The Illinois Student Senate passed the resolution written in response to the private stereotype party from several weeks ago at its meeting Wednesday night. However, this resolution was amended during the meeting to no longer include any specific reference to the party.

The resolution as passed stated that the senate will cooperate with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Office of the Dean of Students in facilitating dialogue and promoting an encouraging environment for minority students at the University.

Some senators believed that by not singling out the party and its attendants, the resolution becomes more open and flexible in responding to similar concerns.

Senators also argued that condoning specific incidents would be out of the body’s jurisdiction.

“I don’t think the senate should point out a specific incident,” said student senator Joe Glenn, junior in LAS. “It’s fine without it.”

Student senators and authors of the bill Gerald Charleston, graduate student, and Zenobia Ravji, senior in LAS, argued that the resolution did not single out a group of people. Instead it gave the resolution value and a definite purpose.

“If we don’t have the reason why this resolution was brought to life, then there’s no point,” Charleston said.

The senate also unanimously passed a resolution asking the University to switch from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent and LED lights. The resolution recommends that the University begin to purchase these new bulbs for campus facilities and residence halls on Jan. 1, 2008.

Brian Thompson, senior in LAS and senate staffer, wrote the resolution sponsored in the senate by Frank Calabrese, junior in LAS and student senator.

Thompson told senators that though the up-front cost for these bulbs would be greater, each individual bulb would save the University $16 a year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“It’s so simple to do,” Thompson said. “It makes sense.”