In its first meeting of the year, the Government of the Student Body almost unanimously decided to “throw back the bone” by refusing to distribute 50 student parking passes given to GSB by the ISU athletic department.

GSB was created by the students of Iowa State to represent them on issues of concern.

The GSB senate, with their vote of 30-0-1 on the bill, made the right choice in hearing students’ concerns and refusing to help cover the mistakes of others.

The bill stated no GSB official could be involved with or assist in the sale, allocation or distribution of parking passes for Jack Trice Stadium for home football games. The bill also requires any and all passes received by GSB officials be returned to their sender.

This summer, university officials made the decision to no longer allow the general public to park around the stadium during home football games. Reasons cited for the decision included increasing security and student safety, making room for an increase in the number of National Cyclone Club members and decreasing the amount of illegal activity around the stadium.

Beginning with Saturday’s game against the University of Northern Iowa, students now park in the grass fields on the other side of Elwood Drive and near Hilton Coliseum.

“I feel that GSB is here to represent student opinion, and if students have the mindset of being treated unfairly, then certainly that needs to be expressed to the athletic department, and the senate made a good decision,” GSB President Mike Banasiak said.

Banasiak was right in saying many students feel they are being treated unfairly. The decision to move student tailgaters was announced over the summer, when most students were absent from Ames and had no clue about the change of venue. With this decision, an aura of mistrust hangs between students and the university.

Yes, students are upset. Administrators are attempting to find a solution to appease students, as well as alumni. Students need to be involved in major decisions that directly affect their lives. GSB and other student voices should have been represented back in April, when talks of moving the public tailgating lots began.

But mistakes can’t be erased — they can only be learned from.

The university, athletic department, GSB and the ISU student body need to find a way to get together and discuss the future of student tailgating. GSB’s decision last Wednesday night should not erect a wall between students and the university; rather, it should be the beginning of an open discussion of the issue.

After gaining student input and confronting the real root of tailgating problems, perhaps together we can figure out the next steps leading to a solution.

Editorial Board:Nicole Paseka, Megan Hinds, Amy Schierbrock, Alicia Ebaugh