Student Association Senate speaker Andrew Nelms introduced legislation at Sunday’s meeting stating the senate’s disapproval of the summer commencement cancellation.

“Obviously the issue of summer commencement was not received well,” Nelms said.

Last week Provost Earl Seaver admitted students were not involved in the decision making process. SA President Craig Marcus said no one asked his opinion of the cancellation. Marcus also said he was unaware if Seaver had solicited input from past SA leadership.

The lack of student input in the decision process and international students not being able to walk in commencement ceremonies were the reasons behind authoring the bill, Nelms said.

When the new business section of the meeting came to be read, one senator voiced his opinion right away.

“I like this bill, SAR 36015,” senator Christopher Davis said. “Can we just move this ahead and vote on it right now?”

After Nelms informed Davis and the senate that the bill could not be voted on yet because it did not have a co-sponsor, six senators immediately signed on as co-sponsors.

The bill was moved to the rules committee and will be on the agenda for the next SA Senate meeting.

“I graduate in August,” Davis said. “It is disappointing because I am not prepared to walk in May. It’s hard to get my family from Champaign and other areas to come back to DeKalb in December. This summer commencement is something people relied on.”

Nelms said he hopes the legislation influences the NIU administration.

“As a whole, this administration has been very dedicated to student input,” Nelms said. “I think this is just an isolated situation.”

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow spoke to the senate as part of the Prairie Leader Lecture Series.

The series’ goal is to bring in people who play an important role in the lives of students.

Sparrow announced the city has included money in its fiscal year 2006 budget to repave a small stretch of West Hillcrest Drive between Normal and Garden roads.

He estimated the cost at about $35,000.

The road is important to the Huskie Bus Line because it is a direct route to the Engineering Building and Barsema Hall. The drive’s current weight limit is less than the weight of a bus.

The SA expects to have service running to those areas starting in the fall, said Adam Novotney, director of governmental affairs.

“This is something the SA has been working with the city on for a couple years,” Novotney said. “We will have to look at all the routes, and we are working on city time.”

Sparrow answered questions from senators about issues ranging from the recent stabbing in the Greek Row area to the expansion of bar hours and changing the legal entry age.

Sparrow said the Greek Row stabbing was unfortunate.

“It was a stupid act,” Sparrow said. “I don’t know what you could have done to prevent it. I am sure the police and the university are working together to become safer.”

Because of Spring Break, the next SA senate meeting will be at 6 p.m. April 3 in the Clara Sperling Sky Room of the HSC.