The Government of the Student Body will vote Wednesday night to ratify a historic funding contract between GSB and the Iowa State Daily.

“We want to get this done to eliminate conflict of interests between the Daily and GSB,” said GSB President Andy Tofilon. “This will allow the Daily to be more of an objective watchdog to students, even if it means criticizing GSB.”

Currently, the Daily is required to go through GSB’s annual allocation process each year to receive funding derived from student fee funds.

The proposed contract between GSB and the Daily will help to eliminate politics in the funding process, said Elena Lopez, president of the Iowa State Daily Publication Board.

“This is an effort to help take the politics out of the funding,” Lopez said. “It guarantees that the Daily will have adequate funding to continue to produce a quality newspaper for students each day they have class.”

With the passage of the resolution, the Daily and GSB would enter into a five-year contract allocating $95,000 to the Daily for the 2002-2003 academic year. The Higher Education Price Index will serve as the guide to determine whether to increase the Daily’s annual funding in upcoming years.

Tofilon said he and GSB Vice President Charlie Johnson have worked tirelessly on implementing the contract between GSB and the Daily since they were elected last spring.

“Charlie and I have been exhausted over this issue and have really spent a lot of blood, sweat and tears on this contract,” Tofilon said. “It’s gratifying that we’re doing something that is good for students and the First Amendment.”

Currently, the only campus organizations that hold contracts with GSB are the ISU men’s hockey team, KURE, the Graduate Student Senate and the Analysis of Social Service Evaluation Team.

Tofilon said making the proposed contract a reality has been an ongoing challenge.

“We, as a government, are often criticized, and it’s been challenging to make sure that we’re doing what is in the best interest for students and to look past the petty criticism we have received,” Tofilon said. “This contract would allow both [GSB and the Daily] to grow.”

Tofilon said he is fairly certain the GSB Senate will pass the order Wednesday night.

“I am confident the Senate will pass it,” he said. “I’m very impressed with the Senate’s ability to look past criticism we have received and to evaluate this issue objectively.”

Lopez said the proposed contract between GSB and the Daily is something the Publication Board has wanted to develop for some time.

“This will help improve the Daily’s coverage and our online areas as well,” Lopez said.

The Government of the Student Body will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. The following issues will be discussed:

General Orders

A senate bill to allocate $188 from the Senate Discretionary Account to the ISU Hooverball Club for the purchase of four- and six-pound hooverballs. By Tinder and Kothenbeutel.

A senate bill to allocate $891.90 from the Senate Discretionary Account to the ISU Unicycle Club for the purchase of unicycles with larger wheels. By Tinder and Kothenbeutel.

A senate resolution to endorse the proposal for a university policy on Dead Week.

A senate order to ratify a funding contract with the Iowa State Daily.

New Business

A senate bill outlining the funds to be allocated to more than 100 student organizations at Iowa State. By Kothenbeutel, Leege and others.

A senate bill to change the GSB logo. By Luken and Walling.

A senate bill to remove off-campus senator Luke Howell after his absence of 5 consecutive senate meetings. By Luken, Marvin and others.