UCI students vote on fee

Undergraduate students at UC Irvine are voting this week on a measure to expand the campus’ shuttle service, a project that, if passed, would boost tuition fees this fall.

Today is the final day to vote in the Associated Students of UC Irvine’s spring election, in which four undergraduates are running for campus president. In addition to the candidates, the ballot features three referendums that would enhance programs at UCI ? including the shuttle measure, which attempts to make the campus more commuter-friendly in the face of ongoing expansion.

If students approve the measure, their fees will increase by $8 per quarter beginning this fall. The $8 quarterly fee would continue indefinitely, Feliciano said, with another referendum needed to put a stop to it.

“I’m predicting this is going to be a necessity for the longtime future of the university,” student body President Carlos Feliciano said.

The student government has avidly endorsed the shuttle project, saying that UCI needs more buses and drivers to accommodate a fast-growing campus.

The referendums “all need to pass, but I think the impact of the shuttles is going to be the biggest,” said Feliciano, whose term ends in June. “If we don’t pass it, I don’t see how we can meet this demand for ridership.”

That demand, according to the student body, is on the way up. The UCI shuttles, which stop at 31 locations on and near campus, have seen their patronage nearly triple in the last half-decade. This year, the campus has projected more than 1 million riders on the buses, a number expected to increase this fall with the opening of a new student dorm.

The UCI shuttle service is run entirely by students, who pilot the 15 diesel-fueled buses on weekdays during the fall, winter and spring quarters. If the referendum goes through, the student body intends to purchase four new buses that operate on natural gas, citing a rule from the South Coast Air Quality Management District that prohibits more than 15 diesel shuttles on campus.

Money from the measure would also go toward wheelchair lifts, shuttle stop renovations and other services. In the near future, the student body intends to expand bus service to the summer quarter as well.

Olivia Rodriguez, one of the four candidates for student body president, said she was in favor of the measure.

“Regardless of whether they live on campus or not, everyone benefits from the shuttles in one way or another,” she said. “The commuters have less people to compete with for parking because people use the shuttles instead.”

The three other candidates ? Stephanie Johnson, Yohan Kim, and Gil Weisner ? could not be reached for comment.

In addition to the shuttle measure, this week’s ballot includes referendums for Campus Activities to Revitalize Education, a resource program for low-income students, and additional funds for entertainment events on campus.