Commemorative T-shirts sponsored by Student Senate will be handed out starting at 11 a.m. Nov. 3 on the Oval to commemorate this year’s Election Day.

Initially, Student Senate Treasurer Alesha Gilleland, estimated the group could get 200-250 shirts for the $1,000 appropriation. Senate voted on the appropriation on Oct. 15, by Oct. 22 Gilleland noted an increase in the number of shirts.

“I did – by some contacts I made at NACA last week – find a better price. Instead of 200 shirts we are getting 312,” Gilleland said.

The $1,000 appropriation comes out of the $24,000 budget Senate had to begin the year. Any registered student organization can make a request for up to $1,000 of funding each semester. During the Oct. 15 meeting Senate awarded funds to Delta Epsilon Chi and itself. A vote earlier this year dropped the requirement that Senate suspend the rules to allocate money to its own organization.

During the Oct. 22 meeting Senate allocated funds to the Resident Student Organization for their annual Safe Halloween night. The estimated cost for the event was $1,300 and Senate approved the standard request for $1,000.

“This is probably the only event that non-trads attend with their children where they realize their fees that they pay,” Gilleland said. “So they’re asking for $1,000 and our name will also be on there as co-sponsored by Missouri Southern Student Senate.

“It’s all about helping our community,” said Adam Givens, freshman political science major. “It sounds like a good thing.”

Senate debated, then voted on a resolution to affirm the freedom of campus press.

“The issue is that there is no policy that exists,” said Ben Hinkle, Student Senate president and one of the resolution sponsors.

Senators were divided about the implications of such a policy.

“Is there anyway that we can be sure the policy they would create doesn’t actually limit the press in some way,” asked James Kelly, freshman psychology major.

The measure passed with 13-8 with 2 abstentions.

Senate filled its last empty seat. Julie Spencer, senior English education major, joined on Oct. 22, rounding out the assembly.

Five more business meetings remain for the Senate. Melody Salzer, junior psychology major, is researching solutions to make the crosswalk from Lot 18 to Lot 16 safer. Earlier this week she discussed with Physical Plant Director Bob Harrington installing rumble strips, attaching a blinking light to the top of the pedestrian signage and building a new parking lot in the grassy area south of Taylor Hall. She plans to bring a resolution for first reading next week.

Darrell Sour, senior political science and marketing major, plans to introduce a measure which would request that any surplus Senate funding rollover at the end of the year.

“We usually have quite a bit leftover,” said Senate secretary Ashley Blankenship.

Sour said if Senate was able to save funds from year to year they could be used for large-scale projects like sponsoring weights for the Beimdiek Recreation Center or electric signage announcing events on campus.

“I just don’t like that Joplin High School has something we do not,” Sour said.