The student activity fee is here to stay. For now.

Saint Louis University students voted in favor of two referenda on Monday’s election ballot, opting to keep the student activity fee and to increase it to $30 per semester. Currently, the fee is $19 per semester.

The first referendum-which passed by a vote of 1,859 to 300-posed the question, “Should the current student activity fee of $19 per semester be continued in order to support student activities and organizations?”

The fee-introduced in 1994-has been used to fund chartered student organizations since 1997 when the Student Government Association finally approved a proposal for the implementation of the fee.

The fee is added to each student’s tuition bill every semester, totaling $38 for the entire year.

Thirty-eight dollars, that is, until next fall when those bills will reflect the $11 increase proposed in the second referendum. Students voted 1,323-300 in favor of the increase.

Senior Todd Bauer voted in favor of both referenda. “I think $30 a semester is well-worth it, especially if it’s going to bring a little more life to campus-something that SLU definitely needs,” Bauer said.

“I think the fact that we have an overwhelming majority to keep it says that students want activities on campus and that they want to make those better,” said Brian Suda, general manager of SLU’s radio station, KSLU. KSLU is one of several CSOs that received more than $15,000 in funding last spring, along with the Great Issues Committee and Student Activities Board.

SAB president Ryan Murphy also welcomed the increase. “We’re happy that it passed,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will ask for more money.” Murphy said that with the increased funding pool, SAB’s goal to bring two comedians, one concert and other events per semester is feasible.

“There will probably be more student organizations that request more money,” said SGA president-elect Michael Cappel, “but it’s a token step.”

Financial vice president-elect Chris Avery said that the $11 increase is by no means going to solve the problem of allocating money to CSOs. Each spring, CSOs generally request more funding for the following year than the amount actually received.

“The referenda are what everyone was biting their nails about,” Avery said.

Avery pointed out that plans to seek external or alternative sources of funding are still critical. “Sure, we have some more money to work with now, but what else can we do to (raise) funds?” he asked. “This is the perfect opportunity for organizations to expand beyond SGA funding.”