In lieu of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) transition dinner scheduled for tonight -- its usual meeting time -- USG Senate met last night in the Atherton Hall basement to begin internal restructuring for next semester.

Senate reorganized the existing composition of its Internal Affairs Committee (IA) and gave the governmental relations coordinator two deputies. It also created a new committee -- the Student Communications Committee -- responsible for increasing student involvement in USG.

The committee, made up of five elected senators, is designed to increase USG's presence on and off campus.

"A huge problem is that we as USG do things that we understand, but students don't," said Operations Committee Chairwoman Katelyn Holmes. "We need to actively solicit student involvement."

Senators agreed that creating the committee would help raise positive student awareness in light of students' recent lack of knowledge regarding the group's actions.

Other campus groups are also considering the impact USG will have next semester.

In response to the administration's recent acknowledgement of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) as the official student representative body, the Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) is unsure of its future connection with USG.

ARHS liaison Emily Yarbrough said the organization may not keep its relationship with the Senate pending the implementation of UPUA, which troubles some senators, like Holmes.

"That's an organization we really can't lose ties with," Holmes said.

Yarbrough said ARHS members do not want to sever ties with USG until they know what is happening with both organizations.

Another recurring problem between USG and UPUA is the allocation of HUB-Robeson Center office space.

USG is currently debating with administrators over a five-year contract that it believes guarantees continued office space.

There are problems regarding the wording of notes from a meeting held about five years ago that could determine how long USG will be accommodated for.

"There is very little they can do to move us out of office," Senate President Brock Coleman said. "Generally, the consensus is that we get to keep it until January or at least have some HUB space."

USG's main concern is that the space will be given to UPUA once it is implemented in the fall.

"Even if they take our office, UPUA probably won't get it," Town Sen. Mike Tomaselli said in reference to a meeting held with Director of Unions and Student Activities Stan Latta.

Regardless of where USG meets next year, the organization has made it clear that it will continue to reorganize itself and operate to its full potential.

"We have one up on every other student representative body because we show that we operate democratically," IA Chairman Ralph Crivello said.