The Student Senate approved the appointment of six students to represent their respective colleges on an advisory council.

The consent agenda approved of the appointment of the following students for the Student Dean Advisory Council: 

-Jason Tabit  

-Nathaniel Baldwin  

-Grace West  

-Brock Hammond  

-Carolyn Karns  

-Aidan Kennedy 

VPA Justin Richards explained that Student Dean Advisory Council is a collection of people each nominated from the separate colleges of EIU from faculty, staff, and students.  

Their purpose is to report what is happening in their specific college to VPA Richards, along with what they would like to see in each college and events happening that people should be aware of. 

Committee placements were announced this meeting and are as follows: 

-Academic Affairs: Chair Rachel Ashley, Prabin Karki 

-Diversity Affairs: Chair Morgan Rigdon, Sierra Humphrey, Constance Young 

-Business Affairs & External Relations: Chair Elizabeth Stephens, Dd Patterson 

-Internal Affairs: Chair Zoey White 

-Student Affairs: Chair Seth Yeakel, Subodh Khanal, Marcus Powell 

-University Enhancement: Chair Zach Bray, Keegan Noll, Payton Ade 

Speaker of the Senate elections will be coming up as those running prepare for it.  

The speaker is responsible for being the presiding officer of the senate, chair of the Student Senate Council of Chairs, delivering the semesterly State of the Senate address that summarizes the past accomplishments and future goals of the senate, collecting and maintain senator’s information sheets, appoint chairpersons for standing committees, rule senators off the role if the senator is is in conflict with the Student Body Constitution or Student Senate Bylaws, voting on Senate matters, discharging all official correspondence of the Senate, appointing the Parliamentarian of the Senate, collecting, recording, and maintaining and digital copies of all student Senate legislation for the duration of their term, producing accurate and updated paper and digital copies of the Bylaws at the end of each semester and maintaining the “Senate Orientation Program.”

The first week’s meeting for this during the week of Nov. 18 will include platforms, questions, and a general first discussion for Speaker of the Senate.  

The second meeting for this is Dec. 2 to include more discussion and voting. 

Diversity in Action Council has changed its name to Diversity Action Commision and is still looking for members to apply.

The commission was originally created to bring the various multicultural organizations at Eastern together for events and planning.

The council was brought back last year following the Student Senate’s voting to not recommend to Eastern President David Glassman that the Black Lives Matter Flag in the South Quad during Black History Month.

In a 2019 Daily Eastern News article former Student Vice President for Student Affairs Samira Abdoulaye-Pedila said the group was also meant to have harder conversations on student issues. 

“Our mission and our goal is to have those uncomfortable conversation that campus needs to start having and (find ways to) better support minority students,” Abdoulaye-Pedila said. “That’s what DAC is about.”

The commission can have two to 15 members,

The next Student Government meeting will be Nov. 11.

Theo Edwards can be reached at 581-2812 or at heedwards@eiu.edu.