by Wendy J. Allyn

The Undergraduate Student Government Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on joining a student lobbying group after hearing a task force recommendation to limit the cost and term of membership.

The vote follows a disclosure Monday night by the task force that an $18,000 level of membership with the United States Student Association is too costly. The task force concluded the benefits of a one-year, $1,000 membership would almost equal those provided by the more expensive agreement. The $18,000 contract would bind future USG administrations for three years by contract to USSA, task force chair Robert Irby, said.

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We have recommended membership. We just don’t want to tie future USG to the contract and spend that much money, Irby said. We will still maintain every service they offer.

USG President Duane Sherman said the task force’s formal report will be presented to the senate tonight along with legislation for a vote. Sherman also said former USG President Edwin Sawyer will speak to senators about USSA because the possibility of membership originated during Sawyer’s administration.

USSA all started with President Sawyer. He will be giving background on why we’re even addressing the issue and how it came about, Sherman said.

USSA, USG members and the Black Affairs Council are holding a rally in support of USSA before the senate meeting today. SIUC student Dan Piper, a USSA advocate, said the rally will focus on congressional cuts in education funding and will include several speakers and a theatrical performance. Piper said he supports USSA because it strives to further students’ educational rights.

Because 85 percent of our student body receives financial aid, this is a very worthy rally for students, Piper said.

The rally will take place in the Free Forum area today at 12 p.m.

In other business, USG is scheduled to vote tonight on a mandate requesting USG housing senators conduct a survey of on-campus student residents over age 21.

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Sherman said because SIUC University Housing might make it a requirement for on-campus student residents over 21 to live in Neely Hall, the survey is to discover how those students feel.

We’re stepping in and making sure a true consensus of what the students want goes to University administration, Sherman said.