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Students Vote Today on U.C. Rate Hike

Undergraduate Referendum Will Determine Fate of Proposed $10 Raise

By Todd F. Braunstein

Students will go to the polls today and begin deciding whether to uphold the Undergraduate Council's $10 fee hike.

The voting will take place in dining halls at every lunch and dinner during the next three days.

According to the council office, the question on today's referendum will be "Do you support the Undergraduate Council's proposal for increase the term bill fee form $20 to $30?"

The results of the referendum will be automatically binding on the council, unless a majority of the student body fails to vote.

But even if less than half the students choose to exercise their franchise, President Carey W. Gabay '94 said last Wednesday the council will most likely abide by the referendum's results.

If the students agree to uphold the fee hike, it must still be approved by the Faculty Council.

Vice President Joshua D. Liston '95 said that if a majority of students vote, and they agree to uphold the increase, "it should fly through the Faculty Council."

Any decision made by the students in a binding referendum can be overturned by a three-fourths vote of the council, as specified in its constitution.

As decided by the council executive board last week, campaigning in the dining halls will be allowed.

Liston said on Sunday that the voting area will be "swarming" with pro-fee hike council members.

Yesterday, the council continued its push in support of the fee hike.

At dinner in the Union last night, council member Diallo A. Riddle '97 sang, with guitar accompaniment, a medley of songs championing the increase.

Anjalee C. Davis '96, a former council member who organized a petition drive to force a referendum on the fee hike, said she took no publicity measures opposing the fee hike, aside form writing a guest commentary in today's Crimson.

But Davis said she wrote a letter to all House Committee chairs, asking them to helpboycott today's referendum.

Davis said she is upset that the referendumwould not actually rescind the council's decisionto raise student the student term bill fee.

"It's a completely illegitimate referendum,"Davis said. "Although it states that it's binding,it does not state the U.C. vote is rescinded.Therefore, they can present it to the FacultyCouncil at any time.

"If people vote no on [the referendum], theUndergraduate Council vote to increase the feestill stands," Davis added.

The House Committees will be administering thereferendum in conjunction with council members.The executive board agreed last week that councilmembers administering the referendum would not beallowed to provide information on or opinionsabout the fee hike

Davis said she is upset that the referendumwould not actually rescind the council's decisionto raise student the student term bill fee.

"It's a completely illegitimate referendum,"Davis said. "Although it states that it's binding,it does not state the U.C. vote is rescinded.Therefore, they can present it to the FacultyCouncil at any time.

"If people vote no on [the referendum], theUndergraduate Council vote to increase the feestill stands," Davis added.

The House Committees will be administering thereferendum in conjunction with council members.The executive board agreed last week that councilmembers administering the referendum would not beallowed to provide information on or opinionsabout the fee hike

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