Spectators at Sunday’s Student Association Senate meeting said they thought the meeting was chaotic and were frustrated with the senators.

Several student organizations were up for recognition, and all SA-recognized organizations’ budgets were up for final approval at the meeting.

Jessica Cannizzo is the co-president of Northern Illinois Dance Force, a student organization that was up for recognition on Sunday. Cannizzo gave a speech to the senate describing her group’s intentions. During the speech, several senators had side conversations and left their seats.

“I was freaking out because everyone was talking,” Cannizzo said. She said she doubted the senators were paying attention to what she was saying.

One senator snacked on Panera Bread during the student organization recognition and read a book during the later part of the budget approval.

Another student representing an organization, Angela Walck, president of the National Society of Collegiate Scholarships, said there was a lot of confusion in the senate and they seemed to be “all over the place.”

Confusion aside, the senate approved the 65 budgets with two amendments. The first amendment was to give $375 to Habitat For Humanity, instead of zero-funding it as the SA Finance Committee had recommended. The committee had chosen to zero-fund Habitat because its constitution had religious references. However, Douglas Lehr, the campus Habitat president, said the group does not need to have the references.

“Campus chapters are not required to take part in the religious activities,” Lehr said. He also said the group’s constitution in the past had similar religious references but the SA still funded the organization.

The second amendment gave the Residence Hall Association $1,250 of $1,500 that had been cut by the finance committee. The money for both amendments will come from the SA general reserve.

The total budget for fiscal year 2005 is $1,447,856 with the two amendments.