Sunday’s Student Senate meeting provided a glimpse into the future of NIU’s soon-to-be-built $36 million convocation center on the west side of campus.

At the beginning of the meeting, the senate heard from the NIU Parking Committee, led by Judd Baker, Holmes Student Center director and parking committee member, and Phoebe Hodges-Carter, student representative for the Parking Services Committee.

The convocatoin center, which is being built with student fees, is being constructed so the university can comply with the gender athletic Title IX mandate, because of a developing need for more on-campus parking and the need for more recreation programs and facilities. But parking still may be scarce for students.

“There will be 3,000 spots and 300 will be available for student parking,” Baker said.

In other business, Sen. Jeff Meyer reported on the latest funding recommendations. He said the Office of Campus Recreation has a $40,000 deficit and is requesting supplemental funding. The finance committee is only recommending $5,000 in supplemental funding for the OCR.

“There was a problem with accounting at the OCR, so I don’t think we should bail them out completely,” Meyer said.

The finance committee also recommended that the Residence Hall Association receive $18,718, Student Legal Services will receive $1,910 and Model Illinois Government will receive $1,840.

However, these amounts will not be allocated until the senate approves them.

Next on the agenda was the approval of co-directors for the offices Public Affairs, Academic Affairs and Cultural Affairs. Up for approval were Rashida Restaino, Ebony Simpson and Tiffany McDonald, respectively.

The senate met with opposition from within as they did when approving the positions.

“I don’t see the difference between the positions,” senator Brad Kuhn said of the co-directors and the directors.

President Troy Caldwell responded strongly to the opposition.

“I am going to say it one more time — there is no difference in the positions, but there is a need because of the work that is required,” he said.

Despite the debate over the positions, the three co-directors were approved.

In addition, the senate recognized several organizations for the 2001-02 academic year. The first of which was the the Community Outreach Group, an organization to give back to the NIU and DeKalb communities, representative Russel Spillman said.

Other organizations up for recognition but tabled until the next meeting were the Sport Club Council, E.B.O.N.Y. Men, Dynamic Destruction, Sigma Alpha Iota, In-Reach Productions, College Republicans and the NIU College Democrats.

The senate will meet again at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Clara Sperling Skyroom.