The $39 fee referendum for the expansion and renovation of the Price Center and Student Center passed 54 percent to 44 percent. The voting period last week brought 6,415 students, 28.9 percent of the student body, to the polls.

“”I’m more pleased that students came out to vote than any result that could have happened,”” said A.S. President Jeremy Paul Gallagher. “”This week has been incredible, first the protest, counter-protest and Sun God itself. The Price Center has been packed with student activism and student involvement.””

The results of the Price Center and Student Center Expansion Referendum will now be forwarded to Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Joseph W. Watson and then to the office of Chancellor Robert C. Dynes. The referendum will also go to the University of California Office of the President for final approval. When the approval processes are completed, a 30-year bond can be issued for construction to begin.

A Building Advisory Committee, comprised of two-thirds students and a student co-chair, will also be formed some time next year to oversee planning, design and construction of the expansion. Other members of the board will also include professionals such as architects and contractors as well as representatives from university departments such as Campus Planning and Physical Planning to ensure that any building will be up to code.

“”I am extremely ecstatic,”” said University Centers Advisory Board Chair and member of the “”Vote Yes”” campaign James Lynch. “”I’m so proud that the students of UCSD saw the importance and saw the need and made the right decision.””

The fee referendum was a process that began about one year ago with the University Centers Expansion Task Force. UCETF first drafted and proposed the referendum wording to the A.S. Council and the Graduate Student Association. Once approval came through, the UCETF also launched an information campaign to educate students on the expansion and encourage them to vote.

“”By the fact that almost 30 percent of the student population voted on this matter, which is a significantly large turnout for this campus, assures me that this is in fact what most students on this campus wanted,”” said UCETF chair Garo Bournoutian. “”When I initially heard the news, I was pleased with the results. Everyone on the task force did an amazing job with this referendum.””

The voting week for the referendum was marked by “”Pro”” and “”Con”” campaigns throughout the special election. UCAB funded the special elections and provided for polling booths, posters and flyers for the UCETF’s campaign and all other campaigns regarding the referendum.

“”Obviously we’re really disappointed,”” said Jennifer Cohen, a core member of the Food Co-op and supporter of the “”Vote No”” campaign. “”We didn’t have the means for necessary outreach because the neutral campaign and the ‘Yes’ campaign were pretty much the same thing and together they had $1,300 to promote it. We’re just happy that people went out there and voted.””

Others were also displeased with the results of the referendum. A “”Vote No”” campaign has been a continuing presence throughout the voting period. The campaign has brought up issues of whether the referendum process has been student-initiated and whether an expansion is necessary. According to the campaign group’s Web site, http://studentcontrol.org, expansion is expensive, unnecessary and should be a student-controlled project.

“”They tried to pass the referendum three, four times already,”” said Thurgood Marshall College freshman Felix Truong, a supporter of the “”Vote No”” campaign. “”And if the students said no each time, then they should probably drop it.””

According to Gallagher, other steps need to be taken in the expansion and renovation processes to make sure that the referendum text will be followed. If any item in the referendum were not completed, students could make a case to the A.S. Council and GSA to not pay.

“”The referendum is a contract,”” Gallagher said. “”If they don’t deliver what it says, then students don’t have to pay for it. That’s the plain factual legal matter of it.””

Others have also expressed the need for students to still have active roles in ensuring that what the referendum states will be followed.

“”I think that it’s possible if students apply pressure in a positive way that they can get what they want,”” said Jon Walton, a core member of the Food Co-op. “” I feel that if students apply pressure in a positive manner, I think they can get most of what they might want.””

Fees for the expansion and renovation will not be collected until 2007, when construction is approximated to be completed.