The upcoming ballot on week 3 will include student fee initiatives and proposals catering to Student Center, ASUCI constitutional amendments, the Food Pantry, ASUCI and the recall of a student government representative.
If the spring elections receive a voter turnout of at least 25% of eligible undergraduates and graduates, a proposal and fee referendum can pass if 60% of such votes are in support.
Coucilmember Recall
On the spring ballot, students of the Paul Merage School of Business can vote to recall the school’s Legislative Council representative, Gevorg Novshadyan, after students petitioned for his impeachment following his online Islamophobic comments made during Week 10 of winter quarter. If two-thirds of the voting population vote in support, then Novshadyan will be recalled.
Student Center and Cross-Cultural Center Referendum
The “Student Center and Cross-Cultural Center” referendum offers undergraduates and graduates the choice of voting in support of continuing to pay the $136.50 quarterly fee towards student employment, operating costs, and facility maintenance at these amenities. If passed, students will continue to pay the quarterly fee effective fall quarter of 2017.
Student Center and Event Services would manage the funds from the collected fee and report to the Student Center Board of Advisors semi-annually.
My UCI Referendum
Under the “My UCI” referendum, undergraduates can vote on continuing to pay the $18 quarterly fee for the programming costs and services of the Associated Students of UC Irvine (ASUCI). The fee would be effective fall 2016 and would increase by $5 for the following six years.
Furthermore, the My UCI referendum would aid student-based scholarships, student-led initiatives, programming, student travel funds for conferences, and events for undergraduates. ASUCI will provide Legislative Council and the Chancellor with an annual report on its use of such funds.
Food Pantry Referendum
The Food Pantry referendum proposes to administer a new quarterly fee of $3 for undergraduates and graduates effective fall 2016. It would fund the operations, expenses of food, transportation, marketing, maintenance, and expansion towards the food pantry located at the Student Outreach and Retention Center (SOAR).
The fee would also help establish a mobile food pantry with fresh goods, additional programs and services, and an emergency food fund. SOAR would manage the funds, an audit may be provided if requested, and 33% of the fee will be allocated back to financial aid. If the spring election receives a a voter turnout of 20% of eligible graduate students, the referendum will need 60% of the voters to vote “Yes.”
Revised ASUCI Constitution
In the proposal for a revised ASUCI constitution, changes would affect Legislative Council and the executive cabinet.
ASUCI Legislative Council would respect that a school that holds less than 10% of the undergraduate population will have at least one representative while larger schools will have additional representatives for every increment of 5% more of the student body. Council will include international, transfer, first-year, off-campus and on-campus representatives. Lastly, the title of Legislative Council will be changed to Senate.
Under the ASUCI Executive Cabinet, the Administrative Affairs Vice President will be renamed as Internal Vice President (IVP), Executive Vice President will be renamed as External Vice President (EVP), Legislative Council will be aligned with the IVP Office, and elections will be free standing.
The proposed fees will increase annually based on the California Consumer Price Index (CPI) to offset the effects of inflation. The CPI will be retrieved from the California Department of Finance’s calendar year annual average of all urban consumers CPI starting in fall 2018 for the Student Center fee, fall 2017 for the Food Pantry fee, and fall 2022 for the ASUCI fee.
In addition, 33% of the My UCI feed increase and Food Pantry fee will be returned to financial aid to help offset the cost of this fee for students who are eligible for financial aid. Only 25% of the 47.50 portion of fee will be returned to financial aid for the Student Center fee if passed.
Elections and access to voting will begin Monday, April 11 at 9am and end Friday, April 15 at 4pm.
