The EIU student senate saw presentations concerning its upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2026.   

The student government association receives its funding from student fees.   

In total, the SGA is requesting $59,606 from student fee allocation.   

Each student senate committee is allocated $500 for various events, meaning that $4,000 in total is given across the eight committees.  

Each office of the executive board is given $1,500 for its events.    

That divides $7,500 across the speaker of the senate, student body president, executive vice president, vice president of academic affairs and vice president of student affairs.  

Senate stipends to help promote student senate and compensate student senators is allocated for $5,000. 

Internal positions in student government, which are split between the student government graphic designer and the student government secretary who takes the official minutes of the student senate meetings, are allocated for $2,100.   

For the EIU first night spirt rally, there is $373 allocated. The rally is held the night before the first day of fall semester classes.   

For the student government graduate assistant—an advisor to the executive board of student government, there is $10,395 allocated for a $1,155 monthly stipend.  

Student government scholarships total $22,500 as compensation to members of the executive board. That gives each member $2,250 a semester.   

Miscellaneous spending is allocated $7,738 including $3,000 for printing expenses, $3,500 for apparel, $250 for office supplies, $688 for food and $300 for anything else not listed explicitly.   

Elsewhere in the budget, RSO grant funds are allocated $45,000 to assist RSOs in the payments hosting events and other activities.  

The apportionment board is allocated $45,444 for all salary and general fees for its business.  

The student life office is allocated $25,000 in its budget for supporting the organizations it represents.  

The senate is scheduled to vote on this budget request at its next meeting on Feb. 26.  

The senate also had a presentation from Assistant Director of Living Learning Communities and Leadership Development Catie Witt-Danner about her time in student government and what that experience did for her.  

Witt-Danner graduated from Eastern in 2017 with a degree in political science and communication.  

She worked in the Illinois state government before coming back to EIU.  

“I worked with the Illinois Senate Democrats for two years on their communications staff,” Witt-Danner said. “I got to work at law centers that were in the Chicago area. I feel like I really got to learn more about those neighborhoods.”  

Witt-Danner reflected on her time in student government fondly.   

“It was a lot of fun. I feel that’s where I found my humans and my besties,” Witt-Danner said. “You learn so much about campus.”  

What Witt-Danner took from student government was working with others.  

“I feel being a senator or on [executive board] you meet so many different people around campus and you’re really part of the bigger conversations,” Witt-Danner said.  

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