May 10, 1999

Students to vote on fee proposals in upcoming elections

By Francine Tyler

When UCSC students mark their electronic ballots this week for the spring student elections, a number of fee-related measures will vie for their attention.

One proposal asks graduates and undergraduates to fund the construction of pedestrian bridges linking the east and west sides of campus. Another proposes free and anonymous HIV testing. A third asks students to fund improvements to the campus transportation system.

In all, students will vote on eight fee-related measures in this spring's elections, taking place May 10-14 on the World Wide Web (elections.ucsc.edu). They'll also answer opinion polls on campus parking, a graduate college, and a proposal for a four-quarter academic year. Undergraduates will elect next year's officers to the Student Union Assembly.

The fee measures are listed below. If passed, fees would be instituted as of fall 1999. Graduates and undergraduates together will vote on Measures B, D, and F; solely undergrads will vote on Measures A, C, E, G, and H, and the fees, if instituted, would apply only to them.

Graduates and Undergraduates:

• Measure B, East-West Pedestrian Bridges, $3.50 per quarter, with an end date of approximately 2026-27. The fee would pay for construction of two new pedestrian bridges spanning the ravines between the East Field area and the Student Center. If built, the bridges would significantly improve student pedestrian and bicycle access between the east side of campus and the central campus core. Costs are estimated to be $1.2 million.
• Measure D, Free and Anonymous HIV Testing, $.75 per quarter. The fee would pay for free HIV testing by HIV Peer Test Counselors and outreach testing offered at colleges and campus events.
• Measure F, Improved Campus Transportation, proposes Transportation Fee increases of $5 per quarter for 1999-2000 and additional increases of $5 per year for 2000-01 and 2001-02. The fee would fund an expansion of the campus transit vehicle fleet to accommodate additional riders, help maintain existing service, and improve transit pullouts. The current Transportation Fee is $59 per quarter.

Undergraduates only:

• Measure A, Theater Arts Productions, $2 per quarter. If passed, the measure guarantees undergraduate students free admission to productions sponsored solely by the Theater Arts Department and establishes a fund to support student productions.
• Measure C, UCSC Campus Retention Program, $7 per quarter. The measure would establish an Office of Retention within the Division of Student Affairs to improve the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate students. Funds would also be distributed annually to campus units with programs that improve retention and graduation rates.
• Measure E, Indoor Rock Climbing Facility, $13 per quarter for the 1999-2000 academic year only. The fee would pay to convert two of the existing racquetball courts at the East Field House into an indoor rock climbing facility. Undergraduates would also receive two free hours of climbing daily, after which students would pay use fees of $3 per day or $30 per quarter.
• Measure G, Office of Physical Education, Recreation, Intramurals, and Sports (OPERS) Activities Fee, proposes three fee options on a scale from $10 to $15 per quarter. The revenue would provide funding for recreation programs, physical education classes, intercollegiate athletic teams, and club and intramural sports programs at UCSC, reduce fees, and eliminate student admission charges for athletic events. Ten percent would be used for financial aid.
• Measure H, College Student Government Fee Increase, would raise the existing College Student Government Fee from $10 to $15 per quarter. The fee increase would provide additional resources to support college dances, lectures, graduations, and other activities.

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