For the third time in two years, undergraduates have rejected a proposed student activity fee increase.
The referendum for the fee increase fell 28 votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary to pass. About 65 percent voted for the increase, said Trinity sophomore Brett Busby, ASDU attorney general.
Of the 1,600 students who voted, 1,043 favored the increase. Slightly more than one-quarter of all undergraduates voted.
"If your organization has not been able to increase spending in four years, it obviously will have a tremendous effect," said Trinity senior Richard Moore, ASDU speaker of the legislature.
Trinity junior Valerie Steer, chair of the Student Organizations Commission, could not be reached for comment Thursday night. The SOC oversees the budgeting process and makes recommendations to the ASDU legislature.
The last fee increase was approved in 1989. Last year, the students twice rejected a fee increase.
There are no definite plans yet for a second referendum.
"In the long run, the students are going to be affected because its going to hurt many aspects of student life," said Trinity junior Melissa Bermudez, editor of the Chanticleer.
Many students say their organizations are unable to cover simple inflation costs under their current budgets.
"I don't think the students should have a choice about paying for inflation," said Trinity junior Tim'm West, president of the Black Student Alliance.
"Those who aren't involved in organizations don't realize how hard it is to get money and raise money," Bermudez said.
Every organization will be hurt a little, Moore said.
West said the demand for BSA and other cultural group activities and sponsorships is growing, and the organizations are getting less money.
People are going to think "this multiculturalism thing is just a lot of lip service, and students aren't that into it," he said.
ASDU members put forth various reasons for the referendum's slim failure.
"I hope it was that students didn't understand it and not that they did understand but voted against it," Moore said.
"I think people were skeptical about the increase because it is following the Union increase," said Trinity freshman Mike Lalan, an ASDU representative, referring to a recent referendum on raising the University Union's portion of the activities fee. That referendum passed.
Students who favored the increase did so for a number of reasons. "The student groups that are benefiting are valued parts of the University," said Trinity senior Celena Thompson. "These organizations deserve the money."
Speaking about the $7 increase, Bermudez said, "Students can spend that money in the Rat without a wink of an eye."
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