Whereas, the New University is an independent entity that does not receive allotted funds from ASUCI or the Student Registration Fee,

Whereas, the New University has faced economic hardship for more than a decade without outside assistance,

Whereas, the New University has refrained until the most dire need from asking students to fund this award-winning newspaper, preferring to exhaust all options before asking for campus support to maintain the publication,

Whereas, the New University’s first Measure U Newspaper Fund referendum passed in UCI’s Spring 2013 elections, and is set to expire in Spring 2018.

Whereas, the New University has been saving money and lowering costs in any way possible by reducing editorial space, creating shorter issues, cutting full-time staff and editorial board stipends, and cutting distribution by increasing online presence,

Whereas, this referendum would be used to fund the operations of the New University to ensure it is able to continue to sustain its operations, is able to maintain staff and operations, and the University is informed of what is occurring on the campus in perpetuity,

Whereas, the New University is regarded as one of the few large and noteworthy college print publications south of Los Angeles,

Whereas, the end of the New University would result in an end of the only regular widespread media presence on campus and losing the check and balance that the University needs to stay transparent to the student body and thus a UCI population less aware of campus events, news, and culture, which would be detrimental to the activism of the UCI community,

Whereas, the funding of the operations would allow it to continue publishing, expand digitally, and present the UCI population with a check and balance as well as needed transparency, quality journalism, voice of the various clubs, communities, groups, individuals, and organizations on campus, and coverage of events and conditions that the UC system is currently experiencing and will conceivably experience for the foreseeable economic climate,

Whereas, the New University has recently expanded its coverage of various, if not all, aspects of campus life to bring to the eyes of the UCI population, and would continue and increase such efforts should funds become available,

Therefore, let it be resolved that the Measure U Newspaper Fund (MUNF) referendum be placed on the ballot for the Spring 2018 elections with the approval of Legislative Council.

Measure U Newspaper Fund Extension Referendum 2018

Do you approve the increase to the existing Measure U fee ($0.99 per student per quarter) starting fall quarter 2018 to $5 per quarter for the next ten years to support the operational costs of the New University, which is the official student newspaper of UC Irvine?

• The fee will be charged to undergraduate students

• The fee will be assessed during the fall, winter, and spring quarters.

• The fees collected will be managed by Student Media. An audit of the use of these funds may be provided upon request.

• In accordance with campus practice, 33% of the fee increase will be returned to financial aid to help offset the cost of this fee for students who are eligible for financial aid.

• Starting fall 2019, the fee will increase annually based on the California Consumer Price Index (CPI) to offset the effects of inflation. The CPI will be taken from the California Department of Finance’s calendar year annual average of all urban consumers’ CPI‐U.

• The New University – Student Media is responsible for providing an annual report to the Chancellor on its programming and operations to ensure the proper and effective use of the fees collected. In addition, this report will be presented to the ASUCI Senate.  Upon request, this report shall be available.

• This fee will sunset on its 10th year (2028-29) unless the student body reaffirms this fee. This fee can be reaffirmed as early as the 9th year (2027-28); otherwise, if there is no vote to reaffirm this fee by the end of its 10th year (2028-29), the fee will terminate.

• In order to pass, this referendum will require a 20% eligible undergraduate voter turnout rate during the ASUCI Spring Elections, of which 60% of those votes need to be Yes votes.

_____ Yes, I support a new per quarter fee for the Measure U Referendum.  

______ No, I do not support a per quarter fee for the Measure U Referendum.  

_____ Abstain