The student senate marked its first senate-on-the-go event with a Halloween theme to its weekly Wednesday meeting.  

The meeting was held in the Witters Conference room on the fourth floor of Booth Library. Senate members dressed up in costumes, decorated the tables and passed out goodie bags to students who came. 

Vice president of student affairs Mason Tegeler reported on the meeting of the council of university planning and budgeting president’s area subcommittee that happened on Monday and went over different projects happing around the university.  

Classroom utilization is below target, Tegeler said.

“The university had identified 220 class spaces, and 110 are in use,” he said. “The university is now going to try to look at how to use those spaces more effectively.” 

Alongside classrooms, locations are switching around in the volleyball team, who will be hosted in the McAfee Gym for its 2025 season. 

“Eastern will be one of the very few schools in our conference and region that has a standalone volleyball facility,” Tegeler said. 

Eastern, like many university teams, plays in an arena shared with both men’s and women’s basketball teams. This marks the first time that Eastern’s intercollegiate sporting events will be hosted at McAfee Gym since the 1980s. 

Over near Blair Hall, the old steam plant’s smokestack has been lowered due to safety concerns. 

“Bricks were starting to fall off,” Tegeler said. “It has been brought down to a more reasonable height but not all the way, as it is a landmark.” 

The plant is a landmark due to serving the university for over 80 years. 

The former steam plant was originally built in 1926 with additions in 1946 and 1968, according to EIU’s website. It was replaced by the Renewable Energy Center on 18th Street when it opened in 2011. 

Tegeler said the Coaches Stadium renovation is almost complete, replacing the red brick facade with a blue facade to match the team colors more closely. 

The last item discussed was EIU’s tunnel project beginning in the spring. 

The project will connect the two tunnel systems here on campus. The old steam plant had a tunnel system, there is also one that also goes to the renewable energy center, Tegeler said.

“What this is going to do is have people go in there replace telecom stuff, fiber optic internet and replace pipes,” he said. 

The project is set with a price tag of $19.1 million dollars, according to Tegeler. 

“So, [it’s] a lot of money but will be a very big improvement, hopefully it could lead to more stable internet,” Tegeler said. 

Events happening over the next few weeks were discussed by the senate.  

A managing election anxiety event will happen the day after the election on Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. in room 2210 in Coleman Hall. The event will have a counseling clinic presentation, and there be a group discussion. 

A pre-finals event for stress management will take place in the vending lounge from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 14.  

The next senate meeting will be at the South Quad Commons on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. The meeting will include a presentation on the transportation survey given to students and on student fees. Nominations for speaker of the senate and the nominee’s platform statements will also be given. 

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.