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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

IUSA seeks to limit construction

Student Association votes to limit hours of work near dorms

The IU Student Association adopted a resolution Oct. 12 to recommend a morning time limit for construction on IU's campus.\n"We are hoping to improve living conditions on campus and in the residence halls," said sophomore Justin Barnes, IUSA representative for University Division and sponsor of the bill.\nThe idea for the bill was sparked after students in Read Center and Collins Center expressed concern with the loud construction around the residence halls that would sometimes start as early as 6:30 a.m., said Jeramy Foltz, a junior and Collins senator.\n"The University has to realize students should come first," said Marc Kelly, a senior and off-campus senator.\nThe bill was put together by IUSA members and passed in Congress, 39-1-2. The final resolution is a recommendation to University Administration that noisy construction projects near residential areas should not be started before 8 a.m., except in the case of a emergency.\n"We don't think it is a unreasonable request," said Foltz, a co-sponsor of the bill.\nThe city of Bloomington has a noise ordinance that prevents such early construction, but because IU is state property, it is exempt from this law, Kelly and Barnes said.\n"Waking up to construction is not a pleasant way to wake up," said Barnes, also a Read resident.\n Since the resolution has already passed in IUSA, it will now be sent to pertinent administrators for consideration. Administrators were already aware of the bill, Foltz said, but a formal letter written by one of the four executives of IUSA, along with a copy of the resolution will be sent to administrators. Barnes said, the letters should be out soon.\n"The next step and the time frame depends on administration and when they will want to meet with me and IUSA," he said. "We want to work with administration to change the policy."\nAfter the letters are sent out to administrators, the next step will be getting more students involved and lobbying the administration to make the change. Kelly said this is a student based issue that might make administrators more apt to change policy.\n"The more the student body gets behind it, the more pressure and force we can have on administration.We need to be united, not fragmented," he said.\nIUSA and particularly the sponsors of the bill said they hope to continue the process of working with administration, so this resolution becomes policy, Barnes said.\n"The University will continue to expand by the dorms and other living facilities," Foltz said. "So not only will students today benefit from the resolution, but future students as well"

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