Measure 47:  Student Government Fee Amendment
By Michael Mott

This measure is about increasing support for student governance.

If passed, Measure 47 will add an additional $1.50 to the current $7 student fee that is allocated to the UC Student Association (UCSA), a coalition of all UC student governments.

UCSA provides a space where every UC student can be represented and students can collaborate together to face challenges like recent budget cuts, major suspensions and attacks on educational quality.

The fee adjustment would affect students beginning in fall quarter of 2011.

While there would be a student fee increase — a difficult choice in this current economic climate — the measure would benefit students by providing more funding for campus-wide events like disaster relief fundraisers, rallies, teach-ins, educational forums and conferences such as Womyn of Color Conference that took place earlier this month.

Out of the total sum paid toward the new fee, 33 percent would go toward covering the fee for students who can’t afford the increase.

The fee also helps support UCSA itself. Currently, a 67-cent portion of the $7 fee pays for automatic membership to UCSA. The $1.50 increase would be in act for all UCSC undergraduates, and will generate approximately $68,330.