Ever think about opening up the IM Sports-East field to tailgating? Students thought it was a good idea Monday night.

Student leaders and university officials gathered in Wonders Hall Kiva to respond to students' questions on the future of tailgating.

The ASMSU-sponsored town hall meeting attracted only six students, leaving Andrew Schepers, Student Assembly chairperson and forum moderator, questioning if students are as passionate about tailgating as MSU's undergraduate student government.

"It shows the apathy of the student body," he said. "There's a lot of talk, but not a lot of walking to back it up."

But Schepers said he was pleased that the discussions yielded suggestions that ASMSU had not before considered.

Pat Gardner, a supply chain management senior, suggested opening the IM Sports-East field for tailgating to give tailgaters another option to the Wilson tennis courts.

"We need a larger space," he said. "If you opened up the IM field, you spread the students out."

But Greg Ianni, associate athletics director who oversees facilities, said students wouldn't go to east campus because the football stadium can't be seen from the area.

"Nobody would want to go to the IM," he said. "The beauty of the tennis courts and Munn field is that you can see the stadium - that's the beauty of tailgate."

Ryan Townsend, an ASMSU representative for the Eli Broad College of Business and a member of the panel, said he disagreed with Ianni, saying students would leave the tennis courts if they were given another option that had the same level of tailgate "intensity."

"People are corralled into the tennis courts," he said. "If their friends go to the IM field, that's where they're going to go."

David Coogan, an international relations sophomore, suggested restricting the field for MSU students.

"It's a way for the students to take back tailgating," he said.

ASMSU Student Assembly External Vice Chairperson Andrew Bell said he spoke with President-designate Lou Anna Simon and the idea to open IM Sports-East field to tailgating needs come from the students.

He said ASMSU's Student Assembly will vote on a bill Thursday to pass this recommendation.

Gardner also questioned the panel if anything has been done to promote trash cleanup near the tennis courts after tailgate. He said he has never been offered a trash bag from MSU's grounds and maintenance division.

Ianni said the tailgating restrictions might not have been implemented last week if the tennis court area was clear of trash after the Notre Dame football game.

"We are spending way too much money on other people's party," he said. "This whole issue of tailgating would be a non-issue if trash was picked up."

ASMSU said it will take the recommendations from the forum to make suggestions to the MSU Board of Trustees.