Issues surrounding a Government of the Student Body resolution proposing the implementation of a pilot program for newspaper readership has led to a referral to the body’s Rules Committee.

GSB voted 26-3 Wednesday to refer the matter of whether to approve a pilot Readership Program by Gannett to the GSB Rules Committee.

GSB President Mike Banasiak expressed his disappointment in the decision to defer judgement on the bill.

“Because I’ve had to handle the situation on both sides, it’s more frustrating to understand the differing opinions and then have the decision be delayed,” he said. “I would have liked to have seen a decision made tonight.”

The Rules Committee is expected to discuss the matter Monday. There, the resolution can follow one of four courses of action. The resolution can be changed by the committee and sent back to the senate floor, not changed and sent back for a senate decision, held until the Rules Committee sees fit to release it, or held indefinitely until spring. If held, the resolution would die once the GSB Senate ends its session.

Among senators’ concerns were waste disposal services for the papers, regulations on distribution racks and legal concerns regarding a 1995-97 lawsuit between the Ames Tribune and the Iowa State Daily, which may have an effect on the distribution of the Ames Tribune.

The Gannett Readership Program, which is currently operating at a number of universities nationwide, would provide students with access to four corporate newspapers, such as the New York Times, the Des Moines Register, the Chicago Tribune and USA Today. Funding for the program would come from an estimated $5 addition to each student’s fees.

“It’s just a pilot; it’s not like this is going to be forever,” said Aaron Toye, marketing representative from USA Today. “We’re just asking [GSB] to try it out. If there’s that much controversy on the program, then I feel it’s best for the senate to send it to [the Rules Committee], for them to decide what’s best for students.”

The pilot program is designed to get feedback and to address issues raised at the GSB meeting, he said.

Senators pushed for referral to the Rules Committee because they said the senate needs more information and time to consider the questions raised.

William Rock, vice speaker of the senate, said he would like to see the resolution postponed until next fall.

“I would rather have the issue handled in the fall, when we can commit more time to it,” Rock said.

Being referred to the Rules Committee, the resolution would take a week to get approval to implement the pilot, four weeks for the pilot itself, two weeks to get results from the pilot, two weeks to approve a special election for students to vote on adopting the program and a week to hold the election.

“That puts us into Dead Week. Who wants to vote in a special election during Dead Week? We wouldn’t have a good representation of student opinion,” Rock said.