The Inter-Residence Hall Association voted last night to make the residence halls alcohol-free next Veishea.

The bill passed 22-0-1.

The bill states “IRHA accepts this challenge and declares the residence halls alcohol-free.”

“It’s good that we finally took a leadership role and we want to show we can celebrate without alcohol,” RCA representative at-large Doug Hogan, a junior in economics and political science, said. “If we all want to follow through and keep the spirit alive, we will,” he said.

“We just kind of had to go with what we heard,” Oak-Elm representative Crystal Cummins, a sophomore in anthropology, said. “Everybody wants to keep Veishea, and this is the way we want to do it. It’s stupid to let 75 years of tradition go down the drain,” she said.

Despite the unanimous passage of the bill, members of the IRHA know it will be difficult to enforce. “There are going to be people drinking, but we as student leaders will be doing our best to not drink and encourage others to not drink as well, especially on campus,” IRHA Secretary Tim Knotts, a sophomore in chemical engineering, said.

“I’m concerned about the sincerity of the residents saying they will support a dry Veishea,” VP of internal affairs Jim Keck, a sophomore in biology, said.

“The move to make Veishea dry is a very positive one, but I question whether the move is sufficient to make Veishea safe and worthwhile this year,” VP of environmental awareness Mike Pitula, a junior in environmental science and Spanish, said.

Not all representatives are so skeptical about the pledge.

“I have great faith in the residence hall students. I hope they will set the tone for this campus and will be a model to follow,” VP of Finance Rod Morris, a junior in computer engineering, said.

IRHA leaders are happy about the resolution of the issue.

“I’m pleased that they passed it,” IRHA President Jay McLaren, a junior in agricultural business, said. “It shows that people in residence halls can say, ‘we can give up alcohol to save the 75 year tradition of Veishea,'” McLaren said.

“This is a great first step,” Government of the Student Body president Rob Wiese said. “The IRHA did an excellent job getting the opinions of the residents.”

Surveys were sent to all residence floors asking whether they would go dry. Out of the 82 surveys returned, only six voted no.

“I was happy and I started clapping at the end of the meeting,” Wiese said. “Someone needed to take the first step, and the first step has been taken.”

GSB, the Inter-Fraternity Council and Pan-Hellenic Council are the other organizations that have yet to take action on the dry Veishea matter.