The University Student Advisory Board tonight will vote on the Lesbian/Gay Student Alliance's proposal for a board seat, one week after the group presented its case to board members.

LGSA was denied a seat on the University Student Executive Council, USAB's forerunner, on two separate occasions last year. In March, the council voted 13-5 to deny LGSA representation and in April voted 10-7 and 11-6 against LGSA when it was included in a seat proposal along with the Association for Women Students and the Coalition for Human Equality.

LGSA Secretary Brian McKernan and member Scott Maslowe said the group would provide valuable input and promote understanding of lesbian and gay issues with a seat on USAB. USAB, created by the University Board of Trustees in the early 1970s, is the official student advisory group to University President Bryce Jordan.

"The voting should be better this year," Undergraduate Student Government President Seth Williams said. Williams, who last year voted for the LGSA seat as Undergraduate Student Government President and as Black Caucus President. "We're giving them credibility they should have already."

Several groups decided their voting policy in organization meetings last week and earlier this week. USG's Academic Assembly decided to support LGSA's bid for representation, while the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments decided to vote against the seat.

Representatives of the Association of Residence Hall Students and the Organization for Town Independent Students said they will vote in favor of LGSA at USAB tonight.

CCSG Coordinator Tony Bottino said he will vote against the seat because a vote for LGSA representation on the board would ignore the needs of other minority groups.

"I think the only way minorities are going to get anywhere on this campus is together," he said. "An LGSA seat would be token."

Because LGSA is one of about 10 minority groups on campus which deserve representation on the board, Bottino said he thinks it would be unfair to include only LGSA on USAB.

Graduate Student Association President Ken Martin said, "I'm leaning toward voting for LGSA. They've gone through the process legitimately . . . they might not be the single most-qualified group, but they were the only ones to apply (to USAB) last week."

"If any group needs a direct line to the administration, it's LGSA," said USG Senate President Kendall Houk after LGSA's presentation last week.

Another student group, the Student Athletes' Advisory Committee, will make its pitch for USAB membership tonight, Martin said.

USAB will meet at 6 tonight in 227 HUB.