On-line Spring Election 2009
April 20 - 23




** Passage of the referenda on the ballot does not constitute final approval of the project. The chancellor and the University of California Office of the President must approve all referenda.



REAFFIRMATIONS:
Undergraduate and graduate students will vote on these two initiatives:


Counseling and Career Services Support Fee
Do you reaffirm a mandatory fee of $5.85 per undergraduate and graduate student per quarter, including summer, in order to provide funds to maintain service levels for Counseling and Career Services? If reaffirmed, the fee will continue to be assessed until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2013.
yes or no

Counseling Services receives $2.69 (of the $5.85 fee) to see graduate and undergraduate students who are in emotional distress. Along with providing confidential individual counseling, we work with roommates, friends, parents, teaching assistants, faculty, and staff to help them get counseling for someone in need. Students also now have access to counseling 24/7 through our phone consultation services. Re-affirmation of this fee will allow us to continue to support psychologist positions, and budget permitting, avoid co-payments and reduced hours. A yes vote for this reaffirmation will ensure that we are able to continue to offer these essential services to all graduate and undergraduate students in need.
Career Services receives $3.16 (of the $5.85 fee) to assist approximately 10,000 students per year with career-related issues such as major and career selection; access to internships and part and full-time jobs; assistance with graduate school applications; provision of job search tools such as workshops, employer information sessions, job fairs, and on campus interviews assistance. Specifically, these monies support one career counselor, one job developer and related marketing efforts, and the free three-month grace period for students after graduation. Reaffirming this fee will support employer development, outreach, career counseling staff, and budget permitting, enable us to avoid reducing hours and instituting or increasing fees for testing, job fairs, and workshops. By voting for this fee, you ensure Career Services will continue to be available for your career counseling needs and continue to offer quality services.
Women’s Center Support Fee
Do you reaffirm a mandatory fee of $4.25 per undergraduate and graduate student per quarter, including summer, in order to enable the Women’s Center to maintain programs and staff positions? If reaffirmed, the fee will continue to be assessed until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2013.
yes or no

The Women’s Center support fee will help maintain staff and programs such as the Rape Prevention Education Program (RPEP) and the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD). Due to budget reductions over the past few years, both programs have had to cut back staff and services. Even with the support fee, current and projected budget cuts could lead to further reductions in staff and services. In addition to maintaining staff and services, the support fee will help with operating costs of the public spaces within the Women’s Center (e.g., the library, art gallery, meeting rooms, re-entry and non-traditional student lounge). It will also help to improve current Women’s Center programs and services such as 1) the rape prevention education program; 2) help for individuals in crisis; 3) support for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/intersex/ally communities; 4) student-initiated activities and events; 5) expanded operating hours by maintaining student staff; 6) student internships; and 7) workshops, lectures, films and other educational programming.


NEW FEES:
Only undergraduate students will vote on the initiative:
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Student
Support Services Fee Increase
Do you approve of a $3.10 per undergraduate student per quarter, including state-funded summer quarters, mandatory fee increase to provide funding to support academic, social and cultural programming designed to meet student-centered retention efforts? The fee may also be used to fund student staff salaries in support of this program. ($0.78 is for return to aid and $2.32 goes to EOP). The fee is in addition to the $2.75 per student per quarter (fall, winter, spring and summer) currently collected. If passed, the fee increase would begin fall 2009, be subject to joint reaffirmation (base fee of $2.75 plus increase of $3.10) in spring 2013, and raise the total undergraduate per student quarterly fee to $5.85 (fall, winter, spring and summer). Failure of the reaffirmation of the base fee of $2.75 negates the increase, whether or not the increase passes.
yes or no

For over 30 years, the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has offered a student-centered retention service that has assisted students in their transition to the university, in their pursuit of a baccalaureate degree, and in their advancement towards attaining a professional or doctoral degree. While EOP focuses on first generation and/or low-income students, some programs, such as the Summer Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP), peer advisors, and cultural services, are open to all undergraduate students. Budget permitting, an affirmation of this fee increase will allow EOP to continue supporting academic, social and cultural programming to the general campus and help meet student-centered retention efforts.



Only undergraduate students will vote on these two initiatives:
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Student Services Fee
Do you reaffirm a mandatory fee of $2.75 per undergraduate student per quarter, including summer, in order to support EOP programs and services? The EOP student services fee will help to continue student-centered retention programs and services that will be available to all UCSB students. If reaffirmed, the fee will continue to be assessed until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2013.
yes or no

For over 30 years, the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) has offered a student-centered retention service that has assisted students in their transition to the university, in their pursuit of completing a baccalaureate degree, and in their advancement towards attaining a professional or doctoral degree. While EOP focuses on first generation and/or low-income students, some programs, such as the Summer Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP), peer advisors, and cultural services, are open to all undergraduate students. This EOP student services fee currently supports out-of-class learning experiences accessible to all students by: [1] providing one-on-one and group mentoring by our counselors and student staff; [2] maintaining student employment opportunities through our peer-to-peer and cultural services programs; [3] sustaining and increasing academic, career and leadership development opportunities to comparable levels prior to our budget cuts; [4] co-sponsoring student-initiated programs and events that facilitate collaboration between students, the administration, faculty and the surrounding UCSB community; and [5] strengthening campus-wide programming that addresses issues such as the low rates of recruitment, retention and graduation of first-generation and/or low-income students within the university system.
Currently, there is an EOP/Associated Students lock-in fee of $1.25 which provides funding to EOP financial aid recipients only for emergencies associated with the educational costs of attending UCSB.
Student Medical Emergency Relief Fund (SMERF)
Do you reaffirm a mandatory fee of $0.89 per undergraduate per quarter, including summer, in order to provide funding for the Student Medical Emergency Relief Fund (SMERF) for students who are not able to cover the costs of medical procedures? If reaffirmed, the fee will continue to be assessed until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2013.
yes or no

The fee augments the approx. $2,500 per year generated from interest on the “Jack Canfield Chicken Soup Fund.” The fund (an endowment which is not student fee supported) provides assistance to undergraduate and graduate students experiencing medical emergencies. The SMERF fee provides additional money for students for medical emergencies. By increasing the money in the fund, more interest can be generated which will increase the availability of funds for students in need. The fund supplements existing insurance coverage and/or helps students meet costs of procedures not covered by insurance. The fund is governed by a board consisting of student members and career staff representing several student services on campus. The board meets with applicants once a week to review their requests. During the 2007-08 year, 63 students applied for the fund, receiving a total of $90,622 toward their medical, dental and optical emergencies.

PRO/CON STATEMENTS
All registered students are invited to submit written statements of support or opposition for publication in the Daily Nexus. Pro/Con statements must include the author’s name and be submitted electronically to suzanne.perkin@sa.ucsb.edu, by 5 pm on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Statements will appear in the Daily Nexus on Tuesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 15.

THE ELECTION IS ON LINE!
How to vote:

Go to the UCSB Gold system and follow the instructions after pressing the “Student Elections” button. You may vote on any computer with internet access. Computer banks are located at the SRB, UCen, Davidson Library, and many residence halls. Any difficulty voting should be reported to 893-8824.

VOTER TURNOUT REQUIREMENTS
A minimum 20 percent voter turnout is required in order for the elections to be considered valid. A reaffirmation fails if 60% + one of the voters vote “no”. A sliding scale based on the 5-year average voter turnout (27.64 percent for undergraduates, 27.24 percent for undergraduates and graduate students combined) is used to determine whether an initiative passes. If there is a 20 percent voter turnout, two thirds of those voting must support the measure. If the turnout is 27.64 percent or higher for measures voted on by undergraduates only, or, 27.24 percent or higher for measures voted on by both undergraduates and graduate students, a 50 percent plus one voter approval is needed for the initiative to pass.
These campus-wide measures will be on the ballot along with candidates for A.S. offices and A.S. fee reaffirmation items. Graduate students will vote on a separate ballot. Be sure to be a registered student by April 17, 2009, to be eligible to vote! This voter information pamphlet has been produced by the Campus Elections Commission. The commission, which is composed of students, faculty, and staff members, is a neutral body which advises the chancellor on all matters pertaining to campus-wide elections and conducts elections in such a way that the interests of the voters and the institution are well served through the process. The Campus Elections Commission is NOT affiliated with Associated Students elections.


These campus-wide measures will be on the ballot along with candidates for A.S. Offices and A.S. Fee Reaffirmation items. Graduate students will vote on a separate ballot. Be sure to be a registered student by April 17, 2009 to be eligible to vote!
This voter information pamphlet has been produced by the Campus Elections Commission. The Commission, which is composed of students, faculty, and staff members, is a neutral body which advises the Chancellor on all matters pertaining to campus-wide elections, and conducts elections in such a way that the interests of the voters and the institution are well-served through the process. The Campus Elections Commission is NOT affiliated with Associated Students Elections.
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