The fee debate will be back.
Although many of the activity fee's biggest supporters are graduating in May, future student leaders are already thinking about what went wrong in the election so they can get the $30 per year fee past a student vote next year.
The fee was voted down by 56.5 percent of the 3,006 students who took part in the election this week.
Cody Ortmann, Associated Students of the University of Arizona senator-elect, said he understands the intense level of commitment the fee initiative requires and already has ideas for next year.
"I would like to see it worked on in the summer and have a marketing campaign aimed at incoming freshmen," Ortmann said.
Many students said throughout the week that they felt the election was rushed, and that student leaders didn't allow enough time for them to become informed.
Bridgette Gallagher, future University Activities Board president, said she is interested in reformatting the fee because it is an idea she supports.
"It would really improve the overall morale, school spirit and community on campus," she said. "Concerts, guest speakers · they are something where different groups can come together and everyone can enjoy."
UAB President Greg Billings, who helped create the fee proposal, said he is willing to help future student leaders set up a solid platform to improve the activity fee.
"Programming brings campus to life and creates a connection to campus that the UA lacks now," Billings said.
Billings said the idea of the activity fee originally began last year in discussions with Doug Hartz, former ASUA president, and J.P. Benedict, current ASUA president. Hartz, Benedict and Billings researched fee structures at other schools but said they believed the fee was "never going to happen."
But following the success of UA Latenight last semester, Billings said he asked himself, "What are students missing on campus?" He realized it was the need for more entertainment and social events.
As the fee proposal progressed, students began meeting up to three times per week and devoting hours to writing bylaws and setting the fee's structure, ASUA Sen. Nick Bajema said.
Although Benedict, Bajema and Billings will graduate in May, future student leaders said they are interested in holding further discussions and reworking the fee.
Steven Eddy, an incoming senator, said the future ASUA Senate will analyze what went wrong and change what they can to make the fee a successful initiative.
"They set the platform for us," he said. "It's taking the work they have set for us and taking it to a new level, working with what we've got to make a better proposal."
Nathan Bell, an incoming senator who wrote the activity fee bylaws as a member of the Collaboration Board, said an important area to improve is the informational campaign.
"A lot could have been done in terms of getting the word out sooner," he said. "I personally think there should have been more time."
Prashant Raj, a future ASUA senator, said logistics involving the Bursar's Office, refunds, "free riders" and allocations should be further discussed with increased student input.
"If they involve a diverse background of people in their decision making, then they can reach different kinds of people," he said.
Billings also advised holding more structured forums and developing a more resourceful Web site.
Melissa Vito, dean of students and supporter of student leaders' efforts to implement the activity fee, said if future leaders wish to continue the fee, it is important to understand which groups of students voted against the fee and why.
"If the students have the interest in doing that, they have the potential to be successful," she said.
Alistair Chapman, ASUA president-elect, called the referendum a "productive process" and hopes positive discussions will result from it.
"We will look at different outlets to enrich student life," he said. "I can guarantee we are going to work as hard as possible next year."