diff --git a/register_participants_spawards.php b/register_participants_spawards.php
index cad4ee7..98e8e55 100644
--- a/register_participants_spawards.php
+++ b/register_participants_spawards.php
@@ -23,39 +23,12 @@
 ?>
 <?
  require("common.inc.php");
- include "register_participants.inc.php";
- include "projects.inc.php";
- 
- //authenticate based on email address and registration number from the SESSION
- if(!$_SESSION['email'])
- {
- 	header("Location: register_participants.php");
-	exit;
- }
- if(!$_SESSION['registration_number'])
- {
- 	header("Location: register_participants.php");
-	exit;
- }
+ require_once("register_participants.inc.php");
+ require_once("projects.inc.php");
+ user_auth_required("participant");
+ $u=user_load($_SESSION['users_id']);
 
- $q=mysql_query("SELECT registrations.id AS regid, students.id AS studentid, students.firstname FROM registrations,students ".
- 	"WHERE students.email='".$_SESSION['email']."' ".
-	"AND registrations.num='".$_SESSION['registration_number']."' ". 
-	"AND registrations.id='".$_SESSION['registration_id']."' ".
-	"AND students.registrations_id=registrations.id ".
-	"AND registrations.conferences_id=".$conference['id']." ".
-	"AND students.conferences_id=".$conference['id']);
-echo mysql_error();
-
- if(mysql_num_rows($q)==0)
- {
- 	header("Location: register_participants.php");
-	exit;
- 
- }
- $authinfo=mysql_fetch_object($q);
-
- $q=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM projects WHERE registrations_id='".$_SESSION['registration_id']."'");
+ $q=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM projects WHERE registrations_id='".$u['registrations_id']."'");
  $project=mysql_fetch_object($q);
 
  //send the header
@@ -153,9 +126,8 @@ function checkboxclicked(b)
  }
 
 //output the current status
-$newstatus=spawardStatus();
-if($newstatus!="complete")
-{
+$newstatus=spawardStatus($u['registrations_id']);
+if($newstatus!="complete") {
 	echo error(i18n("Special Awards Self-Nomination Incomplete"));
 }
 else if($newstatus=="complete")