The student fee advisory council voted not to consider implementing Measure 1, passed by students in the election, after the Associated Students Inc. board failed to turn in an application for fee increases.

Measure 1 would redirect $60,000 from the ASI budget to fund a new grants writer position, as well as additional funding to continue supporting a contract with Regional Transit.

The role of the student fee advisory council, made up of students and administration, is to recommend to President Alexander Gonzalez if campus fee increases should be implemented.

However, Gonzalez has the final decision.

James Shelby II, ASI vice president of finance and author of Measure 1, was one of the few on the council who voted to implement the fee increase.

Shelby said the members of the administration voted against even discussing the implementation of Measure 1, since ASI failed to turn in an application for fee increase plans.Shelby said historically ASI has not had to turn in an application for fee increases through the fee advisory committee.

“They’re playing politics with student dollars,” Shelby said.

Shelby and Josh Wood, outgoing ASI president, met with Gonzalez on April 25 to ask him to ask the committee to reconsider looking at Measure 1.

The process first involves the students approving a fee increase referendum in the election. Then the council serves primarily as a “rubber stamp,” recommending the students’ choice, and then Gonzalez must approve, Wood said.

Wood said the meeting with Gonzalez went well and he believes the student fee advisory council will now consider Measure 1, likely as soon as next week.

“We want the committee to take a look at it,” Shelby said.

“(Regional) Transit is so important, we need to get going on it, it’s five percent of the budget,” Shelby said.

In the proposed 2005-2006 budget, just released by the ASI board at the April 27 board meeting, $456,263 is dedicated to the Regional Transit contract.

Shelby said the Regional Transit funding is not dependent on the redirecting of funds from Measure 1, but that funding for the contract will be dependent on it in future budgets.

Paul Noble, vice president of planning and budget for Academic Affairs who voted against discussing Measure 1, could not be reached for comment.

Suzanne Greene, university associate vice president of finance and another member of the council, also could not be reached for comment regarding the vote.

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Greg Hyatt can be reached at [email protected]