The Student Senate will discuss the upcoming election of a new Speaker of the Senate at their meeting 7 p.m. today in the Arcola/Tuscola room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Luke Young, student vice president of academic affairs, said JaLisa Smith, currently the chair of the internal affairs committee, is the only person running for Speaker of the Senate.

Young said Smith knows a lot about how the senate operates.

“She is very proactive, and I think she will be a good pick,” Young said.

In the Senate’s last meeting before Thanksgiving Break, Smith gave a presentation about how she would handle the role of Speaker.

At the meeting, she said she wants to give the Senate more structure by making people more accountable.

Young said the Senate would decide on the position by having a discussion on if Smith would be a good fit for the position. After the discussion, they will call a vote.

Young said he met with the Charleston Community Early Learning Center to set up a school supply drive.

The center is an organization that helps teach children while their parents are at work.

Next week is the last Student Senate meeting of the semester.

Samuel Nusbaum can be reached at 581-2812 or at scnusbaum@eiu.edu.