The fate of the Cesar Chavez Student Center is being decided today, as SF State students enter their second of three days of voting for the fee referendum.

Proposition C, as it is being called by the university, was put on the ballot in order to enable the Cesar Chavez Student Center to maintain and enhance programming and services to students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests of SF State.

The referendum’s purpose also is to provide funds to support the maintenance and improvements to the building infrastructure and continue to have sufficient funds to meet debt obligations and remain fiscally viable through 2015.

Currently the total student fee is $52, but if the referendum passes, the fees for the student center will increase incrementally by $30 over a period of three years.

The fee increase would not come into effect until Fall 2005 when the total student fee would go up $10, and would continue to go up $10 for the next two years. In Fall 2007, the total student fee would peak at $82.

If passed, the fee will finance building improvements, provide salaries and benefits to SF State employees, service the building bond debt, extend service hours and increase the balance of reserve funds to meet California State University contingency guidelines.

Voting for Proposition C began Tuesday and will continue until April 8, with three polling locations located outside the business building, the Cesar Chavez Student Center and outside the Humanities building.

The first day of voting brought out a dismal 600 students, but Public Affairs Director Christina Holmes expects a much greater turn out over the next two days. “This referendum has to do with students and their money so I think that students will display a great interest in what will happen,” Holmes said.

Although Holmes expects a decent voter turnout, she does not expect as many students to vote for this referendum as they did for the March referendum. “In March, there were four different things to vote on, and I think that it brought many more students to vote because of it. But this vote is not nearly as big,” Holmes said.

Many students who did vote feel that this referendum is as important as any other. “I voted yes, because I am on the governing board, and I know how desperately funding is needed. The dollar does not add up as much anymore, and we need money to com from where ever we can get it,” said 21-year-old senior Tina Wong.

Most students polled agreed that this was an important referendum that must be passed. “I need the Student Center to get my work done. The library is nice, but I think students need a place where they can study but also have the social aspect at the same time,” said 21-year-old junior Crystal Carothers.

“I voted yes, because while this is a burden on us, we must realize how the times are and that we need these increases,” said Criminal Justice major Tyrone DeMartra.

Yet not all students feel that this fee referendum is necessary. “I voted no, because I don’t think it’s right to put the burden on us when there is money being allocated the wrong way,” said senior Carmen Figueroa.

While students struggle with whether to vote for the fee increases, other students simply don’t care. “I’m not real educated on what’s going on, so I’m not voting,” said Molecular Biology senior Rosa Uribe. “I am too busy with other stuff.”