Campus Expansion Initiative

The Campus Expansion Initiative was influential in pushing the campus move to NCAA Division I-AA athletics. The initiative resulted in an increase in student fees of $120 on average per quarter for undergraduate and $22 for graduate students. The majority of these fees are meant to pay for other campus buildings (expansions?). The student vote was purely advisory.

Fall 2002 Election results. The initiative passed by a margin of ~8%: 709 votes.

Although the bill was approved by 54% of the voting student body, some argue it is "the worst idea ever," deeming it a Christmas Tree Bill, and believe that the athletic expansion was worthless.

I hear the the advisory vote was actually illegal because they put it on the ballot right before the vote, thus not giving opposition any chance to mobolize. Can any one confirm this?— josephaaronelijahstewart

• I can confirm that. It was put on after the normal deadline for ASUCD Ballot Initiatives, and there is no Senate Bill authorizing the initiative's placement on the ballot. However, it was not illegal, but it did violate ASUCD's Elections Code. RobRoy is looking into this. —BrentLaabs
• Someone already looked into this shortly after it happened. The Chief Justice of the ASUCD Court at the time declared the vote "Null and Void" because it was placed on the ballot in violation of the elections codes. I believe that justice was then removed from her position during a closed Senate session for a reason that I honestly can't remember. Hopefully Rob Roy can help refresh my memory through his own research. And yes, the Senate decided around that time that the ASUCD Court still did not have any power over elections. - Paul Amnuaypayoat

Here is the ASUCD Student Court opinion (dated January 2003) declaring the Campus Expansion Initiative "null and void.": cei.pdf

The CEI continues to generate controversy. SSFAAC has twice voted not to increase the fee in accordance with the CPI (inflation), in 2007 and 2009.

Text of the Initiative

Part A

• A move to NCAA Division I Intercollegiate Athletics. The initiative will allow the University to explore a move from Division II to Division I. If the campus formally declares its intention to transition to Division I, collection of the Student fees will begin in Fall 2003 at a rate that will fund athletic grants-in-aid (only) to the maximum level allowed by the NCAA.
• Coffee House Expansion. The ASUCD Coffee House will be expanded to accommodate more students and more food services.
• Unitrans. Fees will be used for new buses, a new Silo bus terminal, and to provide matching funds for Federal grants.
• A "Principles of Community Center" to co-locate student service departments and provide student intern work space, multicultural educational programming areas and student gathering spaces focused on campus community and student life.
• Return to Aid. This fee will provide funding to support undergraduate students with the greatest financial need.

Schedule and Summary of Fees Per Quarter

The student fees will be collected as shown in the table.

Part B

• New Student Health Center. The fees will fund the construction and maintenance of a new upgraded, redesigned, and modernized student health center to accommodate more student utilization and advancements in health care service delivery.
• Return to Aid. This fee will provide funding to support undergraduate students with the greatest financial need.

Schedule and Summary of Fees Per Quarter

The student fees will be collected as shown in the table.