For Iowa State students who feel they have little power in being a part of university decisions, members of the Inter-Residence Hall Association proved Thursday night that we’re adults who can make effective decisions and stand up for ourselves when we’re not happy with the way the system’s working.

IRHA unanimously passed the 24-hours bill at its meeting, a reaction to this year’s Department of Residence policy that requires all students who live in the residence halls to leave within 24 hours after their spring final.

Members of IRHA have expressed their disapproval for months about the 24-hour clause, and Thursday night they did something about it. Although it’s too late to reverse the rule for the upcoming spring semester, IRHA has officially voiced their disapproval.

And it doesn’t just stop at IRHA’s disapproval — Associate Director of Residence Virginia Arthur said at Thursday meeting that a policy which allows for residents who are being disruptive during finals week to be removed can be explored to possibly replace the current 24-hour policy.

This is an excellent example of a student government organization that chooses to work for its students. IRHA realizes that the 24-hour policy is unfair to residents, and members called the department on it.

They stood up for what they knew was right — lambasting a policy that punishes all residents for the actions of what would likely only be a handful of students — and asked university officials to do something about it.

And instead of ignoring their valid complaints, Arthur is proving that university officials can work with students when they behave in a mature fashion and discuss their concerns in an articulate manner.

Just when it seems that student government is full of gridlock and futility instead of rationale, IRHA has proven that students still have a crucial stake in ISU.

But don’t throw a parade for IRHA just yet. Although they successfully tackled the 24-hour policy, members dropped the ball on another bill.

When a funding bill regarding the Speakers Bureau of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Support Services, and well as the Alliance came up, the debate didn’t center around whether the groups deserved the money but about language in the bill.

One line said that the Speakers Bureau would “reduce homophobia in the residence halls,” and several members of IRHA wanted it removed because they disagreed that homophobia occurs in the dorms.

Get back with the program, IRHA. If homophobia in the dorms wasn’t an issue, why would the Alliance plan a program titled, “Coming out in the residence halls” for its National Coming Out Days?

Homophobia does exist at ISU, and despite programs such as Safe Zone, it does exist in the residence halls. Denying there’s a problem doesn’t make it any easier to find a solution.