The Government of the Student Body voted 27-4 Wednesday night in favor of a senate order to enter into a historic funding contract with the Iowa State Daily.

With the approval of the order, the Daily and GSB will 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.

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

The contract will help eliminate conflicts of interest between the Daily and GSB, said Tony Luken, LAS.

“[This contract] removes the political element,” Luken said. “We have to respect their right to criticize us, even if they’re wrong.”

Four senators voted against the order, maintaining the Daily is not currently a stable organization.

“I don’t feel the Daily at this time is a stable enough organization to enter into a contract,” said Jonathan Weaver, off-campus.

He mentioned a recent “round of firings” at the Daily that he said exemplified the Daily’s instability.

Weaver also said a contract with the Daily would provide “special treatment” to the organization because other publications such as Ethos and The Drummer do not have similar contracts.

“I don’t think it’s fair and equal treatment to all groups,” Weaver said.

Heather Mitchell, LAS, said the Daily has produced a consistent product in light of the adversity and encouraged senators to vote in favor of the contract.

“The Daily is a unique organization,” Mitchell said. “It has the largest circulation of any publication in Ames.”

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.

GSB President Andy Tofilon said the funding contract between GSB and the Daily was “truly historic.”

“This is something that [Vice President] Charlie Johnson and I have wanted to get done right when we got into office,” Tofilon said.

“This is something we’re very proud of.”

In other action, the senate voted to postpone a resolution endorsing a university policy on Dead Week until next week’s meeting on March 13.