On Feb. 26 and 27, the Cal State Long Beach student body will receive an Associated Students Inc. special election ballot via email.
Students will have a chance to vote on the proposed $16 ASI fee increase that would raise the current fee of $44 per semester to $60.
ASI President John Haberstroh and ASI Vice President Jonathon Bolin spoke to students about the fee increase at a Town Hall meeting at the Nugget Grill and Pub last Tuesday.
The last time the ASI fee was raised was in 2001. Taking into account the rate of inflation, a rocky economy and a series of budget cuts to the Cal State University system, the ASI fee staying steady at a $44 per semester for more than a decade is rather impressive.
After all, CSULB’s ASI fee is the third lowest in the CSU system.
During the meeting, Bolin tried to put the fee in perspective by offering students an example of how easily $16 can be spent.
“If you look at it, $16 may look like a lot but really, it’s like three beers or four Starbucks coffees [or] a tenth of a textbook,” Bolin said.
While some students may feel weary about the proposed fee increase, we think it’s necessary.
If passed, ASI plans to use the additional funding generated by the fee increase towards renovating the Soroptomist House, the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center and possibly creating a 24-hour study center, among other things.
Considering how long it has been since the last fee increase, $16 is more than reasonable.
What does concern us, however, is the number of students who will actually participate in the special election and, of those students, how many will make an educated decision.
Although the outcome is based on the majority of students who vote, we fear some may automatically vote against it without knowing the details, solely because it’s a fee increase.
Without the momentum of a full-fledged ASI campaign, we’re concerned students will not be aware of the special election, considering the small percentage of students who have voted in previous ASI general elections.
The ASI elections in March saw a record turnout of student voters with 6,488 students participating. But even then, it was still less than 20 percent of the student body.
Although students may not see immediate results from the increase, it will benefit future CSULB students, the campus and community as a whole.
We hope students will keep an eye out for that special election ballot and take the time to learn about the proposed increase, so they can make an informed decision when they vote.