The Illinois Student Senate may add another trip to Springfield during veto session in addition to their annual Lobby Day trip.
The senate will discuss the resolution Wednesday at its regular meeting. The resolution calls for the trip to be co-sponsored with the Civic Leadership Program, a University political science program connected to its Cline Center for Democracy.
“With this being an election year, and with a bunch of important issues up right now, we wanted to make sure we gave students the opportunity to go to Springfield and meet the legislators,” said Jordan Hughes, chairwoman for the community and governmental affairs committee, which is sponsoring the resolution, and senior in AHS.
Joseph Moseley, senator and sophomore in ACES, said there are hundreds of issues to be discussed from education to agriculture but said he believes the most prominent issue is the need for bipartisan efforts.
“I think both sides need to answer the call to work together from the president,” he said. “It speaks volumes when (legislation) passes with a good number of Democrats and a good number of Republicans.”
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Moseley said he also believes the trip would be a great experience for himself as well as many other student senators considering careers in politics.
“I’d like to see how it is like to be a state senator, given the nature of politics, given that some of us are aspiring politicians and are using ISS as a trial stage for the future,” he said.
The resolution proposes a $580 allocation to cover the cost of a bus to transport senators to the capital.
Kevin Seymour, ISS treasurer and graduate student, said the total cost of the trip would be $1,200, but the student senate would be splitting the cost with the Civic Leadership Program.
Max Ellithorpe, senator and graduate student, said unlike other ISS events, such as the funding of a haunted house, it is the senate’s duty to advocate for students by visiting the capital and lobbying for student issues.
“One way to advocate for students is to travel and meet with our elected officials,” he said. “It’s a great way to fight for what we represent.”
If the resolution passes, several senators said they would take the opportunity to question current legislators about the pressing issue of funding for the University.
Matt Gold, senator and senior in LAS, said he believes senators need to push elected officials to pay back the University the money it is owed.
“Too often I feel like the state government ignores the concerns of our flagship university,” he said. “They owe us a ton of money, and it really puts us in a difficult situation every year when we budget.”
Corinne can be reached at [email protected].
