For the first time since Spring 2011, Eastern now has as a Student Supreme Court, which oversees disputes not handled by the Office of Student Standards or the police.

The Student Supreme Court consists of six student justices and one student chief justice.

Student Body President Kaci Abolt, a senior communication studies major, appoints the Student Supreme Court justices, a job not always accomplished by her predecessors.

Although Eastern had a Student Supreme Court ranging from Spring 2007 to Spring 2011, the governmental body had not existed in more than six years prior to that.

The court usually handles disputes concerning student organizations or grade appeals, Abolt said.

“One of my goals in this position was to get back to basics and appoint people to all the positions I need to,” Abolt said. “One of the big requirements of my job is to appoint the Student Supreme Court, but since they only convene when necessary and it’s difficult to get applicants, some people don’t always think of it as a priority.”

Abolt said in appointing students to the court she also tried to think of other responsibilities they could do.

She said she thought to place the often-overlooked election commission, which oversees the elections of both the Student Senate members and student government executives, to the court.

All of the student justices on the court are also members of the commission. Abolt said in the spring semester she hopes to possibly combine the two entities.

“If we combined the two, it would bring more accountability to the Student Body President to appoint a court because if they don’t, they don’t have an election commission,” Abolt said.

Before this year, it was not possible for student justices to also serve on the election commission because of rules stated in the organizations Election Reform Act.

This changed on Oct. 10 when Abolt proposed changes to the rules allowing student justices to serve, and the Student Senate approved it.

Abolt said she chose her student justices based on their strengths, keeping in mind that she wanted to create a diverse court.

“Right now, they are working on election stuff so by next semester and the executive elections, it will be a piece of cake.” Abolt said.

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or alwywialowski@eiu.edu.