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Referendum planned

By Harold Lee

Jan. 17, 2005 9:00 p.m.

The Associated Students of UCLA inched toward determining the
terms of a future fee increase Friday as representatives from
across the campus met to discuss the possible increase at an
entities committee meeting.

Representatives from ASUCLA’s Board of Directors, the
Graduate Student Association, the Undergraduate Students
Association Council and the Communications Board were present at
the meeting to view and discuss an early draft of a referendum for
a possible student union fee hike.

The language of the referendum was only speculative but proposed
the fee increase to be held off until the 2006-2007 school year,
after which the amount would gradually increase until the total fee
for the 2009-2010 school year is $55.50.

Originally, ASUCLA was considering raising the student union fee
from its current amount of $7.50 to $34.50 in fall 2005.

“We all realize that it’s difficult for students to
pitch in,” said Bob Williams, interim executive director of
ASUCLA, noting the recently increased student fees.
“We’re trying to design the fee increase around
that.”

The hike could go to ASUCLA’s capital projects, which
include upgrading ASUCLA’s food facilities throughout campus,
according to the referendum presented at the meeting.

ASUCLA also hopes to increase hourly student employee wages. On
average, student wages for ASUCLA are 30 cents to 40 cents less
than wages for other comparable student jobs on campus, and through
a fee increase, ASUCLA student employee wages could increase
between 40 cents and 50 cents per hour.

Support for student programming could also double because of
additional fee revenue, from $100,000 to $200,000.

The language of the referendum must be approved by mid-February
so it can appear in time for the spring elections.

“I have complete confidence the students will pass the
fee,” Williams said.

Because the language of the referendum has not yet been approved
by the ASUCLA Board of Directors, which will meet at the end of the
month, concrete plans have not yet been made to market the fee
increase, but ASUCLA management is sure extensive efforts will be
made to inform the student population of the possible changes.

“We would hope the voter already had the message (in time
for the spring elections),” said Jerry Mann, director of
student union and student support services.

The fee increase is crucial for ASUCLA because it factored a fee
increase into its five-year financial forecast.

“If we took that fee out, we’d be in a difficult
position,” Williams said.

Even if a referendum is approved at the Board of Directors
meeting, that proposal may not be the one that appears on ballots
in the spring. A draft needs to be submitted to the Undergraduate
Students Association Council, the Graduate Student Association and
the chancellor, who can modify the referendum before approving
it.

One obstacle ASUCLA saw was gaining support from the On Campus
Housing Council, which represents students living in the residence
halls. Because many of the services available at ASUCLA are also
provided at the dormitories as a part of student housing fees, some
have wondered how a fee increase would benefit Hill residents.

While approaching OCHC was on the agenda at the entities
meeting, discussing the fee increase with the council was put off
until the ASUCLA Board of Directors approved a draft of the
referendum.

Also discussed at the entities meeting was the future of the
Bombshelter, a South Campus eatery. ASUCLA has been approached by
the university to expand the construction of a facility in South
Campus in the place of the Bombshelter.

Currently, ASUCLA has $6 million allocated to tear down the
Bombshelter and build a new food facility in its place but has been
urged by the university to expand it into a more substantial space
that includes study spaces and a student store, similar to the
North Campus Student Center.

Expanding the Bombshelter to be similar to the North Campus
Student Center would cost approximately $13 million, more than
twice the $6 million allocated to expand the Bombshelter into just
a food facility.

There are no plans to include the additional $7 million into the
fee referendum, and ASUCLA is looking for support from the
university to provide the additional funds.

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Harold Lee
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