Thirteen seats on the Missouri Southern Student Senate remain empty, and senators hands are tied when it comes to filling them.

“The meetings have gone smoothly this year, and the officers have done a good job. I would just like to figure out a way to get more students involved,” Carolyn White, junior biology major. “It helps to have those positions filled and to have different voices.”

Because they are now in the [fourth] week of spring semester, their constitution prevents them from adding new members.

“We would have to get around the contract if we wanted to add new members,” White said. “If there were only five vacant seats, I wouldn’t mind.

“But with 13 empty seats, it makes us have a skimpy Senate. It doesn’t make me worried, just concerned.”

Committees gave their reports and concerns about upcoming events. Many events were either canceled or rescheduled due to icy or snowy weather, while other events, such as the CAB talent show and the canned food drive, are struggling for participants.

“The canned food drive is not going good so far. I don’t know the reasons why. We’ve put up posters and laid out boxes all over campus,” said Mariya Gavrilova, junior marketing major and president of Delta Epsilon Chi. “It would be good if people started helping out.”

Delta Epsilon Chi is attending the State Career Development Conference Feb. 17 at Lake of the Ozarks. Each organization attending the conference is required to host a canned food drive at their school in order to attend. Delta Epsilon Chi will be collaborating with the sorority Zeta Tau Alpha in the canned food drive. Both groups will help with the canned food drive from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Wal-Mart in Joplin, 1401 S. Range Line.

Student Senate meets every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the House of Lords Room in the Billingsly Student Center.