Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate will not have a standing diversity committee after voting down a proposed amendment to USG Senate Bylaws during last night's meeting.

Had the amendment passed, it would have required a fifth permanent committee in USG Senate to address the issue of diversity at Penn State.

Eighteen senators voted against the amendment and three senators, all co-sponsors of the legislation, voted in favor of it. Five others abstained.

The legislation was a variation of an earlier piece introduced last spring, which was tabled three times before being killed indefinitely.

Some co-sponsors of the first legislation, including its author Steven Weiss, changed their stance on the necessity of the committee, saying several executive cabinet positions already focus on diversity.

Town Sen. V.A. Lopes and West Halls Sen. Kristen Kofmehl brought the issue of a permanent Senate committee to address diversity back to the table, saying a body separate from the executive cabinet is important.

"This gives Senate a voice," Lopes said.

A USG Senate committee would better represent students because students elected the senators in it, whereas the USG executive branch appoints cabinet members, Lopes said.

In opposition to the amendment, Town Sen. Sean Miller read a letter from Black Caucus President David Davis contesting the creation of a Senate diversity committee. Davis' letter recommended strengthening the existing cabinet positions, rather than creating another group.

USG President Rubina Javeri and USG Vice President Kris Ankarlo, both of whom the student body elected, chose the directors of the cabinet, who were also approved by Senate itself, Miller said.

Adding to Miller's comment, Senate President Bridget Van Osten said she was sure USG Senate approved the cabinet members appointed to diversity positions by acclamation, or unanimous agreement.

USG Chief of Staff Allison Young said multicultural affairs, women's affairs and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender alliance affairs -- the three cabinet boards currently dedicated to diversity -- are currently struggling to find members.

Rather than create a new committee, for which members will be hard to find, senators interested in diversity ought to help the executive boards, Young said.

East Halls Sen. Julia Graham said she foresaw disagreements resulting between the executive cabinet and a USG Senate diversity committee.

"Let's throw our support behind the executive," Graham said.

Kofmehl said a USG Senate committee would not work counter to the executive, but would cooperate with them. "We're not trying to step on people's toes," Kofmehl said. "We're trying to be a proactive committee."

The diversity committee would have addressed different issues from those the executive cabinet focuses on, Lopes said. While the executive board for multicultural affairs focuses primarily on race, the proposed committee would cover a wide range of topics, some of which are beliefs and ideologies, she added.

After the legislation failed to pass, Lopes attributed her loss to a power issue, saying USG Senate was afraid of clashing with the executive branch.

"This [diversity] is such a huge issue, and this senate just shot it down," she said.