On the surface, the last two Government of the Student Body meetings seem a little petty.

Senators were debating pop last week, and some pretty minor computer purchases this week.

Both debates were long. Both drew criticisms for relevance. Both appeared pretty shallow in the wake of seemingly bigger issues like guns for Department of Public Safety officers, how to honor a retiring vice president, graduation rates and race relations.

But hold on a minute. Maybe our senators are onto something here. We really don’t care about Dew or Mello Yello, Macs or IBMs, tastes greats or even less fillings. We do, however, care about what’s behind the bills, especially the sodas.

There’s a good issue here for students: When is it acceptable to limit student choices for profit? Why is it that Coke gets a monopoly at the pop pump, and Pepsi products are cornered off into the Union? We don’t have the answer. But since students are the ones dumping thousands in change into campus vending machines each year, it seems wholly appropriate the student government might want a say in the Dew vs. Mello Yello debate.

Sen. David Ammann authored the bill. “I am disgusted by the Coca-Cola advertisement on the marquee in front of the Iowa State Center,” he said. “I don’t like that fact that I have to go all the way to the Memorial Union to get a Mountain Dew on this campus.”

Ammann’s soda preference isn’t the issue. But he does raise a good point: At a state institution, why don’t students and government employees have a choice about what kind of pop to purchase?

The larger issue is what’s best for Iowa State students. Pop is one way to address the issue. Computers are another. Now before we fall victim to the rah-rah-fire-up mentality, there is a frivolous danger here.

While these debates have sound premises, they should not become forums for preference. It matters not whether senators like Coke or Pepsi, Macs or IBMs. It’s not relevant and nobody cares. But if senators can keep in mind what’s at the heart of their bills, they’re on the right track — at least — to serving the needs of students.