Student Senate had an informal meeting Wednesday because it currently does not have enough senators involved to make quorum.

Currently the senate is putting its energy into recruitment, and so senators brainstormed ways to encourage students to get involved in student government during its Wednesday meeting.

Some senators recommended reaching out to friends, classmates, random students and to get up in front of their classes to let people know it is a great chance to get involved.

Student Body President Carson Gordon said going out on campus and interacting with students is one of the best ways to recruit new people because it creates a personal connection.

Kathleen Conlin, executive vice president, said another great way to get more senators is to put together a power point and present it to classes. Another method she recommended was posting on social media to inform people.

The senate added two new senators Wednesday: Keith Kerrigan and Ben Drake.

They spoke up to give their opinions on the recruiting process.

“My first year, I didn’t hear anything about it, but then an opportunity arose when someone told me there was a seat open and told me it was for student government,” Kerrigan said. “I just feel a lot of people shut it off too quickly before they really know what it’s about and how it could benefit them.”

After talking to Kerrigan, Drake also gave his opinion on the recruiting process.

“I think it can be improved because we do paper applications; I think if there was a way we could put it online, because (with) some other things I signed up for, they do the e-applications online, so I think, in a way, if we could easily send someone a link and they could turn it in rather than dropping it off.”

An application for student senators can be found online on the senate’s website under “applications.”

A note on the senate’s website encourages students to attend senate meetings and introduce themselves to the senate and to speak to the speaker of the senate about becoming a senator.

The senate meets weekly in the Arcola/Tuscola room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

More information about the Senate can be found on the website or by contacting Gordon at ckgordon@eiu.edu.

Jelan Buchanan can be reached at 581-2812 or at jjbuchanan@eiu.edu.