ISU graduate students have new travel resources after a vote during the last Graduate Student Senate meeting.

Senate representatives voted unanimously Monday night to provide childcare reimbursement funds for students traveling to conferences or events related to their studies. The fund will reimburse students up to $25 for each of their children over a period of four days.

Erin Heep, graduate student in botany, said the vote helps fulfill one of the senate’s goals.

“Supporting graduate students in the area of childcare has been a priority for GSS,” she said. “That’s one of our official goals, and that’s what we’re trying to attempt to do with this bill.”

Heep said graduate students can apply for the childcare funds through the GSS office and the chairperson of the Professional Advancement Grant.

Members also unanimously approved a bill allowing students in the College of Veterinary Medicine a senate seat. Stephanie Holeman, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, said the new seat is appropriate for students in the college since their fees go to GSS, and they are affected by the senate’s decisions. Holeman, co-author of the bill, said the bill must be passed by senate representatives twice and will come up again during the November meeting.

Another issue discussed by senate members concerned the allocation of funds from the tuition and fee split. Brian Anderson, graduate student in chemical engineering, said GSS representatives have been working with committee members from the Government of the Student Body to decide how to allocate the money.

Anderson, GSS president, said the committee decided to allocate the funds between the students according to their population sizes and needs. “We wanted to try to hit on all of our goals,” he said. “We’re sending this on to administration to tell them we’re satisfied.”