The Government of the Student Body reached deep into its pockets Wednesday night, voting in favor of putting GSB money toward the construction of a bus shelter in the parking lot of the Iowa State Center.

GSB passed a bill to allocate $125,000 for the shelter, which will provide an indoor place for commuter students who park in the Iowa State Center lot as they wait for CyRide.

“This benefits a large number of students,” said GSB President Matt Craft. “Approximately 2,000 cars occupy this space daily.”

Doug Houghton, program coordinator for the Department of Public Safety, said there is no set completion date for the shelter, although he estimated it could be finished by summer 2001.

Senators overcame the sticker shock of the estimated $250,000 price tag, which they would split evenly with the university, in favor of the benefits the shelter would offer commuter students.

“Every day, I get asked, ‘What does GSB do for me?'” said Ashley Herr, engineering. “This is something we can do for the students.”

Warren Madden, vice president for Business and Finance, said the shelter will likely provide waiting-room spaces, food and beverage vending machines and a telephone to “enhance the security” of the lot.

“This would provide a better environment for students who have to wait for the bus,” Madden said. “It won’t be a big building, but it will help a large number of students.”

Some senators did not support the funding bill.

“It’s a ridiculous amount of money to spend on something we don’t need,” said Scott Borre, LAS. “There are other facilities on campus.”

The $125,000 will be taken from the GSB Special Projects Account, which currently has about $200,000, estimated Jeremy Williams, GSB finance director.

The next step, Madden said, is to get the Board of Regents’ approval of the project.

“We will probably create a planning committee with students,” he said. “We hope to move this thing along as quickly as possible. We have to pull together to make a proposal to the regents.”

The shelter, pointed out several senators, is a way to reach out to commuter students.

“This gives us an opportunity to do something for the students and do it now,” said Ben Golding, engineering.