By Jeremy Pelzer

Student government editor

A Student Government-sponsored event attracted single-digit turnout for the second time in two weeks.

About 10 delegates from six Recognized Student Organizations, as well as several senate members, attended the inaugural RSO Council meeting Monday in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union University Ballroom.

Marty Ruhaak, chair of the senate’s student relations committee, spoke to the near empty ballroom about current senate and university issues, including the new housing and dining rates passed Friday by the Board of Trustees and a proposed senate bylaw change that would prevent the senate from donating funds to any third party, including RSOs.

Ruhaak also mentioned upcoming RSO events, including Campus Life Night March 7 and the RSO banquet April 16.

RSO members gave suggestions to the senate members.

Ashley Kiefer, president of the Society of Metaphysical Advancement, recommended the senate look into sponsoring a religious diversity forum.

“(The forum) would show people that there are different religions on campus – Pagan, Jewish, Muslim and Catholic,” Kiefer said.

The Council was created earlier this month by the Student Senate to give all 132 RSOs on campus an opportunity to meet with Student Government members and other RSOs. It replaces the old system, under which each senate member represented one RSO. Since there are only 30 senate members, however, the senate was concerned that not all the RSOs were being represented.

Ruhaak said he was not expecting a huge turnout for the meeting because of the lack of notice he gave RSOs.

Neftali Droz, a sophomore undeclared major, said many RSOs could not attend because they had meetings the same time as the RSO Council.

“It’s going to take awhile to work out all the kinks,” said senate member James Paton.

Senate member Daryl Jones gave his personal endorsement to the new RSO Council.

“This forum is not just an opportunity for (senate members) to talk to RSOs, but for RSOs to talk to other RSOs,” Jones said. “I highly recommend that RSOs attend.”

The RSO Council is open to members of any RSO and meets every Monday at 7 p.m. in the University Ballroom.