After four hours of debate, discussion and deliberation, the Government of the Student Body passed the new bylaws to complement the recently approved GSB Constitution.

The new constitution, passed in February’s elections, conflicted with many of the old bylaws; therefore, new ones were written by a committee over the summer.

However, the bylaws bill did not pass without some controversy.

Heated discussion arose when Richard Muller, off-campus, proposed an amendment to create a separate off-campus council. The council would serve as a governing body for off-campus students.

Muller said the council was necessary in order to recognize the off-campus senators’ constituents.

Matt Peterson, off-campus, also felt such a council was necessary.

“We just want to be recognized by the GSB,” Peterson said. “Everybody else has a governing body, and besides, we’re already not even getting any funding from GSB.”

One objection to the creation of the council came from Yasmin Blackburn, minority.

“I was an off-campus senator last year, and I continually voted against OCC representing off-campus constituents because it seemed like a dictatorship,” she said. “It seemed like they wanted to take over power that wasn’t earned, and people were giving themselves titles and names.”

Steve Erickson, off-campus, said that off-campus senators need an official council.

“We just want GSB to recognize a legitimate council for the [off-campus] GSB senators,” he said.

Muller’s amendment ultimately failed, but Erickson said the issue is far from finished.

“We’re still going,” he said. “We’re doing alternative funding sources and planning activities. We also have an adviser now, Doug Houghton, so it’s not over yet.”

Another issue that sparked some debate, was an amendment proposed by Erickson regarding the senate rules committee.

The amendment would change a line in the bylaws that allows only the vice president to nominate members for the rules committee, who would then be approved by the senate. Erickson said his amendment would allow the senate to nominate the rules committee.

“In the new Constitution, in the section that deals with the judiciary committee, it says that the committee will consist of three voting members of the senate that are chosen by the senate,” he said.

Objections were raised by several other senators, leading to an amendment proposed by Mark Meier, LAS.

“If others outside of the vice president can nominate members, then this is not an issue,” he said. “If the vice president is the only person that can nominate people, then we have an issue.”

Meier proposed a new amendment which would allow the vice president to have first choice in nominating rules committee members. Then, if the vice president’s nominations failed to be upheld by the senate, the floor would be open for senators to make nominations.

Meier’s amendment passed.

Although the new amendment was a compromise on the issue, Erickson said a compromise might actually lead to complications.

“This is actually a balance of power issue that we felt was best left up to the legislative branch,” he said. “Consensus is a negation of leadership — if we are so quick to compromise, it could lead to problems with balance of power in the future.”

Most members of the senate seemed satisfied with the approval of the bylaws.

GSB President Bryan Burkhardt said he was happy the bylaws had passed.

“I’m satisfied we have bylaws,” he said. “I feel that we have a solid document to work off of, although I am a little frustrated with the length of the meeting and some of the minute points that were argued on.”