After five official meetings, the Government of the Student Body Senate/Inter-Residence Hall Association Special Committee on the Department of Residence is pressing to gather information by the end of the semester to formulate complete analyses and recommendations.

“We finally cleared a lot of organizational hurdles and have begun the final sprint towards our main goals,” said Jonathon Weaver, GSB senator for TRA.

“Barring any major setbacks,” Weaver said the committee should finish its work by the end of the semester.

According to the committee’s first 30-day progress report, issued Wednesday to Iowa State administrators and area media, the 17 members have divided into subcommittees to research four aspects of the department.

At the meetings held every Tuesday night at 9 in the Memorial Union, sub-committee members report their weekly findings.

The following sub-committees have been formed: Budget Analysis, External Research and Comparison, Master Plan, Student Perspectives and Reports.

The Budget Analysis sub-committee is looking into the department’s budget. According to the report, members have began reviewing information contained in the budget and its latest audit, examined possible expenses which could be incurred, and set meeting times with Randy Alexander, director of residence, and other department staff.

The sub-committee plans to review the department’s budget for the last five years as well as the audit, and it is looking into budget priorities.

The External Research and Comparison sub-committee will compare ISU’s Department of Residence to similar departments at the other Big 12 schools, as well as the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.

Comparison points include costs, services and terms and conditions.

The Master Plan sub-committee is reading information about the Master Plan, the conditions of the residence halls, a housing study and dining market research. Members plan to evaluate the necessity and effectiveness of the Master Plan.

The Student Perspectives sub-committee is gathering questions from the other sub-committees to place on a survey for students living in residence halls this semester. Members also are looking into other ways of hearing student input on the department.

The committee is looking for money to produce and tally the surveys, asking GSB and IRHA each for $1,000.

Some committee members speculated that the bodies might not agree to give that much money.

“If GSB doesn’t fund half, I question whether we should continue,” said Kyle Jacobsen, finance director of IRHA.

Michel Pogge, GSB off-campus senator, said some money is better than no money.

“I think GSB will fund at some level,” he said. “I just don’t know what that level will be.”

Thursday, IRHA approved the bill to allocate the committee $1,000 to conduct the surveys, and the GSB bill will be voted on at its meeting Wednesday night.

The Reports sub-committee is responsible for gathering information from the other sub-committees to compile into monthly reports to be issued to university administrators and area media.

According to the current report, some committee members have resigned since it was created on Sept. 8. The GSB senate can fill these vacancies if needed.

The committee’s next meeting will be Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Gallery of the Memorial Union.