The Government of the Student Body passed a resolution and bill in support of revitalizing Campustown at its meeting Wednesday.

GSB also voted in favor of endorsing a tuition surcharge for engineering students.

The resolution said students are the primary users of Campustown, and the students and residents of both the neighborhood and community overall are of chief consideration in the planning process.

The resolution also supported using the expertise of faculty and students from the College of Design to plan revitalization.

“The College of Design is the best place to do this,” said Noah Wiese, Campustown senator and graduate student in materials science and engineering. “This is an important first step for us to make.”

The bill, which passed 23-2 in support of the revitalization, called for $1,750 to be allocated from the senate discretionary account for payment to the Institute for Design Research and Outreach. The money would aid in establishing a spring studio class or classes focused solely on the revitalization, and will account for one-quarter of the money needed.

Debate on whether to support the bill balanced on the issue of if GSB should fund a class that will give academic credit. The class, however, has not officially been established.

“We need to put our money where our mouth is,” said Drew Larson, College of Business senator and senior in accounting. “We are paying for a product and for an end result and this is the best way to do that.”

Wiese said he agreed.

“It only makes sense to pay our part, since it is our idea,” Wiese said.

Though many were in support of the bill, some were opposed.

“I think we can support this without spending money,” said Jennifer Eggleston, off-campus senator and senior in health and human performance. “This is borderline as to what our purposes are and I don’t think this sets a good precedent.”

The senate also passed a resolution 20-4 in support of differential tuition for the College of Engineering.

Mark Kushner, dean of the College of Engineering, gave a presentation and addressed questions regarding the differential tuition proposal, which will be brought to the Iowa Board of Regents at its meeting Nov. 2 and 3.

“I urge you not to think of this as an extra cost but as an investment in your future,” Kushner said.

Kushner said one major concern is that without the tuition increase, the instructor-to-student ratio will fall along with the quality of education. He also said it is necessary to stay in par with other similar land grant institutions.

“A lot of people don’t like this, but the school needs to keep competitive,” said Jon Richardson, College of Engineering senator and junior in chemical engineering.