As the Commission on Improving Relations Among ISU Students, the University, the City of Ames and the Ames Community compiles its recommendations, the group has been called into the spotlight to determine if the goals it has set for itself are being met.

Bob Kindred, Ames assistant city manager and co-chairman for the commission, said many people don’t understand the group’s purpose and often mistake it for the 2004 Task Force on Assuring Successful Veishea and Other Student/Community Celebrations.

“I think there must be some confusion about the purpose of our group,” he said. “Yes, they are related, but the task force is dealing with one event. This second group was charted to improve long-term relations.”

The group’s purpose is not to deal with Veishea, Kindred said — the chaos last April is merely an incident relating to their purpose as a whole.

“Veishea is just one small part of a much broader relation within the community,” he said.

The commission, created last May, was charged with creating recommendations for improving the climate between Iowa State and the Ames community. Recently, however, the legitimacy of the group has been called into question.

William Rock, Government of the Student Body vice president and co-chairman for the commission, said discontent within and around committees is a natural element.

“This is a bureaucratic commission,” he said. “And like a bureaucracy, everyone is involved — and that is an advantage. A disadvantage would be that not everyone is going to agree on everything.”

Jon Shelness, former ISU psychology student and self-proclaimed student advocate, said the commission is not useless, but instead is not getting to the real problem with community relations.

“I have sat in on many of the meetings,” Shelness said, “and they have been educational. But they aren’t getting at the heart of the issue.”

Shelness said he has a plan — one that he will present in detail in front of the Ames Human Relations Commission at 7 p.m. Thursday. With his plan, he said, community relations can improve through peer leaders throughout campus who will decide what behavior is appropriate.

“According to the psych department here at ISU, university students are the most compliant in their age group,” he said. “The focus is on changing behavior through example, and I don’t think that’s happening in Ames.”

Recommendations already considered include statements about opening opportunities for students in city government, making more social opportunities for students, investigating the effects of the drinking age and those under the drinking age and having students open communication with Ames community members who live near. Shelness said this isn’t quite the right course of action.

“Students are isolated,” he said. “I want students to feel a greater sense of belonging in the community. Students don’t feel like they belong here.”

The recommendations made by the commission will make their debut for debate Tuesday and Thursday, and Kindred said this is a jumping-off point in terms of drafting permanent recommendations to present to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy on Nov. 30.

Kindred said believing all students feel alienated is also the wrong course to take.

“I know that some are, but generalizations like that are dangerous,” he said.

“Not all are alienated, but I know steps can be taken to improve relationships.”

Rock said Shelness’ ideas may be a bit lofty for the ISU community.

“It’s a good idea, and I’m interested in it, but I haven’t seen his whole plan yet,” Rock said. “But off the top of my head I can see that it would take a lot of time, and everyone would have to buy into it.”