The religious symbols in the Memorial Union Chapel are up for debate at Wednesday’s Government of the Student Body meeting, even though the Senate is unsure how to handle the issue.

The original legislation, written by Senator Jacob Johnston, senior in management, reads “Iowa State University is a publicly funded university and the issue of religious displays in the Memorial Union Chapel has created some controversy lately, and the two issues is one of religious neutrality in publicly funded spaces, and that of tradition and intent of those whose money created that space, and GSB is elected to represent the students at Iowa State and should not avoid or delay action on an issue simply because they are controversial in nature, be it therefore the Government of the Student Body (supports/does not support) the removal of all religious symbols in the Memorial Union Chapel, and be it further that copies of this resolution be sent to the Memorial Union Board of Directors.”

The amendment to this bill, passed unanimously through the university affairs committee, proposes “that the Government of the Student Body does not endorse the removal of all religious symbols in the Memorial Union Chapel, and be it further that all students be welcomed to add their own religious items into the Memorial Union Chapel in a respectful and conscientious manner.”

There is also a second bill, written by Senator Jacob Wilson, sophomore in political science, that reads, “The Government of the Student Body shows its support for a religiously neutral reflection space in the Memorial Union that welcomes and celebrates all faiths and belief systems while respecting the great diversity on our campus and encouraging whosoever wishes to use the space to do so proudly.”

All three ideas will be discussed at Wednesday’s meeting.

Luke Roling, chair of the University Affairs Committee, said the committee was pretty unanimous against removing the symbols from the chapel.

“The historical aspect people were talking about — the tradition of having the chapel in its current form for 50 years,” Roling said. “It’s a traditional space in the Memorial Union. That space is one of the original intents of the MU. They always intended to have the space under the Gold Star Hall.”

The Atheist and Agnostic Society has not taken a position on the issue as a group, but some members would like to see the symbols removed.

“I, personally, do not view the removal of the cross, pews and stained glass as taking anything away from any of the religions represented, or the believers’ rights,” Luke Harvey, senior in computer engineering and a member of the Atheist and Agnostic Society, wrote in a letter to GSB officers. “The area could still remain an area for prayer and reflection.”

The Campus Christian Fellowship did not come up with a group opinion on the subject either, but Joshua Engelkemier, junior in chemistry and president of the fellowship, shared his views on the chapel.

“It wouldn’t offend me, personally, if they removed the cross in the chapel, but there could be other ways of handling the issue,” Engelkemier said.

A bookshelf with books for all different religions could be brought in, Engelkemier said.

The Memorial Union Board of Directors will decide what to do with the chapel in the end.

“I really want to keep a neutral stance on it; I don’t have a lot to say on that bill,” said Ryan Kennedy, president of the Memorial Union Board of Directors.

The senate will also vote on the final version of the special allocations bill at Wednesday.

The bill from the finance committee features 23 clubs whose members asked for $66,009.14, which the committee cut down to less than $20,000 in order to fit its budget.

The senate will also be voting on giving $80 to the American Culture Acclimation Society so that they can host a Halloween event with costume and pumpkin carving contests.

The second annual Sustainability Symposium has asked for $1,005.00 in order to educate the student body on, which the senate will take up tonight, as well.