When Faculty Senate proposed a smoking ban in the fall, the student government took their stance.

But in order to let their stance be known, they had to pass a resolution.

This is how Student Senate represents a third of the campus, regarding campus policies.

Students, faculty and staff have an equal say in what happens at the University.

According to Student Body President Sean Anderson, whoever is supposed to make a final decision on an issue looks at the recommendations and makes a decision on behalf of what the groups have said.

Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, gets recommendations from staff, students and faculty senate, as well as other campus advisory groups.

“You take all that information into account when you ultimately formulate what direction you want to move,” Nadler said.

Not all groups have given Nadler a recommendation on the proposed smoking ban.

The Student Senate approves resolutions almost on a biweekly basis.

According to the senate bylaws, a resolution is a non-binding statement of opinion of the Student Senate.

Many resolutions grant permission to other members to present to a group, said Student Senate Speaker Jeff Lange.

When money was needed from the Apportionment Board to pay for delegates to attend the Conference on Student Government Associations at Texas A&M University, a resolution was passed to request money from AB.

The senate also passes resolutions that are requests from the administration or campus groups.

“If they’re not just giving permission to somebody to go present something or support a project, they are sent to the proper office,” Lange said.

All resolutions then go to Nadler’s office, Lange said.

In the fall semester, a resolution requested the use of WebCT by all faculty to post grades and syllabi.

The resolution also requested that Faculty Senate pass a similar resolution.

No WebCT resolution has been passed from Faculty Senate.

According to Faculty Senate Recorder John Stimac, a resolution regarding WebCT has not been passed yet.