A timeline and several deadlines were created for the process and potential recommendations and suggestions regarding the placement of a Black Lives Matter flag underneath the American Flag in the South Quad during the Student Senate Meeting. 

Two pieces of emergency legislation were also approved.

Alicia Matusiak, the vice president of student affairs, said she met with the student government adviser C.C. Brinker to discuss the Black Lives Matter flag, and it was determined that deadlines needed to be set in order to avoid prolonging the discussion. 

“I met with (Brinker) Monday to come up with a game plan for the Black Lives Matter flag because if we were to keep discussing (the topic) we would probably be discussing for years upon years, so this is how we are going to do it in a timely manner,” Matusiak said. 

She said she is reaching out to key groups on campus such as the Black Student Union, the Latin American Student Organization, Eastern’s chapter of the N.A.A.C.P and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. 

Matusiak said if senators had any other suggestions regarding which key organization to talk to, they should let her know, and she said she still encourages senators to communicate with their constituents and ask for their final feedback. 

The deadline for anyone to submit final suggestions or recommendations along with a rationale defending it to the Student Senate is Nov. 26, the day students return after Thanksgiving Break. 

Matusiak said once she receives the final suggestions from the student body, she will meet with Brinker that night to create a summary page including what Morgan Colvin, the student behind the initial petition asking for the flag, has laid out as well as the possible recommendations. 

She said there will be up to four total recommendations that are to be compiled of what the key organizations said and what the student senators determined is best for the student body. 

She said after the organizations review the recommendations; they will be brought to the Student Senate for a vote. The student senators will vote on the recommendation that they deem represents the student body as a whole, and that recommendation is then written into a resolution that is submitted to the university administration and Eastern President David Glassman. 

Matusiak said she hopes to get this resolution to the administration by December (before winter break) so that they have two months to figure out what action to take. 

Emergency Legislation

The first bill that was unanimously approved provided $127.32 from the student government budget to purchase refreshments and rent two golf carts for the Fall 2018 Safety Walk. 

The money will cover hot chocolate and cookies from Panther Catering, which totals 57.32 and cover the rental fee for the golf carts, which is $75.

The rationale behind the bill states that the money will cover the necessary transportation for those attending the walk and are covering certain areas during the walk. 

The second piece of emergency legislation asked for $99.45 from the student government budget to cover the expenses for a student government-bonding event on Wednesday. 

The $99.45 covered the cost for pizzas for the senators and bowling.

Zac Cohen, the executive vice president and acting speaker of the senate, said emergency legislation means senators have to take a vote on the bill the meeting it is introduced instead of tabling the bill for a week. 

Analicia Haynes can be reached at 581-2812 or achaynes@eiu.edu.