Heated debate is expected over a bill regarding funding for conferences at the Government of the Student Body meeting Wednesday.

The bill seeks to increase the monetary amount in the budget allocated for student conferences from $2,500 to $5,000.

Some senators say it may not be as simple as it sounds.

Mike Pogge, LAS, said he has not yet made up his mind about the bill.

“Ultimately, I want to see us spend our discretionary funds wisely and in a manner benefiting ISU students. And I’m not sure that raising money for conference spending is the best way to do that,” Pogge said.

Pogge also said GSB already allocates plenty of money for conferences.

“The GSB allocates over $100,000 every year for conference money for various student groups. What’s $2,500 for in the grand scheme of us funding conferences?” he asked.

“When the bylaws came up, I voted for the bylaws with the conference cap, and I have a hard time supporting a change in the cap. But I still haven’t totally made up my mind yet,” he said.

GSB President Bryan Burkhardt said the bill is going to make for an interesting debate.

“I’m very anxious for the debate and anxious to hear it,” he said.

When the bill was first written by Jennifer Spencer, LAS, Burkhardt said he considered vetoing it if the senate passed it. However, he said after further consideration he will probably not use that route of action.

“Passing this bylaw change is ultimately going to be up to the members of the senate,” Burkhardt said. “There was a discussion on vetoing the bill, but depending on the amount of debate tomorrow, I don’t see that I need to take that kind of action.”

Spencer said she feels the bill is an important way to show GSB support for student groups.

“The reason the cap was put in the bylaws in the first place was because members of GSB felt that senate discretionary money should be allocated on campus, because it is important to benefit all students,” she said.

However, Spencer said she believes conferences are an important part of the learning process and ideas brought back do benefit the campus community.

“I believe — and I think there are other senators who share my opinion — that it is important for student groups to go beyond their ISU perspective by attending conferences where they can learn from others and bring ideas back to ISU so we can learn,” she said.

Spencer said the purpose of the discretionary fund is to let the senate decide what groups get what money and for what purpose.

“Money we do allocate should go to student groups with unexpected circumstances and also should go for conferences that can help the greatest number of students on campus,” she said. “If these conferences have positive impacts, I think it’s something that GSB should consider funding.”

The GSB meeting will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.