A graduate assistant will be added to the Students’ Legal Assistance Office, with the task of keeping students informed on how to prevent student debt.

SA Treasurer DuJuan Smith told senators the reason there was less funding for organizations this year was due to a decrease in the number of students at NIU, which resulted in a funding shortage. He said the 2004 budgets were about $1.5 million, with $1.3 million allocated for fiscal year 2005.

“The majority of organizations originally had an increase in funding, but everyone with a budget of $3,000 and up had a decrease,” Smith said.

Five senators accepted nominations for next year’s senate speaker to replace outgoing speaker Andrew Nelms, who becomes student trustee later this year. More nominations will be accepted at next week’s meeting.

The next SA Senate meeting will be at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Holmes Student Center’s Clara Sperling Sky Room.