The Undergraduate Senate unanimously passed a resolution Sunday calling on the AU Athletics Department to allow the Screaming Eagles Pep Band to play the "Hey Song" at athletic events.
Andrew MacCracken, School of Public Affairs senator, sponsored "A Resolution to Protest the 'Hey Song' Ban."
"The AU pep band should have the right to play whatever music it chooses, as long as the content is appropriate," MacCracken said.
Last summer, the Athletics Department asked the Screaming Eagles Pep Band not to play Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part II," commonly known as the "Hey Song." The report stated that the department banned the song to promote better sportsmanship because student fans often shouted, "You suck" when the pep band played the song.
The resolution aimed to stop censorship and promote better communication between university departments and the student body, MacCracken said.
The resolution calls on university departments to consult the Student Government whenever situations arise that could infringe on students' rights.
"As far as censorship goes, the language that is involved with this issue is something I've heard being said on Nickelodeon, and I'm not particularly offended by Nickelodeon myself," MacCracken said.
Matt Nestopoulos, president of the Pep Band Boosters, said the Athletics Department banned the "Hey Song" without consulting anyone in the pep band.
During previous years, the pep band had agreed to only play the "Hey Song" during close games, The Eagle previously reported.
Students need to take an active role to force the Athletics Department to lift the ban, said Nicolas Thorpe, a class of 2006 alumnus who is still a member of the pep band.
"This past season, we did compromise with the Athletics Department," Thorpe said. "We regulated ourselves to only playing it during parts of the games."
After the vote, Nestopoulos thanked the Undergraduate Senate for its work.
"[The resolution] shows the commitment that the Student Government has put forward."
Thorpe said he encourages students to become active in the drive to overturn the decision.
"I think by having the student support behind the pep band and our ability to play the song, we will send a clear message to the Athletics Department," he said.
The National Football League banned the playing of "Rock and Roll Part II" at all games in 2006 after Glitter was convicted of child molestation. Other schools have also banned the song after students chanted what their administrations considered to be vulgar lyrics, The Eagle previously reported.
