Speakers from Columbia University, Harvard University, Yale University and an Economics Nobel Prize winner will gather in Eugene on April 19 largely because of a special request granted by the ASUO Senate.

On Wednesday night, the Latino American Law Student Association — with support from the Oregon Law Review — requested $13,053 for a symposium that would center around the topic of drugs in the United States. The request passed unanimously, and the money will fund the speakers’ travel expenses and catering for the event.

At first, some senate members were against the catering line-item because the symposium could still take place without food.

Representatives from LALSA defended the line-item because the group didn’t want people leaving during lunch hours and not returning. In addition, the group was trying to put together a professional day long event, which would require some sort of food.

Sen. Chase Salazar was against the funding because he felt that the $3,233 that LALSA would spend on catering could be used to fund another request entirely.

Other senators took a different stance.

“We’re going to get a really good bang for our buck,” Sen. Jeremy Hedlund said. “I’m really good with the catering. I mean we’re having representatives from Congress coming here — I mean I feel like they might want to have lunch and talk with some students.”

Sen. Ian Needham agreed with Hedlund.

“Imagine the reputation of the Oregon Law Program is these people fly across the country and we feed them biscuits,” Needham said.

With that, Salazar changed his mind.

The importance of the symposium resonated for some senators on the body.

“I think this is a really important issue and a really crucial issue. This is something that we should be funding,” Sen. Taylor Allison said.

The motion to fund LALSA the full amount passed by a 17-0-0 vote.