A bill to require senators to serve as an advisory contact to student organizations was turned down, 6-8-1, at a Student Association Senate meeting Sunday.

Senator Matthew Holt designed the bill to create a healthier relationship between new organizations and the Senate by requiring the advisory contact to update the SA monthly on news with student organizations and to serve as a guide, Holt said.

SA Senate Speaker Dillon Domke was in favor of the bill because he said new organizations may not know the logistics of how organizations operate.

“[The College Republicans chairman] had issues getting accounts receivable numbers, how to host a space,” Domke said. “He came to me knowing I was a part of the Student Association. I think this [bill] puts issues like that to bed.”

Christine Wang, SA Senate speaker-elect, said the bill was brought up abruptly with little time for review which was a problem considering the bill had sparked discussion among at least five senators.

“I’m not comfortable with it being brought on as a walk-on,” Wang said. “Because this is such a big change, I don’t think we should be voting on this right now.”

Diversity-focused organization approved

Promoting Leadership through Unconditional Sisterhood, or PLUSH, was approved at Sunday’s meeting unanimously.

Part of the organization’s goal is to promote diversity and have an outlet for women to be empowered with a focus on domestic violence and breast cancer awareness. The group has existed for almost two years and has 14 members.

“We want to create a home away from home for girls who aren’t sure where they want to be or what they want to do yet,” said Lianne Abellar, co-academic chair and multimedia master for PLUSH, “[PLUSH] gave me confidence.”

For more information, email [email protected].

Common Reading Experience approved

The Common Reading Experience organization, currently operating through First- and Second- Year Experience, applied to become an SA-recognized organization in order to expand and receive a larger budget.

The organization assigns a novel based on certain criteria for members to read and then participate in events based on the novel throughout the year.

“Book clubs have to pick a book and read it,” said Alexis Massman, Common Reading Experience president. “The difference [between Common Reading Experience and book clubs] is we involve the entire campus and want to get students active.”

The novel currently being read by the group is “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson will be coming to NIU in October to speak to students about his novel.

Counselor training organization approved

The Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling trains graduate students who want to become counselors on how to counsel people who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community.

Matt Lonski, president of the group, said more than 50 members are involved and want to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community to apply it to their future careers.

For more information, email [email protected].