Spectrum, Elon University’s queer-straight alliance, has revised its legislation against Chick-fil-A’s presence on campus and resubmitted it to the Student Government Association as a resolution, rather than a bill. A bill encourages a specific course of action, while a resolution is an affirmation of a belief or sentiment, according to SGA Executive Vice President Connor O’Donnell.

The revised resolution asserts  Chick-fil-A has become a “symbol on Elon’s campus of intolerance and discrimination towards members of the LGBTQIA community” and opposes the continuation of Elon’s relationship with the franchise. In two weeks, the Senate will vote on whether this assertion accurately represents the opinion of the student body.

The basis of the resolution differs from the original legislation, which argued Chick-fil-A violates Elon’s non-discrimination policy by donating to anti-gay organizations through WinShape, its charitable arm. The SGA Senate voted 35-11 in favor of the bill Oct. 11, but voted 21-20 to uphold SGA Executive President Darien Flowers’ veto of the bill Oct. 23.

“The core of the legislation is still there,” said senior Emily Kane, an advocacy and education chair for Spectrum. “We still want Chick-fil-A off campus, but the way we are going about it is no longer the financial argument, but rather the climate that has been created because of this controversy.”

But Flowers said he is concerned the resolution will only reignite a controversy that was just beginning to mellow.

“I fear that we are going to be reopening wounds on campus,” he said. “I think Spectrum’s decision to take this course of action and go again before a body that has discussed this twice already doesn’t help anyone, and just creates further discord.”

He said he does not think the Senate should be asked to vote again on such a sensitive matter.

“By bringing up this discussion again, it’s going to come down to the affirmative or the negative, and the thing about this issue is that people don’t know where they stand on it,” he said. “Most students don’t have a definite opinion on this, and when it’s put to vote, there is no area for grey. You take out the option for senators to say ‘I don’t know,’ which is a perfectly valid response.”

Flowers said he thinks the SGA’s role in the Chick-fil-A debate ended when the Elon Board of Trustees appointed a study committee to examine whether Elon’s partnership with the franchise violates the university’s vendor polices.

But Kane said the appointment of the study committee will not draw sufficient attention to the recent discrimination against the LGBTQIA community at Elon.

“A lot of our main concern is that Spectrum has developed kind of a bad reputation because of this,” she said. “Some first years are getting a lot of heat from people who know they are part of Spectrum, and some people have stopped coming to Spectrum because of this.”

She said Spectrum will continue to campaign against Chick-fil-A’s presence on campus.

“This resolution will put the issue back into the hands of students,” she said. “We want to make it clear  that this is a big issue.”

[box]Members of Vendor Policy Study Group

Student, Faculty and Staff Members

• Jeffrey Pugh, Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies • Gabie Smith, professor of psychology and chair of the Department of Psychology • Maurice Levesque, professor of psychology and associate dean of Elon College • Tom Flood, assistant director of physical plant and director of landscaping and groups • Carla Ugboro, assistant director for employee relations in the Office of Human Resources • Gerald O. Whittington, senior vice president for business, finance and technology • Senior Laura Lee Sturm, vice president of Spec- trum • Senior Richmond Rosati, SGA Senator

Committee Members • Chair: William Herbert, vice president of the Board of Trustees • Chair: Connie Ledoux Book: associate provost and professor of communications

Trustee Members • Noel Allen, president and managing partner of Allen, Pinnix and Nichols • Kerrii Anderson, former CEO of Wendy’s Interna- tional, Inc. • Katherine Weaver, president of Residence Development • Christine Baker, former banking executive • Victoria Hunt, CEO of Hunt Electric Supply[/box]