An online petition was released Tuesday to garner students’ support for the Boston University Student Government Executive Board, which will make a decision on whether to allocate its budget surplus for free feminine hygiene products on campus.

College of Engineering Senator Nehemiah Dureus, the creator of the petition, motioned in SG Senate’s last meeting of the 2015-16 academic year for E-board to allocate the money to benefit female students, The Daily Free Press reported Tuesday. The petition had garnered up to 1,617 signature at press time, according to the website.

The online petition is directed to the SG E-board as well as John Battaglino, assistant dean of students and director of student activities.

Battaglino wrote in an email that he declined to comment.

SG Vice President of Finance Akiko Endo said not all E-board members are in support of the proposal, though she personally supports the initiative.

“We were really surprised when Nehemiah proposed this idea and that the Senate’s vote was unanimous,” said Endo, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s great because it has always been taboo to talk about sanitary products and periods. The entire country is having this conversation now where they’re pushing to end the taxes on these products, so it’s very relevant.”

The initiative requested the allocation of a little under $1,000, including the possibility of pending payments in SG’s account, Endo explained.

“Originally, the idea came from my constituency,” said Dureus, a freshman in ENG. “I was talking to some of my fellow female engineers, and they brought up this issue and felt really passionate about it.”

Dureus said members of Senate shared the link to the petition on their respective Facebook profiles to show the E-board that this issue is critical and supported by students.

“The fact that this petition that was made for this has obtained over 1,500 signatures just goes to show how people on campus really agree with this idea, and speaks to how this is an important issue that many BU students want solved,” he said.

Since contraceptives are prioritized as resources that should be available to students, Dureus argued that feminine hygiene products should be just as accessible.

“It’s something that impacts half of the student body,” Dureus said. “It’s something that can’t really be controlled. I don’t believe it makes sense to not provide feminine hygiene products to at least half of the campus too.”

Anushka Pinto, a CAS junior and senator, said this is a valuable cause not only because it will supply female students with products they need, but because it will destigmatize the idea of menstruation.

“Just in the last few days, I have witnessed students engaging in dialogue over this, but in the past it was a taboo to talk about,” she said. “We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about what our bodies do. It’s a natural thing, and I’m glad students are talking about it.”

Pinto added that this will be one of the first times SG will put leftover money to use.

“We really need to start spending all of [the money],” Pinto said. “This menstrual product initiative has shown students that Senate and SG are bodies that can help [students] pursue their goals and make their initiatives a reality. In the future, SG will advocate for more social issues.”

Several female students said they support the initiative. Kelsey Koger, a senior in CAS, said there would be no reason to oppose supplying feminine hygiene products.

“I’m a girl, so I need those things, and they’re expensive,” Kroger said. “I’d love to see the extra money go to supplying products. I don’t know if there’s something more pressing the money could go towards, but I’m totally in favor of it.”

Dominique Baker, a senior in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, however, said she wasn’t sure if this cause was important enough.

“It’d be nice, but I feel like most girls carry their own,” Baker said. “And if not, you can just run to the CVS across the street. There are probably better places where those funds could go.”

Nikka Palapar, a freshman in the College of Fine Arts, said putting the money toward supplying feminine hygiene products is a good use of the surplus.

“I appreciate free hygiene products,” she said. “I know they give out free condoms, so why not supply free pads and tampons too? I definitely can’t think of a better place for the funds to go.”