Despite concerns about burning bridges with Department of Residence administrators, the Inter-Residence Hall Association parliament unanimously passed a bill Thursday to examine the department’s budget.

The investigation will be conducted by both IRHA and the Government of the Student Body, which passed its approval of the committee Wednesday.

Since both IRHA and GSB were planning to look at the budget, members of the committee think it will be beneficial for the groups to work together.

“When it comes down to making students happy, it doesn’t matter whose jurisdiction the committee is under,” said Jonathon Weaver, GSB senator.

Department of Residence officials cautioned IRHA during its meeting about how residents might perceive the joint committee.

“It might seem that the IRHA is saying that you’ve been trying to work with the Department of Residence and the only resort was to go to GSB for help,” said Associate Director of Residence Life Virginia Arthur. She attended the meeting on behalf of Director of Residence Randy Alexander, who was out of town.

However, IRHA President Dave Sims disagreed with this theory.

“Our credibility in being able to deal with the Department of Residence is not lessened because of this committee,” said Sims, junior in mechanical engineering.

Weaver, former member of IRHA parliament and sophomore in history, said GSB would investigate the issue regardless, but IRHA’s help is needed.

“If you don’t pass the bill, we’ll go about it by ourselves, but we’ll have a harder time because we don’t have that communication with the Department of Residence,” he said.

Kyle Jacobsen, IRHA director of finance, said IRHA also would have formed a committee of its own to investigate the budget.

“GSB just accelerated the process,” said Jacobsen, junior in horticulture. “Now we can divvy up the work and go about it in a better fashion.”

Towers Residence Association President Joe Foster said that while IRHA has the necessary communication with the residence department, GSB’s involvement will give the investigation a push.

“We need help to get our voice heard,” said Foster, junior in pre-business. “The university pays a lot more attention when it’s a combined effort.”

Some IRHA members were concerned the joint committee might negatively affect IRHA’s communication with the Department of Residence. Arthur said that would not happen if the committee was formed.

“We’re not interested in burning bridges,” she said. “We’re interested in building them.”