Davidson says ASA failed to consider UA's needs

"I'm sorry we were half-ass going after something because we were afraid of it," he told the Associated Students' Association Board of Directors at Arizona State University. "For ASA to do what it did, it was uncalled for."

The board passed a resolution opposing mandatory student fees at state universities just days before University of Arizona students voted on a mandatory fee to finance Memorial Student Union renovations.

Davidson, who supported the failed referendum on a $40 per semester student fee, accused the ASA board of "reverse lobbying" and "battling against individual students" when it passed the resolution. Davidson serves on the board, but was unable to vote because of class commitments.

Davidson said he did not understand why ASA was compelled to pass the resolution as soon as it did. He said although he talked about the project for months, no member of the ASA board chose to get involved.

"If we were a strong organization, we would have stood up for students long before this," he said.

Nearly three-fourths of student voters decided to reject the referendum.

The student fee was needed, Davidson said, because "the administration will not do their part. They haven't for years."

Board members disagreed with Davidson's assessment.

"This was never personal," said Andy Ortiz, Arizona State University student body president. "We had to take a stance as a body."

Ortiz said the group was putting students first by voting for the resolution.

"We didn't think that all other options (for funding a renovated Student

Union) were exhausted," Ortiz said. "I was never really convinced."

Davidson said he expects the student fee issue to remain on the ASA plate because fees cause inequalities in university tuitions around the state.

ASA had to take a stance on the issue because the UA fee would have caused a disparity in tuitions among the state's universities, said Mark Rooney, ASA director.

"You can't take a stance after the election," Rooney said.