Undergraduate Student Government voted Wednesday in favor of a resolution supporting a K-9 unit for the SIUC Police despite some opposition.

Many senators expressed concern over the need for the dog and worried that a police dog would be used indiscriminately to sweep for drugs. However, USG President Dave Vingren reminded them of the importance of a police dog and addressed the threat of searches.

We need to remember that this dog protects victims and finds offenders of violent crimes and rape, Vingren said. At this time, there is nothing to stop [SIUC Police] from performing random searches.

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They already have the resources to perform these searches. It’s called their feet.

Vingren cited a statement in the proposal that said that the dog would not be used in random searches.

At last month’s USG meeting, SIUC Police Cpl. Ken Sneed provided a presentation on the advantages of a dog. There also was a demonstration by one of Carbondale Police’s crime dogs.

Sneed is seeking donations to cover the estimated $8,300 to $9,500 startup cost of the program. It would require an additional $700 to $1,000 per year to cover maintenance costs such as food and retraining workshops.

Sneed could not be reached for comment on the USG vote.

Among other items before the senate was a resolution opposing the projected $20 athletic fee increase. The resolution was suspended and removed from the floor.

Funding requests by three Registered Student Organizations also generated some controversy at the meeting.

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Senate Bill 98-29 was a request for funds by the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality in the amount of $950 to help cover costs of the national convention the organization was planning to attend next month.

Senate Bill 98-31 was a request for funds made by the Chinese Student Organization in the amount of $800 to be divided between the Chinese Student Organization and two other organizations for the Chinese New Year celebration Feb. 7.

Both were initially tabled because some members of the senate questioned the amount of the requests and the amount of funding left for RSOs in the budget.

The senate approved $200 for the Organization of Paralegal Students requested in Senate Bill 98-30.

College of Agriculture Senator Brian Atchison, a sophomore in hotel and restaurant management, motioned to reconsider Senate Bill 98-29 because the senate may not have been able to reconsider the bill in time for the event.

After senate bill number 98-29 was stalled and then 98-30 was approved, I felt something had to be done, Atchison said. In my opinion it was wrong to pass 98-30 while the question of money prevented 98-29 from passing. That is why I made the motion to reconsider.

College of Education Sen. Josh Spencer amended 98-29, changing the amount of the request from $950 to $600. The senate then approved the funding.

Atchison said the senate does not often question funding bills. The only other time he could recall such an action was when Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Friends made a request for funding to travel to Washington to see the AIDS quilt in October 1996. That request was initially rejected but later approved.

I hope the senate continues to carefully consider where the students money is going, Atchison said. The is one of very few times the senate has questioned a funding bill.