By Beau Bowman
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The University of Iowa Student Government addressed several issues at on Tuesday, including KRUI’s need for a new transmitter and a new UI Food Pantry.

UISG heard from Ben Cunningham and Alyssa Bovinette from KRUI about the recent developments at the campus radio station, the most important being the need for a new transmitter.

UISG decided not fund the new transmitter, with the bill failing by four votes.

KRUI’s old transmitter operated at the top of Slater Residence Hall but was taken out of commission last year.

Purchasing and installing a new transmitter would cost around $6,800. If UISG had agreed to fund the transmitter, KRUI would have only paid for the $2,000 installation fee. The Senate’s contingency fund is roughly $155,000.

Sen. Noah Kirschbaum, who presented the bill, urged the UISG not to table it.

“I feel like we can’t wait on this bill,” he said. “There is no need to table this; I believe that we are ready to vote on this tonight.”

When the bill went into discussion, Sen. Solomon Furious Worlds talked about the funding of the bill.

“I think it’s almost laughable to turn them down,” he said. “Very few student organizations come to us for the incredible amount of money that we have so we can’t continue to discourage them further.”

Numerous senators who were not in favor of the bill criticized KRUI, which is allocated $55,000 every year, for not planning for unpredictable expenses.

The Senate also heard from Sen. Tayo Oladele-Ajose about creating a new food pantry on campus for students. The bill, which passed unanimously, would allocate $10,000 for the new initiative.

Oladele-Ajose said other universities had food pantries for use by students.

“Twelve of the 14 schools in the Big Ten have food pantries,” she said, pointing out that only Iowa and Minnesota lacked one. “Also, Iowa State has one, and because we’re supposed to be better than them, it’s time for us to have one now, too.”

Operations of the food pantry would include two paid positions. The food pantry would be located in 210 IMU.

The Senate also addressed a bill that would install solar-powered charging stations on the IMU patio. The bill passed with the majority of senators in favor.