The merits of a proposed federal bill that would affect university students and faculty nationwide was the focus of the student government at their meeting Tuesday night.

The Associated Students of Madison University Affairs Committee discussed how the Federal Research Public Access Act would mandate the complete accessibility of all federally funded research within six months of its publication.

The bill would make public exactly what is being done with research funding paid for by the taxpayers, according to committee Chair Carl Fergus.

“Currently, we don’t have access to the vast majority of publicly-funded articles,” he said.

Proponents of the bill argue that open access to research would also promote collaboration across institutions within the same field.

Additionally, proponents say, it would aid in cross-disciplinary efforts, as academics gain access to journals to which they do not subscribe because they are outside of his or her own field.

“I think the dissemination of research at a higher rate would create a better academia for the future,” committee member Sam Seering said.

The bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.

Fergus encouraged committee members to look over the bill in the next few weeks so the committee could come to an educated decision over whether to back it.

The committee also discussed the upcoming Forum on Advising, taking place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Caucus Room in the Student Activity Center. The forum is being co-sponsored by ASM and the office of the Provost.

Fergus said he was really excited about the event and encouraged everyone on the committee to come and to bring their friends.

He added the administration is overhauling the advising processes and he thinks a wide variety of students, from freshmen to graduate students, should show up to have their voices heard.

Pizza will be provided for any students who attend the event.