The undergraduate student government plans to discuss a possible fee increase referendum to create a fund for Bruin Bash at its meeting tonight.
The annual Bruin Bash includes the Enormous Activities Fair, a Welcome Back concert, a movie and a dance and lounge for students. The free event is hosted by the Undergraduate Students Association Council Cultural Affairs Commission and Campus Events Commission the Sunday before the start of fall quarter.
In the past, the event has largely been funded using surplus funds from USAC, unused money carried over from previous councils.
The referendum would ask students if a fund specific to Bruin Bash should be created by increasing quarterly student fees by $1.33, according to the referendum proposal. The “Bruin Bash Concert and Enormous Activities Fair Fund” would receive $1 of the fee and $0.33 will be returned to undergraduate students in the form of financial aid, according to the proposal.
If USAC approves the proposal, students will be able to vote on the measure during the council’s elections in May.
“We’ve had lots of extensive conversations about funding and the stability of surplus,” said USAC President David Bocarsly, who drafted the language of the proposal. “In all of these conversations about funding, Bruin Bash has come up.”
The council will begin discussions on the proposed referendum at its meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in Kerckhoff 417.
Compiled by Jillian Beck, Bruin senior staff. Contributing reports by Kristen Taketa, Bruin reporter.