Low attendance was perceived in both a positive and negative light at the Government of the Student Body/Inter-Residence Hall Association Special Committee on the Department of Residence open forum.

The committee established the Tuesday evening forum in the auditorium of the Molecular Biology building to address students’ concerns about the ISU Department of Residence.

However, when the meeting began at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, only one concerned student besides the committee members was present. Throughout the next two hours, four more students came to voice their concerns about the residence halls.

“As a resident, I am really concerned that I’m the only resident here,” said Sara Geiken, sophomore in speech communication. “Maybe there needs to be better dissemination of information to the residents.”

The committee members discussed different ways of filtering information to the residents, noting that it needed to be two-way communication. They discussed using surveys, creating a Web page specifically with current residents in mind and providing newsletters for every floor in the dorms.

“We need to improve our communication,” said Chris Benson, IRHA Birch-Welch-Roberts representative. “Right now, that’s my biggest concern.”

Opposition was seen from different committee members who said the open forum wasn’t publicized and made known to students.

“I really envisioned a packed lecture hall … and everyone griping about the Brown Route and Student Security,” said Jonathon Weaver, Towers Residence Association senator. “Maybe I’m a little disillusioned because I thought people cared. I’m questioning why we spent countless hours working on this for the benefit of students.”

Other committee members noted the low attendance could reflect that students are happy with the IRHA’s decisions concerning the department.

The students who were present did voice their opinions.

Katherine Westholm, freshman in history, was concerned about the Department of Residence’s plan to renovate old Richardson Court Association, noting the aesthetic values of the buildings.

In response, the committee told her that only Freeman Hall would be coming down and that nothing would be done until 2005 because of lack of financing.

Bill Wychulis, TRA president, said Director of Residence Randy Alexander told him Storms Hall will have to come down either this summer, fall or next summer.

“We just found out after Christmas break that Storms will have come down,” said Wychulis, co-chair of the GSB/IRHA Master Plan sub-committee. “There will be engineers looking over it at spring break to see if people can live in it.”

Wychulis said Knapp Hall will probably come down two years later.