In Monday’s meeting, Senate unanimously supported two resolutions: one lending its voice to a statewide push to approve the continuation of the Federal Perkins Loan Program and the other to support increased options for student voters.

The Perkins Loans provided $28.4 million to the UW System to over 15,000 students with an exceptionally high need in the 2012-13 school year, according to the resolution.

UW-Eau Claire awarded over $2 million total to over 1,000 students who qualified in the 2012-13 school year alone.

Sam Fish, student body president, said the support of UW-Eau Claire will add to the push of 26 UW schools that will go to the federal government emphasizing the need for the program’s continuation.

“I would say it’s invaluable,” Fish said. “But we can put a dollar amount on it and it’s extraordinary.”

Losing the loan money would also take away over $90,000 from Eau Claire in money which goes to offset administrative costs and other school expenses.

The program has not been approved and has a deadline of Sept. 30, 2015.

If it is not reauthorized it would be shut down Oct. 1 of next year.

VOTING

Student Senate also unanimously approved a resolution which supports working with the city of Eau Claire to provide internet access or a computer at all polling places.

Senators cited examples of students being unable to vote because they were unable to bring up copies of documents to prove residence on smartphones or computers at the polls.

Senate took up the resolution after Eau Claire student Paul Savides heard of the problem at polling places during this month’s elections.

Savides said this was the second non-primary election in which there was a proof of residence required when registering to vote.

He said he received word that over a dozen students turned away from one location, with only a few returning after retrieving their documents.

“There is a very easy solution, having an internet accessible computer device at these polling stations,” Savides said. “And that would just make sure that everyone could vote.”

Savides brought his concerns to Eau Claire City Council member Andrew Werthmann, and also to the Student Senate’s Intergovernmental Affairs Commission.