Student Senate voted to table bill 18-19-07, which would approve the formation of a Judicial Research Committee, to next week’s hearing.

Senators also voted to approve resolution 18-19-07, which serves as a congratulation to and acknowledgement of the contestants of the Miss Black EIU pageant that took place Feb. 23.

Executive vice president Zachary Cohen said members of the Judicial Research Committee, if the Senate voted to approve its formation, would conduct research on other universities’ Judicial Branches, communicate with different departments on campus and research what the Judicial Branch used to do when it was still an active branch in Eastern’s Student Senate.

After members conduct the necessary research, Cohen said they would make formal job descriptions for judges in student government.

He said these formal job descriptions are important so that students who apply to be judges know what specific duties are delegated to them.

Cohen said judges who are elected in the fall might only have one case a semester or 2-3 a year; it is dissimilar to student government in that in student government, senators have projects much more frequently that are also ongoing throughout semesters while the judges have much fewer things to work on during their terms.

He said having these job descriptions would prevent miscommunication and provide specific duties to the elected judges, highlighting the fact that their cases differ from the rest of Student Senate.

Cohen also said the application process for new judges would begin next fall.

The Senate also voted to approve resolution 18-19-07, which recognizes Miss Black EIU pageant contestants.

Carson Gordon, vice president on academic affairs, said the Senate would send the contestants the resolution to formally congratulate all of them on a job well done.

The resolution says, “The Eastern Illinois University Student Government recognizes Latricia Booker, Jacqueline Williams, Mary Fleming, Alexis Paige and Melea Burkes on their participation in the 48th Annual Miss Black EIU Scholarship Pageant. The Eastern Illinois University Student Government gives a special congratulation to Ms. Latricia Booker for being crowned as Miss Black EIU 2019 at the aforementioned pageant.”

The resolution was authored and submitted by Gordon and Cohen.

Logan Raschke can be reached at 581-2812 or at lrraschke@eiu.edu.