After reviewing the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act resolution that was tabled at last week’s meeting, the Student Senate voted unanimously to approve it.

John Poshepny, a Student Senate member and a senior finance major, co-authored the resolution with Student Senate members Mitchell Gurick and Jenna Mitchell.

“Even though SOPA and PIPA are currently tabled, they could come back in some other form and it is good that we show our support,” Poshepny said.

In addition to the resolution passing, the Student Senate members also collected a total of 335 letters to send to U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk.

The next steps in the process are for the Student Senate members to write a letter explaining their process and send the student-signed letter.

“A lot of people, especially new (student) senators, stepped up and did what it took, showing they still care and we’re still interested as a whole,” said Gurick, a freshman business major.

The Student Senate also unanimously passed Jarrod Scherle’s, the student executive vice president, funding proposal to attend the Illinois Board of High Education Student Advisory Committee meeting in February.

“It is a cut and dry (proposal) and since we are being fiscally conservative, the cost is much lower,” Scherle said. “I am getting up early and driving there and back in one day, I would get $0.51 per mile I drive.”

In his report, Scherle also shared points from the University Strategic Plan draft that he was presented with at the Jan. 20 Board of Trustees meeting.

During committee reports, Aseret Gonzalez, the student vice president for academic affairs, reported that applications for the Student’s Distinguished Professor Award are now available.

The award will be presented at 4 p.m. on April 3 in Room 1895 of the Marin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The meeting concluded with the resignation of Rebecca Jakaitis, the Student Senate secretary.

“It has been exactly a year since I started this position, and this is probably the most I have ever spoken at one of these meetings,” Jakaitis said.

Jakaitis received a standing ovation from the Student Senate. Her resignation takes effect after the Feb. 8 meeting.

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].