The 2026 Campus Elections will be open for voting from April 20-23! This year, CLAS is up for reaffirmation!
What are Campus Elections?
Campus Elections are the process through which campus-based fees are voted upon by UCSB Students. The Campus Elections Commission (CEC), comprised of students, faculty, and staff, educates voters about the scope, financial implications, pros and cons of each ballot measure being placed before the electorate, and assures that campus-wide elections are conducted in a fair and efficient manner.
Campus Elections take place every four years and include both reaffirmations and new fees for students to vote on. The vote requires a 20% turnout of student voters.
Why do we need fees when we pay for tuition?
Tuition is a flat, per-unit cost for instruction and education, while campus fees are intended to support the operations of various campus-specific resources, including CLAS, so that all students have access to them for no additional cost.
What is reaffirmation?
Reaffirmation is a vote on whether or not to continue paying a fee without making any changes to it. A "yes" vote on a reaffirmation of a fee is a vote to approve continuation of a fee as it exists, while a "no" vote will lead to a discontinuation of the fee and, usually, a discontinuation of that campus activity or resources (as happened to the UCSB football team in the 1990s).
What about students who cannot afford to pay more in fees?
All fees introduced after 2006 include the return-to-aid surcharge, 25% of the total fee charged, to cover need-based financial aid for UCSB students whose financial aid awards would not otherwise cover student-imposed mandatory campus fees.
How can I decide which fees I want to support and which I don't?
Every election cycle includes a Voters Guide that includes a description of the purpose of each fee.
Why are there so many "Safe Student Services" fees on the ballot this year?
Many student fees were approved 20 years ago and have never adjusted for inflation because they do not include a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). As a result, there is a gap in the fees' buying power in today's economic reality. Save Student Services is an initiative to catch fees up and add COLA so that the fees actually cover what they are intended to support. If approved, these fees would still be up for reaffirmation every four years in Campus Elections.
Your vote impacts future students. Let your voice be heard! Vote on April 20-23!
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