The Inter-Residence Hall Association discussed a number of topics Thursday including student insurance issues, community service, a luau and the readership program within the residence halls.

Tony Luken, speaker of the senate for the Government of the Student Body,CQ said student insurance issues are being discussed within the university and could potentially be put on a student’s U-Bill.

Luken said the amount of insurance that would be put on the U-Bill could be up to $850.

GSB will be discussing this issue and will make their recommendation to the committee by February, he said.

Students can voice their concerns to the chairperson of the committee, Cara HarrisCQ or to GSB, Luken said.

A representative from USA Today also spoke to IRHA.

Aaron Toye, account manager for USA Today,CQ thanked IRHA for its support of the readership program within the residence halls.

The readership program has been in existence for three years and is funded by IRHA through student fees, he said.

USA Today has noticed a decrease in the amount of papers being taken and said the decrease could be due to the amount of news in the papers this year, Toye said.

The readership program may be expanded to include all of campus, he said. USA Today plans to have a trial period of one month to place the Chicago Tribune, the Des Moines Register, the New York Times and USA Today available at different locations on campus, he said.

Toye said currently residence hall students pay a fee of $10 or less for the program, and if it was opened to all students on campus, the fee would drop to $5.

In other business, a bill was passed that would allow Knapp Hall staff to have $850 from IRHA to use for the closing celebration of the building.

Knapp staff is anticipating 300 students from the residence halls and plan to have a roasted pig for the celebration, said Dan Becker, Towers Residence Association treasurer.CQ

Knapp staff originally asked for $1,500, which was later reduced to $1,200.

IRHA also introduced another bill, “Dating: One, Two, Sixty,” which requested $1,040 to help fund a dating community service event.

Mike Severin, sophomore in veterinary medicine and president of the 3-Minute Dating Organization,CQ said the event would allow students to meet up to 60 other students in three hours.

Students pay a $6 entrance fee and all of the proceeds will go to the Ames Animal Shelter, he said.

Students will have three minute dates and will be able to pick the top ten people they would like to see again, he said.

E-mails will be sent out to those who have a mutual match with one of their dates, he said.

While students at Iowa State are trying to help the community by giving money to the animal shelter, one IRHA member was called to active duty and may be helping with the war against Iraq.

Todd Voss, leadership adviser for IRHA,CQ announced at the meeting on Thursday that he will be leaving as soon as Friday to train for his position in the army.

Voss has been the leadership adviser for one semester and he plans to return to college when he is done serving, he said.