At the Government of the Student Body meeting Wednesday night, the GSB senate voted on a bill that would have banned senators from wearing hats during meetings.

The bill, sponsored by Jeremy Peterson, business, said “it is imperative for senators to be courteous and respectful of each other and the student body.”

The bill failed by a 13-18-2 vote, and it’s not surprising that there were a few snickers about the bill. One senator even teasingly wore a cowboy hat before the meeting, in a friendly gesture.

Although a first glance at the GSB agenda probably produced some chuckles, the bill’s heart was in the right place. As anyone who’s ever been to GSB meetings knows, they can be very frustrating.

Often senators will roam around the Campanile Room, gossip to one another and, in some cases, even sprawl out on the floor. The meetings often take an ungodly amount of time, mostly due to senator squabbles and petty bickering.

Let’s face it: With this kind of behavior, hats are the least of GSB’s concerns when it comes to how the senators are treating one another.

First of all, this isn’t the 1940s. Nobody’s wearing fedoras anymore, and Joe Blow College Student probably wears a baseball cap to classes, parties and maybe even more formal occasions.

Hats are what the typical college student wears, and GSB is supposed to be representative of all ISU students.

However, it’s pretty hard to be representing the students in an effective manner when you’re acting like kids during nursery-school playtime.

In fairness to GSB, some of the issues they tackle mean a lot to the student body, and in cases like the recently approved financing of the bus shelter at the commuter lot, the senators really come through for students.

That’s what makes some things like the hat bill so frustrating. Just when GSB members were acting like grown-ups and getting things accomplished, they regress.

Peterson’s intent wasn’t incorrect when he wrote the bill. He’s right in believing that GSB senators need to show more courtesy toward one another.

However, trying to institute a dress code isn’t the most effective way to do that. Listening to one another, keeping constituents’ needs in mind at all times and getting through the meeting without flopping down on the floor in disgust would be the appropriate way to show regard for one another.

There are plenty of serious issues on the ISU campus that need to be addressed; GSB senators should spend their time discussing them.

And they should try to stay awake while someone else is doing so.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas, Carrie Tett and David Roepke.