After 13 years without a fee increase, the Associated Students Inc. Board of Control is voting on a resolution to raise ASI fees by roughly 36 percent at today’s meeting.
If the resolution passes, a referendum will be placed on the spring 2014 ballot for students to vote on. If approved by the student body, the increase would take effect in fall 2014, according to ASI President John Haberstroh.
Currently, students pay a $44 ASI fee per semester. Under the proposed referendum, the new student fee would be $60 per semester, a $16 dollar increase, according to ASI Treasurer Jose Espeleta.
“It is a big increase if you just look at the numbers, but historically it shows that ASI hasn’t been keeping up with the cost of goods, which is the reason why it is so necessary,” Haberstroh said.
ASI hasn’t increased student fees since 2000, according to Haberstroh. The proposed fee increase is based off the Consumer Price Index increase which has affected ASI’s buying power since 2001, according to College of Business Administration Senator and ASI Treasurer for 2013-14 Agatha Gucyski.
Gucyski said the purpose of this resolution is to improve ASI’s services to students.
“Over the past years, we’re seeing more and more risks for the different facilities and how they’re not where they need to be,” Gucyski said. “Without an increase, we’re worried about having to cut things that we already have.”
According to Espeleta, if ASI implements the fee using the enrollment projections for next year, it would add an additional $1.2 million to the ASI budget.
“ASI is stretched thin, and in order to continue providing some of the services, such as club grants and scholarships, there needs to be some sort of help, and that will come through the fee increase,” Haberstroh said. “People may think it’s a tax on them, but really it’s to help us serve students.”
Students at Cal State Long Beach pay significantly lower fees than students at similarly sized Cal State University campuses. Cal State Fullerton students pay $74 per semester and Cal State Northridge students pay $88 per semester, according to the 2012-13 CSU Tuition and Fee rates.
The Board of Control meeting is open to the public and will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the University Student Union room 234.