The Student Association Senate had its share of disputes with NIU Students for Sensible Drug Policy last semester over its recognition as a student organization.

This semester, SSDP will enjoy the benefits of being an officially recognized student group on NIU’s campus.

The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management administratively recognized NIU SSDP as a social justice, advocacy and support group Dec. 10 in a letter from John Jones, associate vice president for Student Affairs, to Jeremy Orbach, founder and former president of NIU SSDP.

According to the letter, Jones was tasked with providing a response from NIU to SSDP following the denial of recognition of the group by the Student Association Senate in an unscheduled meeting Dec. 5.

Jones reviewed SSDP’s original application, minutes from senate meetings, information submitted to the administration by SSDP and the SA Bylaws and found no reason to deny SSDP recognition, according to the letter.

“It was an incredible surprise because it was so much faster than I originally planned,” Orbach said.

As an officially recognized student organization, SSDP can meet in university facilities, advertise on campus and will be eligible for SA funds after one year if it does not charge member dues.

According to the Regulations of the Board of Trustees, the BOT is ultimately responsible for the governing of NIU and can override decisions made by divisions to which it has delegated power, like the SA Senate.

Because student organizations meet in public facilities and can receive funding from student fees, the BOT has ultimate control of these resources and can allow the administration to decide who can use them, Jones said in an e-mail interview.

The SA Senate originally voted on Oct. 24 to postpone SSDP’s recognition until Nov. 7 pending its reclassification as a political organization. Political organizations are ineligible for funding according to the SA Bylaws, and SSDP contested the classification. No vote was made Nov. 7 because SSDP did not attend the meeting.

A letter sent on behalf of SSDP to NIU President John Peters on Nov. 18 alleged the SA Senate violated the U.S. Constitution in its treatment of the group.

Though Orbach said he was happy with the speed at which the group was recognized following its denial by the Senate Dec. 5, he said he is not satisfied with the time Student Affairs will take to address the alleged constitutional violations committed by the SA Senate.

Student Affairs will collaborate with the SA to create a task force that will review and revise the process through which student organizations are recognized and receive funding, according to the letter from Jones to the SSDP, The task force must complete the review by the end of the Spring 2011 semester so that any revisions can go into effect for the Fall 2011 semester.

Student Affairs has not yet determined representation on the task force, Jones said.

Orbach said he is not happy that NIU’s self-imposed deadline is the end of the 2011 semester, a period he said he sees as too long until student fees are handled properly.

According to the letter, legal training regarding student organization recognition will be provided to the SA Senate. Jones said the SA and NIU administration are already collaborating on the training.

Jones said he has not had any contact with representatives from SSDP since they were recognized on Dec. 10.

Orbach is stepping down as president of SSDP because the structure of the group will change in the following semester, he said.

SSDP has not scheduled its first meeting of the semester, Orbach said.