In its first meeting of the semester Wednesday, Fresno State’s Associated Students, Inc. opened preliminary discussions on whether to allow Lyles College of Engineering students to vote in the upcoming ASI elections on a possible student fee increase.

The proposed fee increase, presented by Lyles College Sen. Ezra Nathaniel Rodriguez, would be exclusive to the engineering school’s students. Those students would then vote in March’s ASI election ballot whether or not to approve the fee increase, which would support an upgrade of infrastructure and student services for Lyles College.

The exact amount of the fee increase was not disclosed.

“LCOE would like to poll just those students who are majoring in engineering or construction management at Fresno State,” Rodriguez said in a written proposal distributed to other ASI senators during Wednesday’s meeting. “With this new fee, only the students of LCOE will have to pay the additional fee.”

As part of the California State University’s systemwide fee referendum process, affected students must cast an “advisory vote” before a fee increase can take effect.

ASI uses electronic ballots which are sent to all Fresno State students. Questions on the ballots can also be filtered by major. The 2015 ASI elections will be March 24-26.

In the outlined proposal, Rodriguez said the fee increase would boost the quality of student services and provide additional funding for laboratory upgrades and the college’s clubs.

Senators at Wednesday’s meeting were seemingly undecided on including the poll in March’s ballot.