Associated Student Government on Wednesday passed legislation prohibiting ASG committees from using ground fliers to promote their events and encouraging other student groups to do the same.

More than 4,000 ground fliers have been taped to the grounds of Northwestern’s campus as of November, according to a survey conducted by the ASG sustainability committee. A majority of them are illegible due to abrasion and harsh weather conditions. The legislation added that Facilities Management is faced with a notable financial burden from repeatedly hiring a cleaning company to scrape off the fliers.

“Fliering is really wasteful,” said McCormick sophomore Lindsey Jones, an ASG sustainability committee member who co-authored the resolution. “It doesn’t look good and isn’t effective.”

NU allows campus groups to put fliers in designated flier zones, but posters are regularly found outside such areas, the legislation says. Most student groups also do not remove their fliers before the limit of five business days ends.

Authors of the resolution encouraged groups to place fliers inside buildings and to use online advertising instead. They also studied 15 other peer universities and found they did not allow any ground fliers.

Although the resolution also encourages other student groups to abstain from using ground fliers, it is not a requirement.

“We would recommend that but … we’re looking to take that step in the future,” Jones said.

ASG also passed a resolution requiring the off-campus senator candidates to run concurrently with the ASG presidential elections. To run, candidates must obtain 20 signatures from students living off campus. During elections, all off-campus student voters will be able to rank their preferences and the top eight candidates will be chosen.

The new process should improve representation of the off-campus student voice, said Weinberg junior Matthew Clarkston, an off-campus senator. Previously, an off-campus selection committee chose the senators.

During the meeting, senators also passed legislation urging the Illinois General Assembly to make Election Day voter registration permanent for the state.

Funding was also given to certain A-status groups including the South Asian Student Alliance. SASA motioned to add $1,400 to their allotment but were rejected on grounds of past financial misconduct with the Student Activities Finance Committee for canceling an event. The next SASA motion to add $470 was passed.

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