The Student Association Senate approved a motion Sunday night to recognize an ad hoc committee to study the feasibility of purchasing a new computer for the SA.

SA Sen. Michael Goldstein said he has devoloped a five-part plan for developing a proposal which the committee will present to the full senate sometime next semester.

“The computer we have is outdated and it does not fulfill the Student Association’s needs,” Goldstein said.

He said, “Phase one is to determine current and future computer needs of both the SA and the SA-recognized organizations. To accomplish this, we will conduct a phone survey of all the organizations and speak with those who use the computer within the SA, such as (SA President) Jim (Fischer) and the secretaries, advisers and senators.

“Phase two is identifying sources and amounts of funding. We will work together with (SA Treasurer) Todd Lipscomb to that end,” Goldstein said.

He also said the third phase will involve determining which actions are open in terms of available computer systems.

“There are many types of systems we can use, ranging from stand-alone microcomputers to multi-user/multi-tasking computer systems,” he said.

“Phase four will involve soliciting bids on recommended systems. There is a possibility that we will mix bids for different aspects of the system. For example, we may accept a bid from one company on the printer and another from a different company on the mainframe,” he said.

“Mixing bids will allow us to save money by using the most cost-effective part of each bid we receive.

“The final phase will be to make a final recommendation to the senate in the form of a proposal document.

“Currently we are working on phases one and two, and we are in the process of conducting the phone survey,” he said.

In other business, the senate unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Sen. Melinda Hoeft.

Hoeft said her resignation was prompted by “uncontrollable circumstances which I feel will make me unable to devote the time required to be an effective SA senator.”

The senate also unanimously voted to provide the Philippine Student Association with $118.90 in supplemental funding.

Lipscomb said, “The PSA was zero-funded by the senate last year because it was not clear whether or not they would even exist. It turns out that they do exist and have 60 members.”

Lipscomb said $32.80 of the funding will go to pay for advertising, $15 for office supplies, $8.10 for printing and $63.00 for automobile expenses.

The senate also voted $76 in supplemental funding for the Visual Communications Committee.

“When they (the VCC) went to arrange transportation to a conference, they were told that the money which had been previously approved by the senate was not there,” he said.