As a continuation of the “SMU’s Heart Beats for Haiti” campaign, SMU Student Senate is selling 200 tickets on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to see Jay-Z at the American Airlines Center for a reduced price of $40.

As discussed in the meeting, a portion of this will go towards the campaign. Tickets can be purchased at the Student Senate table on the West Bridge outside of Hughes Trigg.

In addition to Jay Z tickets, on Wednesday, Feb. 3rd in Hughes Trigg, SMU is offering an opportunity to meet athletes playing in the NBA All-Star game. Through this partnership, SMU hopes to raise more money, through an auction of paraphernalia and autographs, as well as increase awareness of the crisis.

Students can also support the relief fund by attending the celebrity basketball game at noon on Friday, Feb. 13 in Moody Coliseum.

Senate is encouraging other SMU organizations to come together as well to raise money for Heart Beats for Haiti. Each organization can donate money for a heart, representing the individual organization, which will be displayed in the Hughes-Trigg Commons.

At this point, Patrick Kobler, student body president, estimated that $12,000 has been raised, not counting the Jay-Z ticket sales. All donations must be made by Feb. 15, the end of the three week campaign.

Besides the “SMU’s Heart beats for Haiti” campaign, senate also discussed ways in which SMU could honor students and alumni. Kobler introduced a new tradition of presenting an alumnus with an honorary SMU ring in an effort to honor past students.

The honorary ring recipient is meant to be an alumnus who has made a contribution to society or to the SMU community specifically.

Members of senate also looked to honor current students and faculty through legislation marking achievements. Engineering Senator Joe Esau suggested a resolution congratulating the 2009 SMU football team for a successful season.

If senate approves this resolution, Esau’s goal is to bring Coach June Jones and the team in to accept the piece of legislation so that the student body can show its pride for the team.