have to find the right people to be on the Apportionment Board and then make sure everyone feels comfortable enough to talk during meetings. I also want to make sure we criticize all the additional allocations that come to the AB.

Best candidate because: I am the internal affairs committee chair I am used to managing numbers and time and when I went through every position I knew I wanted to do

Changes to the Student Senate: I want to end the conflict between the Student Senate members because we are all falling apart because people do not want to stand together, and to me ,that is unacceptable.

Biggest challenge: understanding the budget in more than a logistical way, but Laurel will be my go-to person in the beginning.

One word to describe opponent, Roberto Luna: reserved.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-7942 or ovogunbodede@eiu.