The Wichita State Student Government Association passed a resolution at its meeting Wednesday, which supports the research efforts of the campus group, Tobacco Free Campus Leadership Team.

The group’s aim is to research university support for a tobacco-free campus with its eventual purpose to make WSU tobacco-free.

The resolution passed by SGA is a commitment by the Association to support the group while it does its research, and it does not necessarily support a tobacco-free campus.

Representatives from the group spoke to SGA before the resolution was read and debated.

The group assured that they are beginning its research and are only asking for SGA’s support while it does the necessary research and community outreach.

The group said it is a one to three-year process.

After the group addressed the Senate, SGA chief of staff Dalton Glasscock read the resolution.

Two at-large senators, Mariah Smith and Tyler Gegen, asked to change the wording of the last clause of the resolution.

In the first edition of the resolution, the “be it resolved clause” stated SGA would support the “efforts” of the Tobacco Free Campus Leadership Team.

Smith was concerned about the vagueness of the word “efforts.”

“This statement does not indicate that we support research, it says that we support their efforts,” Smith said.

Smith was in favor of the resolution, but wanted to specify SGA’s purpose in supporting the research.

Agreeing with Smith, Gegen said, “I don’t feel comfortable saying that SGA as a whole, as we are representing all students on campus, fully supports this at this time.”

Gegen said he felt that the “be it resolved” clause was not “clear enough.”

Gegen then motioned to amend the final clause of the resolution to add the word “research” before the word “efforts,” thus making the resolution state that SGA supports the “research efforts” of the group.

The motion was seconded and was followed by debate — most members expressed support of the amendment.

Liberal Arts and Sciences Sen. Amber Sevart supported the amendment.

“I think if we keep it like that, it is too vague,” Sevart said. “I think it is too soon for us to completely support their efforts when … they haven’t done all the research yet.”

Before the amendment was voted on, SGA President Matthew Conklin spoke in favor of keeping the amendment in its original form.

“It’s very simple, in my eyes, as it states in the ‘be it resolved clause’ that if it passes, we support their efforts,” Conklin said.

By supporting their efforts, Conklin said it says that SGA supports their research, increasing the educational awareness and spirit of cooperation.

“I think if you put in the word ‘research,’ it is limiting and devaluing the other aims they are pursuing with their efforts,” Conklin said.

At-large Sen. Sarah Nelson said she wanted more research done before she felt comfortable “passing a resolution that could be interpreted in any way that SGA supports a tobacco-free campus.”

Sevart added: “I think we need to be careful with our wording and making it clear in what we support at this time.”

Debate concluded and the amendment was put to a vote.

It passed.

After the amendment was passed, the amended resolution was voted on.

It also passed.

To conclude business, SGA passed three funding bills.

SGA will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Rhatigan Student Center.