Vote in the GSA elections

The Graduate Division would like to remind you to participate in the UCSB online elections. Each vote is crucial as it decides the future of a number of important initiatives, such as: AS Undergraduate Food Bank Fee Initiative, GSA General Fee Increase, GSA Subsidized Summer MTD Bus Pass Fee, and UCSB/MTD Superticket Bus Program. Please read each initiative carefully. The vote is online through UCSB GOLD. VOTE HERE.

Here are some items included on this years ballot:

AS Undergraduate Food Bank Fee Initiative:

Do you wish to continue a mandatory fee, contingent upon successful reaffirmation of the AS Undergraduate Food Bank Fee Initiative, of $0.85 per graduate student, per quarter (excluding summer) to help fund the operational and food expense costs of the Associated Students Food Bank? Of the $0.85 collected, $0.60 goes to the fund, $0.21 is for return-to-aid, $0.04 is for a 7% campus-based administrative tax. If passed, the fee would continue to be collected through spring 2022 and be subject to reaffirmation in spring 2022.

PROS: These funds would enable GSA to continue to pay into the AS Food Bank, which helps to combat food insecurity in the graduate student community.

CONS: Continuation of this established fee may be a slight financial burden on graduate students. The AS Food Bank benefits some but not all, graduate students.

GSA General Fee Increase:

Do you approve increasing the GSA general fee by $17.12 per graduate student per quarter (excluding summer) in order to fund the Administrative Manager of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) (Breakdown: $12.00 goes to GSA, $4.28 is for return to aid, $0.84 is for administrative tax)? This increase is necessary to fund an Administrative Manager to, among other duties, manage the GSA lounge (including bagel hour, lounge upkeep, and lounge staff), process financial transactions, and serve as the institutional memory of the GSA. The current GSA General Fee is $20.49 (Breakdown: $17.42 goes to GSA, $2.37 is for return to aid, and $0.33 is for administrative tax). If the increase is approved, the increase would go into effect fall 2020 and continue until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2024 and bring the total GSA General Fee to $37.61.

PROS: This fee increase is necessary to support the full-time Administrative Manager position. Without this fee increase, funding for other programming such as bagel hour, lobbying efforts, and Mosher time would need to be reduced to support this position. This position is essential to the GSA as it allows for better lounge management, faster grant processing, and will facilitate elected representatives in their efforts to empower graduate students and enhance their experience at UCSB. In addition, this position will provide continuity through the training of newly elected representatives. This will enable the GSA to better pursue long-term plans and increase the GSA's effectiveness. Revenue is accrued to the UCSB Graduate Student Association, who assume responsibility for disbursement of funds in accordance with GSA bylaws. Policies and procedures are determined by the Graduate Student Association in accordance with existing university policies.

CONS: The added fee may be a slight financial burden on graduate students.

GSA Subsidized Summer MTD Bus Pass Fee:

Do you approve a mandatory fee of $3.00 per graduate student per quarter (excluding summer), in order to fund subsidized Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District 10-ride and 30-day summer bus passes for non-registered continuing graduate students, (Breakdown: $2.10 goes to GSA for the bus passes, $0.75 is for return to aid, $0.15 is for administrative tax)? With this fee, continuing graduate students who are enrolled for fall quarter but not enrolled for summer quarter would be able to purchase subsidized bus passes for their summer commuting needs.
This fee would be in addition to the $13.13 per graduate student per quarter (including summer), currently collected to provide quarterly access to MTD bus transportation at no additional charge for registered students.
If approved, the fee would begin fall 2020 and continue until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2024.

PROS: These funds would enable GSA to continue offering subsidized MTD 10-ride and 30-day bus passes to all non-registered, but continuing graduate students (based on spring and fall enrollment), over the summer. Any money remaining in this fund at the end of summer would roll-over to the next year.

CONS: The added fee may be a slight financial burden on graduate students. The subsidized bus summer passes will benefit some, but not all, graduate students.

UCSB/MTD Superticket Bus Program:

Do you wish to continue a mandatory fee of $13.13 per undergraduate and graduate student per quarter (including summer) to fund the UCSB/Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) Superticket Bus Program? Any fee increase will be indexed to the MTD adult fare. If reaffirmed, the UCSB/MTD Superticket Bus Program fee would continue to be assessed until subject to reaffirmation in spring 2024, unless cancelled by UCSB or MTD.

PROS: These funds would enable GSA to continue offering subsidized MTD superticket bus passes to all graduate students over the academic year.

CONS: The added fee may be a slight financial burden on graduate students. The subsidized bus passes will benefit some, but not all, graduate students.

NOTES
* Return to aid (RTA) applies to all fees originally passed 2006 or later; administrative assessment applies to all fees originally passed 2009 or later. If RTA or administrative assessment is not listed, it does not apply to the fee.

* Definition of Return to Aid: The return to aid surcharge, 25% of the total fee charged, is assessed to every campus-based, student-initiated, mandatory new fee and increase to an existing fee initiated 2006 or later. The surcharge revenue that is collected from graduate students is used by the campus to cover need-based financial aid for UCSB graduate students whose financial aid awards would not otherwise cover student-imposed mandatory campus fees.

* Definition of Administrative Fee: The administrative fee, 1-8% of the base fee charged (depending on year originally passed), is assessed to every campus-based, student-initiated, mandatory new fee and increase to an existing fee passed 2010 or later. The fee is used by the campus to cover the administrative costs of collecting, accounting, and disbursing the student-imposed mandatory campus fees. The fee applies to undergraduate and graduate student fees.

For questions or comments, email Pedro Craveiro, VP of Communication & Records.