The facts: Wednesday night, Student Senate passed the N.C. Equality Act, which demonstrates N.C . State’s disapproval of a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Our opinion: Student Government deals with these types of issues, so we should make sure they do it representatively.

The Student Senate passed the much-anticipated N.C . Equality Act, which will allow a letter to be sent to the North Carolina legislature stating N.C . State University does not support Amendment One, an amendment to ban gay marriage in the North Carolina State Constitution.

While 11 senators abstained from the vote on the grounds that there was not sufficient student feedback, the fact of the matter is the Student Senate is a representative advocacy body for the student body of N.C . State.

In last Friday’s editorial, the Technician editorial claimed Student Senate “should stick to campus matters;” however, these types of issues do relate to campus. It would be the same instance of them reaching out to the legislature on an issue like raising tuition and fees.

Political issues, such as gay marriage, have many benefits and consequences when choosing to take a stance and it is the job of the Student Senate to make these stances and speak on our behalf.

Many of these issues are emotionally-charged or issues of morality, which is why the Senate should make a better effort to gather the sufficient student feedback they need to make and pass bills, such as the N.C . Equality Act.

The Senate is modeled after our national and state governments, acting as the elected representatives of the student body; however, the one advantage they have that our national and state governments do not is the ability to better connect and reach out to their constituents.

Senators should understand this and make full use of this advantage. Events like the College of Education’s First Friday forums, CHASS’ various meet and greets with their representatives are prime examples of senators getting the necessary feedback to represent their constituents.

The important part of passing or rejecting these types of bills is the conversation behind it is in the best interest of the students—this is not an issue of gay marriage, but rather the Student Senate doing their job, and doing it effectively.

While senators should ensure their constituents understand what is happening in Student Government, it is also the jobs of the students to keep informed on these issues and let their representatives know their opinion and how they should be representing them.

Like in the real world, students who don’t vote cannot simply go back and vote on the way their senators should represent them; however, steps could have been taken to receive the necessary student opinion on this bill, such as forums by Student Government or even audience-led debates. The Senate should utilize this ability rather than deny it.