This article was updated Jan. 28 at 1:00 p.m.

Members of the Urbana-Champaign Senate voted Monday on a resolution that calls for communication between the faculty and administration in future decisions about the University’s budget and furlough situation.

The Sentate approved an SEC Statement on Furloughs and a Resolution on Furloughs and Cost Cutting.

In the special meeting, the U-C Senate convened for the first time in the semester at 3:10 p.m. in the Levis Faculty Center. Members approved the resolution and “discuss long-term implications of the current budget crisis,” according to the meeting’s agenda.

“No regular business will be conducted during the senate’s meeting on Monday,” said David Olsen, member of the U-C and Illinois student senates. “A special meeting was called specifically to discuss the issue at hand.”

Currently the U-C Senate’s Committee on Committees is looking for a graduate student to fill a vacancy on its Conference on Conduct Governance, Olsen said. The Committee on Committees is discussing nominations; however, they will not be discussed at Monday’s special meeting.

Instead, Joyce Tolliver, Senate Executive Committee chair and associate professor of Spanish and Gender and Women’s Studies, read the committee’s statement on the University’s budget crisis focusing on the implementation and influence furloughs will have on the University as a whole.

“The notion that we can or should stop being professors for a day does not fit the reality of our professional lives,” the statement said.

It also says the current crisis puts some of the burden on students who face increasing tuition rates.

“Our current difficulties must not be allowed to compromise the good-faith relationship between them (the students) and the University,” the statement said.

According to Howard Bunsis, American Association of University Professors (AAUP) treasurer, and Cary Nelson, AAUP President, the state has a fiscal problem and is dealing with this problem by delaying the appropriation for higher education.

Income tax receipts have been lower than expected and so have created this issue.

A raise in income taxes is desired by the current governor, which would affect any earning more than $250,000 per year. According to AAUP, the state appropriation reduction is not enough cause for furloughs. The U of I’s overall revenues will be reduced by less than 1%.

Also, while the State is delaying appropriations, the payments will be made at some point. In the meantime, AAUP suggests administrative costs and administrative spending should be cut, rather than the salaries of employees. Reserves of the UI Foundation are suggested to be used to help with any short term cash flow problems. AAUP believes that temporary reductions in employee pay should be the last resort for the University.

The first official meeting of the U-C Senate is scheduled to take place Feb. 22 in the Levis Faculty Center. No agenda is yet available for that meeting.

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This article was contributed to by Stephanie Tussing.