After a heated debate Wednesday night, the Government of the Student Body approved a bill to recognize a new constitution for the Off Campus Government.

Several senators questioned the validity of the revised off campus constitution, but the bill passed by a 22-5 vote with three abstentions.

“It’s a good constitution,” said Alex Rodeck, off-campus. “There’s not really a big problem here.”

The revised version of the constitution had not been recognized by GSB in the past because of various questions concerning its validity.

Tony Luken, LAS, said there were several serious problems with the revised version of the constitution.

“I don’t feel comfortable recognizing [the new constitution], even for a little while,” Luken said.

Jonathon Weaver, off-campus, acknowledged there were problems with the new constitution, but said the Off Campus Government is working to improve it.

Weaver said it is necessary for GSB to approve the new off campus constitution because it represents a large constituency of 17,000 students who do not currently live in university housing.

“If this bill is vetoed, it would be very bad, because it would leave 17,000 student unrepresented in GSB,” Weaver said.

Andy Walling, RCA, said only 19 people out of nearly 17,000 voted to approve the off campus constitution last semester.

“I think it’s kind of impractical to get 17,000 people to vote on any one place on this campus,” Walling said.

Although the new constitution was not perfect, he said, GSB needed to recognize its validity.

“They’re trying to do the best they can in a short amount of time to try to make a valid government,” Walling said.

The Off Campus Government is taking steps to hold another constitutional referendum in the future in hopes of achieving a more valid outcome, said OCG President John Tenhundfeld.

“We represent 17,000, which is a large constituency,” said Tenhundfeld, sophomore in biology. “If OCG is disbanded at any time, we will not have 17,000 people represented.”