Naturally, all fee increases are initially perceived with skepticism. It is our duty as paying students to educate ourselves on all fees that affect us. While Kwong’s concern is healthy and appreciated, his points are misguided.

Yes, the Che Cafe does have low rent. Take into account the facts: It is recognized as a non-profit at the state level, it is student-run, and its location is nearly a satellite site of UCSD. Can you say you walk past the Che Cafe on a daily basis?

On the topic of vendors, UCEN does not charge them simply “based on a percentage of their gross receipts.” Vendors pay a market-based rent or a rent based on their percentage of sales — whichever is higher. The effect of increasing vendor rent would trickle down to students in that menu prices would rise, and we would have to pay more for meals.

Kwong’s article hints at the lack of necessity for the student-run cooperatives and the Crafts Center. He wants us to ask ourselves, “When was the last time I went to the co-op?” My answer is yesterday. These services help students find community, nourishment, creativity and more. Sure, they aren’t utilized by every student, but what service is? I wouldn’t be affected by the loss of the Women’s Center, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see it as an essential service.

While there have been debts accruing from the cooperatives, University Centers Advisory Board, GSA, A.S. and the Coops are in the process of rewriting the Master Space Agreement that the coops must abide by. In addition, UCAB has set a new rent structure for the three coops housed in the Student Center and is discussing a debt-repayment plan. With a new MSA and rent structure in place, we hope that rent payment will no longer be an issue. With turnover of members in all the parties involved, we (councils, cooperatives, board members) are the group that is appropriately addressing the problems of debt, lack of communication and accountability. We are setting a new precedent to be followed for years to come in the hope that problems we are currently facing are avoided.

This fee increase prevents: deterioration, cuts to services, reduction in concerts and events, conversion of student space to retail space and decreased student employment. It ensures: the execution of needed maintenance, funding towards the Crafts Center, retention of computer labs, low to free rates for meeting rooms and AV equipment and continued hours of operation that we currently have.

Visit https://sites.google.com/site/ucenreferendum/home to learn more about the benefits of this fee increase.

— Albert Trujillo
Senior, Muir College