Fee decisions may shift to UCOP

By Robert Salonga
DAILY BRUIN STAFF
[email protected]

Power over voter-approved fees could move away from the UC Board
of Regents today ““ a move designed to lessen redundancy which
is not enough, students say.

Regents will decide whether to shift authority to implement
student-initiated referenda to the UC Office of the President.
Currently, whenever a fee increase is passed during student
elections, final approval lies in the hands of the board.

According to UCOP, student-voted referenda already pass through
campus administrations and the president’s office before
being brought to the regents’ table. Thus, board members
raise few or no questions over the items.

Some students believe the shift in power will reduce lag time
between a referendum passing and its execution, since student
elections are in May and often don’t reach the regents until
their July meeting.

Still, others see no substantial value in the item.

“Honestly, it won’t make any positive
difference,” said Evan Okamura, external vice president of
the Undergraduate Students Association Council.

“It would only be easier in the sense that we have to
target one person as opposed to more than 20 regents,” he
added.

Other regents recognize the need for oversight by the board.

Regent Velma Montoya said there is a chance frivolous referenda
could be implemented by groups who manage to garner approval.

Kenny Burch, chair of the UC Students Association, said the item
needs an appeals process outlined.

The situation does not warrant this much attention, said one
former board member.

“Student fee referenda are not controversial,” said
Jess Bravin, the 1996-97 student regent and current reporter for
the Wall Street Journal.

“Students are not necessarily opposed to all fees, if they
see there are clear benefits,” he continued.

A UCLA referendum passed in May 2000 still sits on the back
burner of the board. Students approved a $2 fee increase for
membership in the UCSA and United States Student Association.

Only the UCSA half was approved, as UCOP cited at the time that
USSA ““ a Washington, D.C.-based student advocacy group
““ was too disconnected from students.

In terms of monitoring, a board of 26 could ensure legitimacy of
a referendum better than one president, said Student
Regent-designate Dexter Ligot-Gordon.

But even President Richard Atkinson is just as disconnected from
students as the board, Okamura said. He suggested student-approved
fee increases should not leave the campus, and decisions should end
with the chancellor.

“He’s on this campus, more connected and more
accessible to students,” Okamura said. “We just have to
go to Murphy (Hall).”