Freshmen have a vote in the Student Association Senate for the first time in several years.

The Senate appointed three voting senators, including SA Sen. Julie Bindelglass (CCAS-U), a freshman, to the body Tuesday night in Columbian Square.

“I am excited to be in the position both to represent CCAS students and to show that freshmen deserve voting representation in the Senate,” Bindelglass said.

Bindelgass was appointed after much debate. The three freshmen non-voting senators said giving Bindelglass a vote in the Senate undermined their positions in the body. Traditionally, freshmen have only held non-voting seats in the Senate.

SA Sen. Kevin Kozlowski (U-At Large), chair of the rules committee, said it would be in the body’s favor to allow Bindelglass to vote.

“To have another freshman senator with a vote is not a setback,” said Kozlowski, a junior. “If anything it is going to benefit CCAS to have someone as passionate and energetic as (Bindelglass) on the Senate.”

SA Sen. OG Oyiborhoro (CCAS-U) said that it was not fair that there is a freshman who can vote.

“If we have three freshmen seators that can’t vote and one that can, we should give them all the ability to vote,” said Oyiborhoro, a junior.

SA Sen. Nick D’Addario was appointed as an undergraduate at-large Semator. D’Addario, a senior, is not new to the SA, having served as both a senator and a vice president in past years. D’Addario also ran for SA president in 2006 and SA executive vice president last year.

D’Addario expressed his excitement to be back in the SA.

“After a break from the Student Association this summer, I’m back with it and just ready to get back to work,” he said.

D’Addario said he plans to work on getting more money for the SA by partnering with SA President Nicole Capp, a junior.

SA Sen. Vishal Aswani, the newly appointed SEAS-U, plans to improve relations between undergraduate and graduate students in order to help with advising.

SA. Sen. Matt Cohen (SoB-U), chair of the finance committee, said that Aswani has the leverage to get things done.

“Ninety-percent of the work gets done out of the room. it is based on who we know. and talking to the right people to get our ideas pushed through,” said Cohen, a senior. “Vishal, I think, is the man for the job.”

The Senate also passed a bill that will limit the SA budget to $38,000 from the student fee. This year, the SA is operating on approximately $37,400 which is about 40 percent less than in 2006.

The Senate will meet again Nov. 6.