Students wishing to run for NIU student government will not have to wait much longer.

The Student Association will hold a mandatory informational meeting for prospective senate candidates on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center’s Capitol Room.

The SA is the student-run government which distributes $1 million in student fee money to NIU organizations each year.

“The SA is a liaison between the students and the administration,” said SA Public Relations Advisor Anna Bicanic.

The SA funds the Huskie Buses and Students Legal Assistance.

At the orientation, the to-be-named SA Elections Commissioner will go over the election rules, such as where posters can be posted, she said.

The candidates also will pick up petition forms. A candidate must get 100 signatures and return the form by Sept. 11 to be put on the ballot.

SA Senate elections are Sept. 16 and 17 at DuSable Hall, the Pow Wow Cafeteria and Founders Memorial Library.

There are eight senators elected from five districts both on- and off-campus.

Bicanic said students also might be voting on the Illinois Student Association referendum. If the question is placed on the ballot, NIU will become the second school to vote on whether to dump the ISA. The University of Illinois voted on the question last year.

She said this year’s SA will see meeting lengths shortened and debate more focused. SA senators will have more information provided ahead of time so they can make informed decisions, Bicanic added. “We’re not going to stifle discussion in any way.

“Professionalism, multicultural understanding, more guest speakers and enriched senate participation” are high on the SA agenda this year, Bicanic said.

“We’ve been getting very prepared this year and we’re very excited,” she said.

Orientation will be more comprehensive, she said, and will feature a mock meeting.