In an effort to voice students’ opinion regarding the ISU athletic department in the ongoing debate over the tailgating issue, the Government of the Student Body will propose taking money away from the athletic department.

GSB will propose at its next meeting to take away about $662,750 from the ISU athletic department by reducing the amount of student fees allocated to the department.

The university as a whole, including both the Dean of Students Office and the ISU athletic department, made the decision earlier this summer to move public parking lots away from cement lots adjacent to Jack Trice Stadium.

In a new senate resolution to be introduced at Wednesday’s meeting, GSB will recommend the current $21 students pay per semester through student fees to the athletic department be reduced to $10 per semester.

The resolution states the amount of money given to the athletic department through student fee money should be cut because the department, with little or no student consultation, decided to take away students’ ability to tailgate in lots next to the stadium, favoring members of the National Cyclone Club instead.

The resolution goes on to state GSB “believes the consumption of alcohol has been used as a scapegoat to account for the unilateral ousting of students from stadium lots, and students feel the crux of the issue is money.”

It also expresses student unhappiness with the return on their investment of student fees to the athletic department because of the lack of communication with students and the overall mistreatment of the student body by the department over the tailgating issue.

The resolution reads that it seems necessary to reflect students’ displeasure with that investment by reducing funds, because it will ensure a proper respect for students.

“Student fees aren’t just money students give; it’s an investment, and when students aren’t getting what they’re paying for, they would do what any donor would and that’s not give as much anymore,” said Speaker of the Senate Tony Luken.

“If National Cyclone Club donors were treated like students have been treated by the athletic department, you wouldn’t have a National Cyclone Club.”

Luken said students are donors as well, even though they have no choice in paying fees to the athletic department.

“The reason fees are so nice for the athletic department is because it’s guaranteed money,” he said. “If you’re a student, you have to pay. They don’t have to go out and solicit the donors for this money.

“What we’re saying in this resolution is you’re not respecting a guaranteed donor group. Yes, we have to pay, but we’re not going to pay as much.”

Luken said this resolution needs to send a message to the athletic department, saying students have control over fees, and for that reason, they need to be consulted in decisions which affect them.

“Yes, student ticket prices may go up, but enough is enough,” Luken said.

“We need to draw the line. We can’t just be glad we have the student discount on tickets, but let them change every other policy without students being consulted.”

If passed, the resolution would only serve as a suggestion to the Student Fees Committee, according to Iowa state code and GSB Finance Director David Boike.

According to Iowa state code, the Student Fees Committee exerts the most control over ISU student fees. The committee makes a recommendation to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, who then makes a recommendation to the Iowa Board of Regents over how fees should be allocated and collected.

The committee decides how much student fees will go to GSB and other ISU campus organizations, according to the code. Boike said the committee could technically say how GSB uses the funds given to it under the code, but chooses to let the organizations handle the money in a way they see fit.

The committee currently includes the GSB president, vice president, finance director and student fees senator. The members on the committee from the university include the vice president for business, associate controller from the controllers department, vice president for Student Affairs, the dean of students and the assistant to the ISU president.

Ben Albright, GSB vice president and member of the Student Fees Committee, said GSB’s proposal is drastic and feels it is premature, but said he believes it is a good bargaining tool.

“It will definitely get across the message GSB and students are not happy with [the athletic department],” Albright said. “It is definitely coming down to the point where such a proposal is needed, but I think we need to open up more dialogue and have more meetings.”

Student Affairs, Dean of Students and athletic department officials were unavailable for comment on this story.

The GSB meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the Scheman Building in the Brunnier Art Museum.