BURLINGTON, Vt.—Student government at the University of Vermont has voted against prohibiting the American Red Cross from collecting blood on campus.

The panel was considering a resolution to prohibit the blood drives to boycott a policy that bans blood donations from homosexual men.

After more than three hours of discussion and debate Oct. 16, the Student Government Association rejected the resolution 16-15.

The federal Food and Drug Administration set the policy in 1983 and the blood collection organizations must abide by it.

Supporters of the resolution said the FDA rule goes against UVM’s policy on nondiscrimination.

The university administration, not the student government, decides whether to allow Red Cross on campus. In a statement, the administration said the Red Cross blood drives would continue.