Cuffs, a organization formed to educate the community about bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism, was approved for funding by the Government of the Student Body.

At a meeting Wednesday GSB approved allocating the group the $94 it requested from Special Allocations for printing and advertising, by a vote of 21-9.

Long said the money will allow the group to extend the service it provides to the campus through its education on BDSM, by giving the group money to buy needed books that educate safety in BDSM activities.

“[Cuffs] would have still existed as a functional student organization without the funding, but we wouldn’t have had to postpone certain events and purchases we wanted to do,” said Cuffs President Harlan “Duane” Long.

“We would have maintained our vital services without funding, but we wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of things we want to as a group.”

During the meeting, senators expressed their concern over whether the group provides a consistent service to the campus.

Casey Harvey, GSB off-campus senator and vice chairman of the GSB finance committee, said he voted ‘no’ to funding the group because he said he believes the group hasn’t been able to prove it can be a constant functional group.

“Last year one person said they didn’t have time for it, so they did nothing. What’s to say that won’t happen again?” said Harvey, senior in finance. “I want to make sure the group can survive on its own before we supplement them. They still need to prove this money won’t be wasted like [it has] in the past.”

Cuffs was given $1,500 in the spring of 2002 for the coming year, but did not use the money because the group disbanded the following academic year.

GSB Speaker of the Senate Tony Luken echoed Harvey’s concerns, and similarly voted ‘no’ to funding the group.

“That was $1,500 wasted that other groups could have used,” Luken said.

Long said despite not being registered as a student group last year, the group still provided a consistent service by making presentations to classes and ISU groups about alternative sexuality, BDSM and safe sexual practices.

Since the group wasn’t active last year, Long said, the money wouldn’t have been used. Long said the group believed it would have been more beneficial to send the money back to GSB, so other groups could better benefit from the use of that money.

“We routinely fund new groups who don’t demonstrate consistent services to the university. Why should it be different with Cuffs?” said off-campus senator Drew Miller.

Andrew Tugan, liberal arts and sciences senator, said he agrees with Miller.

“Why are people taking this group apart and scrutinizing it? I think by singling them it out, it bears on the free speech and free association issue,” said Tugan, junior in political science. “We can’t censor a group based on their message, either directly or indirectly.”

GSB Finance Director David Boike said he was horrified to hear senators voted on funding Cuffs based on the First Amendment.

“The First Amendment does not guarantee government funding, it guarantees the right to free speech and association,” said Boike, senior in electrical engineering.

Long said the group creates a welcoming community for people interested in BDSM.

“It helps members mental health to have a group like this. It’s similar to someone coming out of the closet and going to the LGBTA Alliance. It shows people they’re not alone,” he said. “I believe opposition to Cuffs is largely based on misconceptions, and that’s only something that will go away with time as Cuffs is here to educate people more.”