At the first University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) meeting, most appointments were unanimous, but at yesterday's town hall meeting, newly appointed representative Katelyn Holmes debated nearly everything that came to the floor.

"You have to ask questions," said Holmes, the Association of Residence Hall Students representative. "It's the way it works. If it's a long debate, then let it happen."

Bryant Poland, National Pan-Hellenic Council representative nominee, was absent and was not appointed after Holmes made a motion to wait until the next meeting.

"We are not just appointing anyone," she said. "We are finding someone who is supposed to be a strong leader. I wish he could come here today and say he was qualified. Otherwise, we might be finding someone who is supposed to be a leader but isn't."

Jay Chamberlin, UPUA president, said these chairs are only tentative and will be reaffirmed at a later date.

"It's important that we make the right decision the first time," Holmes said.

After appointments were finished, more than an hour after the meeting started, the open student forum commenced.

Shawn Gordon, four-year member of the Undergraduate Student Government, challenged the representatives to "step it up," and encouraged UPUA to go to him for help. He referred to himself as "the grumpy old man who lives on the second floor of the HUB."

He encouraged everyone to follow Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, moments after Mitch Belding, UPUA vice president, said he "didn't want to be a stickler to Robert's rules."

"If you don't follow it, people will abuse it," Gordon said.

As a result of Gordon's comments, a discussion erupted regarding the amount of debate that should occur during meetings.

"You can yell and scream at each other in your committees," Belding said. "It sends a mixed message to the student body during our meetings to say 'Here's the opinion,' and 'Now, here's the dissenting opinion.' "

Chamberlin said most of the debate should occur in committee meetings.

Felicia McGinty, associate vice president for student engagement and UPUA adviser, recommended the debate continue at a later date.

"None of us, including me, are sure how this is going to work," she said. "I think these types of things are worthy of some real discussion."