Cal State Bakersfield’s Associated Student Incorporated body is set to vote on a resolution which, if passed, may increase the semesterly ASI-fee that every student pays by an increase of five dollars every semester for the next five years, if students further vote to approve it.
This fee would then gradually increase and become an $80 fee by the 2031 Spring semester, and would then increase with the higher education inflation rate calculator known as HEPI.
The resolution, known as SB 202, comes after review from the Chancellor’s office, CSUB President Vernon B. Harper Jr. and the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
“We don’t want to trick anybody into raising their own price if that’s not what they want. We want students to vote their conscience,” said ASI President Anthonio Reyes.
According to Reyes, the resolution came from hearing students voicing their want for more scholarship opportunities, an increase in funding for clubs, more events on campus, which resulted in the creation of an exploratory committee that discussed ways in which ASI could better serve students.
The exploratory committee consisted of six ASI members, and two members of the general student population.
This committee decided that an increase in the Student Association fee would allow ASI to host more events.
Marcos Ramirez, ASI vice president of university affairs, who served as the vice chair for the exploratory committee, outlined the benefits that could lead from passing SB 202 to his fellow ASI members. He believes that it would allow for the creation of a parking pass scholarship, food and gas cards given to students on a need basis, assistance in academic printing costs, covering conference travels for individuals, increasing the total number of ASI scholarships awarded in addition to the amount awarded and more campus events.
According to resolution, SB 202, ASI does not receive any additional funding from the Student Association fees, beyond $30 per student. The rest of the money is used to fund previous ASI-created initiatives such as the schools’ athletics programs, the spirit squad, the children’s center and student clubs and organizations.
However, the current association fee at CSUB is valued at $460 for the fall and spring semester.
Reyes noted during the meeting that the amount of money ASI receives from each student has only increased one time before by ten dollars, in 1988.
If the ASI board votes in favor of SB 202, then the campus student body will ultimately decide whether this resolution will be put into place or not by voting electronically on April 15 and 16.
The ASI board, which is composed of 22 members, five executive officers, a chairwoman and 16 directors, will vote to either approve or reject SB 202 on Friday, March 13. ASI meetings are open to the public and start promptly at 3 p.m.
