At yesterday’s faculty senate meeting essential topics were discussed involving housing bill 187, patenting ideas and BG’s Dance Marathon.

State legislatures have been working on housing bill 187, also known as the Civil Service Modernization Act, for about ten years and yesterday, Faith Olson, vice chair of the classified staff council talked with faculty about the bill.

The bill has yet to be adopted by the University because the plan must be approved by the Board of Trustees, according to a staff release from Rebecca Ferguson, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources.

Housing bill 187 benefits all classified staff, which are the non-contracted workers on campus like custodians and janitors, Olson said.

Rules applyed through the housing bill 187 will include application and selection process, layoff provisions, holiday and vacation leave and other matters, Olson added.

“This bill will be proactive and helpful for classified staff,” Olson said. “It will help with job security.”

In addition to discussing housing bill 187, faculty senate also tackled the issue of patent and copyrights.

John Folkins and John Kane of the Bowling Green State University research Institute talked with faculty and staff about the importance of using the research institute to patent their ideas.

“If you have an idea we want you to come to us,” Folkins said.

“We will tell you how to proceed with your invention and help you with the process,” Kane said.

Dance Marathon steering committee member Thomas Bethany came to talk with faculty and staff to encourage them to dance and help out with dance marathon.

“This year we are trying to encourage faculty to be dancers, but you would only dance from 6 to 9 on Saturday,” Bethany said.

Bethany said there will be a faculty and staff informational meeting about dance marathon from 12 to 1 p.m. on Nov. 13 called “bring a lunch learn a bunch.”