The Towers Residence Association senate Monday night rejected the Veishea pledge and urged TRA representatives to the Inter-Residence Hall Association to do the same, marking the first time a student government group has expressed public disapproval of dry Veishea.

After a three-hour debate, TRA senators voted 22-12 to pass a resolution saying students should be allowed to make their own decisions concerning alcohol during Veishea.

The bill passed by the senate refers to the Veishea pledge as an “ultimatum of ‘dry Veishea or no Veishea’ set forth by [ISU President] Martin Jischke.” It also states that “TRA senate strongly encourages the TRA representatives for IRHA not to support the Veishea pledge … when it is presented to the IRHA parliament.”

TRA senators began the night by listening to and questioning Veishea co-chairs Justin Wilhelm and Justin Chesnut as well as Government of the Student Body Senator Jason Shenton, USAC.

“We don’t feel it is right to be put in this position,” said bill author Jason Hahn, Werkman House, referring to the Veishea pledge.

Although the TRA senate’s approval is not necessary for Veishea to get the go-ahead from ISU administration, there are seven TRA representatives to IRHA — hall representatives from the four buildings and the TRA president, finance director and an IRHA at-large representative.

IRHA parliament has 25 voting members, so if six non-TRA members of parliament vote against the Veishea pledge and all TRA representatives vote against it as well, the pledge will fail in IRHA, possibly sounding the death knell for ISU’s traditional spring celebration.

Chesnut and Wilhelm were disappointed by the outcome of the vote and by the TRA senate’s refusal to postpone the vote another week to get more student input.

“We were not pleased by the way things turned out,” Chesnut said.

Wilhelm also noted that if all seven TRA representatives to IRHA voted against the Veishea pledge, it would be unfair to the 12 houses in TRA that did support the pledge.

Ben Chamberlain, TRA senate adviser, also expressed concern during the meeting about why senators felt the need to voice their opinions on Veishea.

“The more I think about this, I wonder why we’re doing this,” he said. “What are you really willing to risk when you take this stance?”

For Veishea to have university approval this year, IRHA, GSB, the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the Graduate Student Senate all must vote in favor of having a “dry” Veishea.

GSB, IFC and Panhellenic Council already have given their support to Veishea.

TRA Vice President Bill Wychulis said at the senate meeting on Oct. 18 that all TRA representatives on IRHA would be voting against the Veishea pledge if the TRA bill passed.

However, IRHA Vice President Joe Foster said he wasn’t necessarily sure that will be the case since the bill only “strongly encourages” TRA representatives to vote against the Veishea pledge.

IRHA parliament will most likely hear the first reading of at least one Veishea-related bill at its meeting Thursday, Foster said. He also said the input of TRA’s senate will not be taken lightly by IRHA members.

“I was so excited to see so much student interest in anything,” Foster said. “This is why I got into student government.”

IRHA has passed a resolution that bars any vote on Veishea until Jischke comes to a parliament meeting. He is scheduled to appear at a special Tuesday night meeting Nov. 2. Foster said IRHA parliament will probably vote on the Veishea pledge at its Nov. 4 meeting.