Allegheny Student Government passed Resolution 16-07 at their weekly meeting on Tuesday, April 26. The resolution called on the Office of Residence Life to create a new committee that would include student representatives. The committee, according to the resolution, would facilitate greater transparency within residence life.

“Be it resolved by Allegheny Student Government here assembled that the Allegheny Student Government calls upon the office of Residence Life of Allegheny College to form a new committee with seats reserved for students from the general student body,” the resolution read in part.

ASG Senator Walter Stover, ’17, sponsored the resolution, saying it was key to ensuring the transparency of residence life.

“This would ensure that their decisions would be more inclusive of student opinion,” Stover said.

The resolution comes in the wake of discussions within ASG about the changes that were made for the 2016-17 academic year housing policies, such as suspension of underclassman living with upperclassmen, and the elimination of off-campus housing options.

In addition to changes that have been made for the upcoming year, ASG members have cited the poor condition of off-campus houses as evidence that something needs to change within residence life.

Senator Amy Currul, ’17, spoke in support of the resolution. She said the committee would not be a separate entity from residence life, but would instead try to work with residence life.

“The whole point is it would be a committee in conjunction with residence life,” Currul said.

The resolution was passed by an almost unanimous vote of the ASG Senate. One senator voiced their concern that by creating a new committee, ASG was simply creating more of a bureaucracy. Stover agreed that a new committee would mean more bureaucracy, but said he felt it was necessary to ensure transparency.

ASG also voted to approve internal restructuring for the coming academic year. Under the new changes, every class would have a vice president, treasurer and public chairperson in addition to the presidents they already have. Vice President and President Elect Tess Bracken, ’17, explained that the move is designed improve efficiency within ASG.

“It makes it easier to delegate within the classes,” Bracken said.

ASG will hold its final meeting of the 2015-16 academic year on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.