Results from last week’s referendum election to raise Revelle College’s Student Activities Fee will be available Feb. 3.

If the referendum passes, it will raise the Revelle College Student Activities Fee by $4 to $7 per quarter, and would be effective fall 2003. The fee will also increase an additional $2 in 2008. If the referendum fails, Revelle’s Student Activities Fee will remain at its current rate: $3 per student per quarter.

The Revelle College Council proposed the referendum because of recent budget cuts and a growth in student enrollment. The proposal was also based on survey results given in 2001-02 and a poll of the RCC taken during the current year.

“”The referendum was proposed to enhance and expand current programs,”” said RCC Financial Controller and Special Elections Commissioner Daniel Sollof. “”We believe that we can do a better job of putting on bigger, better events.””

Some activities that the RCC hopes to improve include the annual Sun God Festival, Welcome Week and Spirit Night. Sollof also said that RCC aspires to start a Revelle tradition by putting on its own Sun God Festival-type event.

Voters held differing opinions on whether or not the referendum should pass.

“”I’m up for changes,”” said Revelle sophomore Eric Tjahyadi. “”If there’s an effort and a desire to make something better, I’m totally for it.””

Revelle sophomore and commuter Joe Novencido reflected on both positive and negative aspects of the referendum.

“”If I lived on campus, then it would probably be good, but I don’t, so I doubt I’ll see the money go to any use,”” Novencido said. “”But if the money is going to go toward things like the Sun God Festival, then maybe it’s not so bad.””

There was no organized vocal opposition to the referendum except for a letter sent from a Revelle student to the Revelle College administrators and the RCC. The writer of the letter expressed discontent with the election, but Sollof said the letter’s author was also factually inaccurate about many of the things he or she was upset about.

Elections were held from Jan. 27 to Jan. 31 with polling places at Library Walk, Revelle Plaza and the Matthews Apartments. Off-campus voting was also made available to students with mailed ballots.

California state law requires that for a referendum to pass, 15 percent of the population that would be affected by it must vote in the election and it must pass with a 50 percent majority. According to Sollof, voter turnout had sufficiently reached the 15 percent requirement by Jan. 29.