Marshallville, the area outside Charles Koch Arena where students line up before home men’s basketball games, was recognized Wednesday by Student Government Association as a Registered Student Organization.

In a 25-1 vote, SGA approved Marshallville as an RSO.

Marshallville started in 2013, said organization President Max Runyon, just after the men’s basketball team made a run to the Final Four and said it has several functions.

“It works as kind of like a tailgate spot when students are going to get into the game,” Runyon said. “And it also functions as a student line.”

Until recently, Marshallville has consisted only of students. In order to become an RSO, however, the group needed a faculty adviser. The group chose Amy DeVault, assistant professor of communication, as its adviser.

“We love Mrs. DeVault,” Runyon said. “She’s awesome. She’s really into Shocker basketball and she kind of fits into our personalities, so it’s going to be a great fit.”

The bill during SGA’s Senate meeting Wednesday brought up several questions. Many questions centered on funding, and what Marshallville would need to fund.

Sen. Paige Hungate, a member of the budget and finance committee, said the committee does not take funding requests lightly.

“The Budget and Finance Committee heavily look into what people are applying for and we definitely wouldn’t recommend they get funded [for things] they shouldn’t get funded for,” she said.

Eric Sexton, executive director of Athletics and SGA’s adviser, also answered questions. One particular question asked was how security is handled in Marshallville when students camp outside Koch Arena.

Athletics is responsible for students who camp out before games, Sexton said, and handles all necessary security measures.

During the debate portion of the bill’s reading, Hungate spoke up in favor of granting Marshallville RSO status.

“I think a lot of things were coming up in the questions that were kind of downgrading what Marshallville stands for and how great of a thing they are,” Hungate said. “People were questioning whether or not they were going to vote for it and I thought that was troubling because Marshallville is something that definitely needed to be granted RSO status.”

Hungate said funding is only one aspect of an RSO.

Student Body President Joseph Shepard said he was pleased to see senators engaged with the bill.

“They’re wanting to know that student organizations that we pass are going to serve a purpose and they are going to be sustainable,” Shepard said.

After Hungate’s statement in favor of Marshallville, the group was approved as an RSO, with one dissent.

Runyon said the RSO status is important to the group.

“The idea of the student body being behind Marshallville is important to us,” Runyon said. “It’s going to have a lot of benefits.”

In addition, Runyon said he wants to make sure the framework for students moving forward with the group is in place. Having RSO status allows that, he said.

“I think it’s important that students are involved as much as possible,” he said. “That’s really how it has become as prevalent as it has. I think that is what’ll keep it prevalent is having students be in charge of it.”