After being further delayed by a fire alarm set off by a bag of burnt popcorn, the GSB voted, 25-2-0, to fund an update of technology in the MU Underground after discussing allotting such a large sum of money to an underused service.

The bill will allocate $17,560 to purchase a variety of upgrades to the technology, including four LCD TVs and two VCR/DVD players.

Brooke Heithoff, graduate student in educational leadership and policy studies, spoke in support of the bill, representing the MU Underground.

“We believe the technology update is a necessary update in the Underground,” she said. “It is in need of something. It’s not exactly the most welcoming place for students. Students could go down there for sporting events.”

Yen Dao, graduate student in educational leadership and policy studies, also represented the Underground.

“It’s a great place for students, really affordable. Anything you could give us would be really helpful to improve the facility,” she said.

GSB President Brian Phillips, senior in political science, also voiced his support for the bill, saying GSB is likely the only place the Underground will receive funding from.

“There really isn’t much of a drive on anybody else’s part to fund this request,” he said. “GSB funding is pretty much the primary route through which this will be done.”

Senator Charles Wakefield said he believed that asking for such a large amount of money for an underused space was cause for concern.

“I think, right now, this is too much all at once, and I think a staged expansion would be a much better use of the money and much more fiscally responsible,” he said.

Senator Dan Finnegan, junior in aerospace engineering, said that passing this bill may help students realize the full potential of the Underground.

“This is obviously a great opportunity for students,” he said. I don’t know if students completely realize what they have there.”

A bill involving sending seven members of Cuffs to Minneapolis to take part in a conference that would enable them to meet others involved in similar clubs was also resolved.

By a vote of 26-1-0, GSB voted to allocate $478.72 from the Senate Discretionary Account to fund the trip.

GSB reached discussion of the last major bill for the night well into the second hour of the meeting.

The bill allocates $20,000 to the City of Ames to begin work on the Campustown Court Project.

However, no debate was met in passing the bill by a unanimous vote.

Senator Mitchell Hayek, graduate student in political science, said the bill would be a great use of money for all students.

“I think this is a great bill,” he said. “I think it’s a great use of student fee money.”