IUSA Congress to cast vote on admissions standards

The IU Student Association Congress will vote on three pieces of legislation, including a resolution to support the Bloomington Faculty Council's admissions policy initiatives, in tonight's meeting.\nThe resolution to support the BFC's stance on admissions standards states that IU requires low SAT scores compared to the rest of the Big Ten schools, and increasing standards would keep the University competitive in attracting students and faculty. \nSophomore Matt Fortman, a senator from Collins Center, said he sponsored the resolution after attending several BFC meetings. \n"We came to the conclusion by looking at the data and going to the meetings that it'd be in the students' best interest to increase standards, obviously not to make it an elite University, but raise standards enough to keep up with what other Big Ten schools are doing," he said. \nA draft of the current BFC proposal states that admissions standards do not follow a "rigid set of rules" but generally recommend a high school grade point average equivalent to a "B" and that applying Indiana seniors rank in the top 45 percent of their class. Those applying from out of state are given preference if they rank in the top 40 percent of their class. \nIn order for the resolution to pass, congress requires a two-thirds vote. Courtney Thom, student body vice president for congress, said IUSA does not have direct power over admissions standards but that the resolution is still important. \n"We don't have the power to do anything in this sort of situation, but it's basically saying IUSA supports their initiatives," she said. "It's an important situation, and our input and opinion on the manner is an important aspect of it." \nCongress will also be voting on a resolution to send a letter to the Indiana state Legislature regarding how students are required to pay fees. \nFreshman Jordan Loeb, senator for Briscoe Quad and sponsor of the bill, said the letter would encourage the Legislature to keep tuition payments separate from additional University fees, such as technology or health fees. \n"The Indiana State Legislature has been saying students pay one fee," he said. "They put the tuition and all other fees together, and so what we're doing is writing a letter to them to ask them to no longer make it one fee." \nThe third piece of legislation concerns filling vacant congress seats. Currently one seat, from the School of Nursing, has yet to be filled, Thom said. The proposed resolution would permit filling vacant seats with a student from another school or constituency in the event that no better applicant can be found. Eleven of the 62 congressional seats were replaced because of a lack of attendance during the first three meetings of the school year. \nThom said attendance has improved greatly over the semester. \n"Attendance has been wonderful," she said. "I've been really happy with the way things have been going ... That problem was taken care of." \nThe meeting will take place at 8:30 p.m. in Room 211 of the business school.