Last Friday, Political Action Week wrapped up with the theme of “The student struggle: Are we second class citizens?” The topics discussed included affordable housing, minimum age for bar admittance and Ames police party patrol.

Friday’s debate began with the couch ordinance, which states that no indoor furniture is to be left outdoors.

Students were concerned that this ordinance is unfairly aimed toward students, not other Ames residents.

The couch ordinance was enacted about four years ago, when people were setting couches on fire almost every weekend, said Loras Jaeger, Ames police chief.

“[The couch ordinance] is brought up every semester, but we have yet to write a citation,” Jaeger said.

The next topic up for debate was the occupancy ordinance, which limits the number of unrelated people living together to three.

Students wanted to know the goal behind the ordinance, and whether it is a common ordinance for cities to have established.

“It was established many years ago for health and safety reasons,” Jaeger said.

The ordinance is currently in appeal, and still in court, Jaeger said.

The frustration lies in the way the ordinance is structured, because it

doesn’t limit the number of people allowed to legally live in a house or apartment, but the number of unrelated people legally allowed to live there.

“I can move in with my 10 children, but you can’t bring five of your friends, that’s were the frustration lies,” said Dan Rice, adviser of liberal arts and sciences and Ames city council member.

This type of ordinance is common, said Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs.

“I’ve worked at other institutions in other cities with the same or similar ordinances,” Hill said.

The next topic up for discussion was the keg ordinance. Students are concerned that it is now required that a keg buyer has to register the keg with his or her name and address.

Although students are concerned with the ordinance, there has been no activity with this ordinance yet, said Jaeger.

“The ordinance is not aimed at students, but towards anybody who provides alcohol for under age drinkers,” said Don Toms, of the Story County board of supervisors.

Discussion was also sparked on the possibility of allowing 19-year-olds into drinking establishments.

The concern is that the number of drinking establishments would have to increase to accommodate new bargoers, Jaeger said.

If 19-year-olds are allowed into drinking establishments, Jaeger said, the city would be finding ways to make sure people would be drinking responsibly- including possibly increasing fines for underage drinkers.

The possibility of increasing fines concerned students.

“The cost of MIP tickets is too high for young students,” said Benjamin Ware, sophomore in civil engineering.

Friday’s discussion wrapped up with former mayoral candidate, Jon Shelness.

Shelness was concerned with the way students are dealt with when there is a problem. He said the university needs to try alternative methods to controlling student behavior as opposed to making rules.

Students reacted positively to the week of speaking and debates.

“I enjoy hearing opinions and getting an idea of the culture here in Ames,” said Mark Nehring, senior in finance.

The event being outside, instead of in a closed room, appealed to Andrew Schmitz, sophomore in agricultural engineering.

“Political Action Week was very successful, we’ve drawn in a lot of people,” Schmitz said. “I’m kind of sad that it’s over.”