The Government of the Student Body voted Wednesday night to launch an investigation on the Iowa State Daily, looking into possible infractions of the funding regulations which may lead to a decrease in the student newspaper’s funding.

The senate voted 20-15 to send the Daily, which is slated to receive $89,000 in student-fees generated funds, back to the GSB Finance Committee for investigation. Aside from a few student groups with minor budget changes, the senate approved the finance committee’s recommendation 35-1 for about $1.4 million to about 120 student organizations.

Jeremy Peterson, business, said he made the motion to send the Daily back to the finance committee because the Daily printed and distributed posters last April that did not have “Funded by GSB” printed on them.

According to the GSB Bylaws, any organization funded by GSB must have acknowledgment of the funding on all of its printed and electronic materials distributed outside the organization. The Veishea budget was scrutinized and cut last year for a similar infraction.

“Veishea was sent back and their budget was decreased when they printed materials not containing that phrase,” Peterson said. “So I don’t see why the Daily should be any different.”

Peterson motioned to send the Daily’s budget back to the finance committee with the recommendation to decrease funding due to the violations. His motion was amended to mandate an investigation of the Daily by the finance committee. The senate has proof of two infractions – posters advertising position openings – committed by the Daily, and it occurred before the current editor in chief of the Daily, Carrie Tett, was aware of the rule.

Another student organization that stirred controversy on the senate floor was Cuffs, a group specializing in the education of people about the sado-masochistic lifestyle.

Kathryn Kallaher, LAS, made a motion to send Cuffs, which is slated to receive $33.91, back to the finance committee with a recommendation to zero-fund, because of what she referred to as the club’s “immoral nature” and its lack of appeal to the majority of ISU students.

“The bylaws clearly state that an organization must provide a broad, tangible benefit to the university, and I just don’t see that in Cuffs,” she said.

The senate voted down the motion 27-7 and approved the allocation of funds to Cuffs after several senators and the president of Cuffs presented arguments for the group.

John Dorsey, president of Cuffs, said he founded the organization when he realized that sadomasochism was a part of his life, and there was no outlet for him and others like him to educate themselves about the topic.

“We need this money for flyers and some advertisement in the Daily,” Dorsey said. “We speak to human-sexuality classes and to other groups around campus. We want to try to provide as many services as we possibly can.”

William Tinder, RCA, said he is opposed to the government making moral decisions concerning both groups and individuals.

“I am not in favor of any type of government – whether it be the U.S. government, the ISU government or the Iowa government – moralizing,” he said. “It should be up to each individual student to decide.”

Greg Tew, vice speaker of the senate, said it would be impossible for GSB to fund groups that only appeal to the majority of the student body.

“Most student groups appeal to a very specific group of people with very specific interests,” he said. “If we funded only those that were for everybody, then we wouldn’t have very many student organizations.”