Referenda Questions
Referenda Questions Appearing on the 2026 Student Elections Ballot
The following questions will appear on the Student Elections Ballot after meeting the referendum parameters, submission, and ballot design guidelines outlined in the Student Election Rules and Procedures.
Student Initiated Fees Referenda Questions
Campus Transportation Fee
Do you support the Campus Transportation Fee, which funds the continued student access to all Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) bus services and routes?
Explanatory Text:
This fee (currently $70 each fall and spring semester, $35 in summer) gives students access to all bus services, including SafeRides, campus service as well as community routes of the MTD. The University negotiates the contract with MTD with advice and input from our MTD Service Advisory Committee, which includes student representatives. The Student Fee Advisory Committee reviews and recommends the semesterly fee amount to the University.
Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee (CET)
Do you support renewing the Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee, collected each semester, for up to four years beginning July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031?
Explanatory Text:
The CET Fee supports campus renewable energy and energy conservation projects administered by the Student Sustainability Committee. It has funded projects such as Solar Farm 1.0, the Campus Instructional Facility (CIF) Geothermal Exchange System, and the Illinois Biodiesel Initiative.
The $3.00 is assessed each fall, spring, and summer semester. This fee is subject to review by the Student Fee Advisory Committee and approval by the University administration and Board of Trustees. As a student-initiated fee, this must be renewed by student referendum at least once every four years. The next referendum on this fee will be in spring 2030.
Legacy of Service and Learning Scholarship Fee (LSLS)
Do you support renewing the Legacy of Service and Learning Scholarship Fee, each fall and spring semester from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031?
Explanatory Text:
The LSLS Fee funds need- and merit-based scholarships with a community service component. One-third of collected fees fund over 300 undergraduate scholarships, graduate and professional fellowships and scholarships. Two-thirds of the fees collected fund an endowment to sustain growth of the program.
The current fee of $13.00 each fall and spring semester, is subject to review by the Student Fee Advisory Committee and approval by the University administration and Board of Trustees. As a student-initiated fee, this must be renewed by student referendum at least once every four years. The next referendum on this fee will be in spring 2030.
Sustainable Campus Environment Fee (SCEF)
Do you support renewing the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee (SCEF), collected each fall and spring semester, beginning July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031?
Explanatory Text:
SCEF supports sustainability projects and initiatives on campus. The fee is administered by the Student Sustainability Committee and has been used to fund projects such as the Sustainable Student Farm, Campus Bike Center, and Sustainability Living-Learning Community.
This fee, currently $15.00 each fall and spring semester, is subject to review by the Student Fee Advisory Committee and approval by the University administration and Board of Trustees. As a student-initiated fee, this fee must be renewed by student referendum at least once every four years. The next referendum on this fee will be in spring 2030.
Illinois Student Council Referenda Questions
Illinois Student Government Constitution
Do you approve of the proposed Illinois Student Government Constitution?
Explanatory Text:
The Illinois Student Council has developed in operation and scope, necessitating a revision of the constitution. The proposed changes aim to streamline the goals and structure of the Illinois Student Council while maintaining flexibility for future adaptation and growth. The name would revert to Illinois Student Government to better reflect the role of students on campus and within shared governance. An affirmative two-thirds vote of students voting in a student body referendum is required for constitutional amendments.
Relaxing community service requirements for the Legacy of Service and Learning Scholarship
Do you support reducing the service requirement from 50 to 25 hours each year for scholarship recipients?
Explanatory Text:
The Legacy of Service and Learning Scholarship Fee was initiated by the student government in 2006 to promote a spirit of community service while providing need and merit-based scholarships. Since the introduction of this scholarship, students have experienced rising costs of living and college attendance resulting in the need for paid employment in addition to scholarships to fund their education. Lowering the required service hours allows the recipients to better meet the multiple demands on their time.
Fee for Independent Student Government Funding
Do you approve a semesterly student-initiated fee of $1.00 to fund student government, allowing expanded services to the student body?
Explanatory Text:
The Illinois Student Council currently receives funding from Student Affairs, which is fee funded and administrates multiple university units, including housing, cultural centers, campus recreation, McKinley, and the Illini Union. An independent fee would make student government more financially independent of university administration and free up Student Affairs resources to provide additional services to the student body.
Collegiate Readership Fee
Do you support reinstating the Collegiate Readership Fee, collected each semester, at $2.00, providing students with access to major news publications?
Explanatory Text:
The Collegiate Readership Program previously provided students with access to major news publications through a student-initiated fee that was eliminated in FY24, resulting in students losing access to these resources in June 2025. This referendum asks whether the Collegiate Readership Fee should be reinstated to restore access to these resources.
Changing The University of Illinois System Investment Policy on Fossil Fuel Companies
Should the University of Illinois System change its investment policy to exclude fossil fuel companies?
Explanatory Text:
The University of Illinois System has over $100 million invested in fossil fuel companies, including tuition revenue. These are companies that engage in the extraction, production, and distribution of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas. In the 2020 Illinois Climate Action Plan, the University committed to fully divesting from these companies by 2025; it has failed to do so and has since rescinded its commitment. 72.94% of students voting in the Spring 2025 Student Election directed the University of Illinois System to remove its fossil fuel investments within 5 years.
Democratic Process for Student Election Code Amendments
Shall amendments to the Student Election Code by made exclusively by a student-led entity representative of the Illinois Student Body?
Explanatory Text:
The new Student Election Code requires amendments to be made via recommendation to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who has final decision on amendments. Administrative changes to the Student Election Code were previously used to place the following stipulations on referenda. These stipulations were removed following complaints from Illinois Student Council members.
To ensure variety in ballot referenda, the same or substantially similar question shall not be placed on the ballot in consecutive years.
Questions should be germane to the student experience, where a case can be made that the decision will help determine impact on the student body.
Illinois Campus App Fee
Do you support an Illinois Campus App Fee of $10.00 each semester to finance the operation and development of the Illinois App and Rokwire platform?
Explanatory Text:
The SHCI director requested a new student fee of $10 for FY27, increasing to $28 by FY32. This would generate approximately $3 million per year to finance the operation and development of the Illinois App and the Rokwire platform. The Illinois App, primarily developed by 3rd parties such as Inabyte and Rokmetro, provides a centralized platform for functions such as a virtual ID card, dining information, and bus schedules. Rokwire is a flexible, open-source platform on which the Illinois App is built upon. It has been adopted by multiple external entities, including OSF, Vogue Fashion, and Neom University.
Individual Referenda Questions
University Involvement in the Champaign County Reparations Commission
Shall UIUC study, repair, and prevent harms caused by racial injustice by following Urbana in providing the necessary resources to join Champaign County’s reparations commission?
Explanatory Text:
The University would join the Champaign County reparations commission by providing it $25,000 and a faculty representative of the community's choosing. Given the history of racial injustice in the U.S.A, which the university benefits from, it is both just and necessary to make sure those cruel, discriminatory practices can never be committed again. Joining the commission is one way the University can help alleviate centuries of exploitation that Black people continue to face.
University Policy on Expressive Activity on Campus
Do you believe University Expressive Activity on Campus (FO-82) policy infringes on students’ free speech through restrictions on protest sound, signage, movement, time, and location?
Explanatory Text:
In the Summer of 2024, the University revised the existing Campus Administrative Manual policy — notably, Expressive Activity on Campus (FO-82) — to restrict freedom of expression. Following this, Registered Student Organizations received disciplinary charges for previously accepted forms of demonstration. Since then, groups on campus have feared similar punishment and, as a result, chilled their protest activities. This referendum indicates student dissatisfaction with these changes and a request for greater freedom to express political