The majority of Recognized Student Organizations contacted by Student Senate have requested representation.

Approximately 60 to 70 percent of RSOs contacted thus far have asked for a senate member to attend meetings, give a report and seek members’ feedback on current issues, Donna Fernandez, Student Relations Committee chair, said Sunday.

Members of the senate’s Student Relations Committee have been busy contacting the nearly 150 RSOs on campus since the senate passed a new student representation bylaw Feb. 6. About half of the RSOs have been contacted and senate members will sign up for an RSO next week, Fernandez said.

Under the new student representation system, surveys will gauge each RSO’s desire to have a senate member attend the group’s meetings. However, this semester was a little different since the bylaw went into effect after the semester began.

Senate members will be assigned based on the survey’s responses and will be required to go to meetings at least every other week, Fernandez said. At this point, it looks like senate members will most likely each be assigned two RSOs. RSOs were called this semester instead of surveyed because of the late start.

The calling process has gone a little slower than planned since some RSO presidents have changed and committee members have spent time finding the current presidents, Fernandez said.

Depending on the kind of group, Fernandez said there have been many types of reactions, but responses to the system have been positive overall.

Val Gallt, president of Circle K International, a community service group, said she remembered the old system and liked knowing what was going on.

“It was neat giving our opinion,” she said.

She thinks the new system is a good idea because it will be beneficial to get student feedback through all of the clubs, Gallt said.

Several of the groups remembered the old system, but some did not understand what student government is, Fernandez said.

Under the new system, all RSOs will get an e-mail each week with a senate report that can be read to members, in addition to the report at each meeting, Fernandez said.

The other part of the new student representation system provides for three to four informational meetings to be held each semester on a certain topic. The meetings are similar to the RSO Council but are more like forums, Fernandez said.

The RSO Council was a part of the former student representation system, which met once a week for RSO members to attend and find out what was going on with the Student Senate, give feedback and voice opinions and concerns. However, those meetings were not well-attended.