As student leaders work to put a $15 to 20 activity fee on the elections ballot, an ASUA elected official said the proposal lacks the research necessary to be ready for the vote.

Victoria Ruan, ASUA administrative vice president, said the fee, which students leaders say would bring major concerts and speakers to campus, has good intentions but asks students to pay too much too soon.

"Everyone want to see more going on (at the UA), but we can't just jump into it with our eyes closed," she said.

But ASUA Sen. Nick Bajema, who helped create the proposal, said adequate research and planning has been done to ensure accountability.

Bajema said the Collaboration Board looked into fee structures at schools in the Pac-10 Conference to ascertain the best way to structure the fee.

If passed, a committee composed of faculty, advisers and students from campus organizations such as ASUA, the University Activities Board and Greek Life would appropriate funding to organizations that request to put on events.

The committee would act independently from organizations such as ASUA and would report to the Collaboration Board, which is comprised of prominent student groups such as ASUA.

The refundable fee, charged at the beginning of every semester, would generate between $1.25 and 1.4 million.

Bajema said 60 percent of the money would help fund events like concerts and speakers, while 35 percent would go into an open fund to subsidize events such as career fairs and multicultural activities.

Students are expected to refund the remaining 5 percent, Bajema said.

Students will also be polled to determine where to allocate the money in order to give the committee the freedom to respond to students.

"If (students) want more concerts, we'll give it to them," he said, adding that polls and attendance at events will help the committee determine which events students want to see on campus.

Greg Billings, president of UAB, said the committee would not plan the events themselves but provide the financial means by which organizations could pay for more ambitious events than their budgets might allow.

"The role (of the committee) is not to replace budgets, but to bolster funds," he said.

This is something that students need. Our campus is really dry when it comes to activities. ÷ Kyleen Phillips education junior

Billings said that it would cost $1.19 million to put on four free concerts similar in size to singer John Mayer, who performs at Tucson Convention Center on Tuesday. If students were charged $17 per ticket, the cost of the concerts would drop to $675,160.

Organizations would apply for funding by submitting proposals to the committee, who would then decide whether to fund the project.

ASUA Sen. Matt Harris said the more detailed the proposal, the more likely the organization would receive money for the event. But Ruan said the committee would force organizations with different goals to compete against each other, something she believes they shouldn't have to do.

Ruan said the ASUA Speakers Board, which brings educational and informative speakers to campus, could miss opportunities to bring in big-name speakers if the committee approves a more humorous speaker brought to campus by another organization.

Ruan said she was concerned the committee would be more responsive to student polls than to recommendations made by elected officials.

In bypassing student government, the committee is exposing weaknesses in student organizations and government on campus, Ruan said.

"If the systems aren't working, try to fix the systems. What is the point of having the structures otherwise?" she said.

Despite the criticism, students are voicing support for the activity fee.

"This is something that students need. Our campus is really dry when it comes to activities," said Kyleen Phillips, an education junior.

Phillips, who has worked for UAB, said the fee would benefit all students, and give smaller clubs the opportunity to apply for funding they might not normally receive.

In a survey conducted by FMR associates, 84 percent of students said they would possibly or definitely support a $25 activity fee.

Bajema said the fee would allow students to directly benefit from the activities.

"The money will be in the hands of the students," he said.

The student activity fee was presented to students yesterday at Gallagher Theater in the Student Union Memorial Center. Less than 10 students showed up at the forum.

Billings said the final proposal for the fee will be ready early next week. Students will be able to vote on the fee March 3 to 4.