A group of Undergraduate Student Government senators are drafting a proposal urging the USG Senate to support last spring's "reeferendum" that called for a relaxation of the University's marijuana policy.

USG East Halls Senator Paul Yacisin -- a member of the Penn State National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws -- said he is working with USG town senators Sara Craig and Marc Van Camp and East Halls Senator John Meyer on the resolution.

The resolution is a follow-up to the referendum that students approved by a 1,928 to 1,870 vote in USG's general election last spring. The referendum called for the current minimum penalty -- one-semester probation for possession of a small amount of marijuana -- to be made the maximum punishment.

The current proposal, which is still in the drafting stages, calls for the USG Senate to support the referendum that passed a year ago. The proposal should be brought up for debate next Tuesday, Yacisin said.

The referendum was designed to bring the University's punishment for marijuana in line with the more lenient penalties for possession of alcohol as a minor, Van Camp said.

Not all students agree that a policy change should be supported.

"It's an illegal substance," said Holly Perkins (sophomore-exercise and sport science). "I don't see why the USG should be relaxing their standards. If the U.S. government were to change (marijuana laws), then the USG should take a stand."

But Chuck Thomas, executive director of Pennsylvania NORML, said he is optimistic that the USG Senate will agree to support the referendum because the majority of voting students called for a relaxation of the University's marijuana policy.

"They're pretty much obligated to follow through with the will of the students," he said.

Van Camp agreed, saying that the USG Senate agreed to put the marijuana question on the ballot as a referendum last year.

"I think the Senate has a responsibility to look into it," Van Camp said.