Ryerson students won’t be voting on a $60 U-Pass this fall, as projected by last year’s student union, and will be waiting until spring 2009 for a referendum on cheaper transit.

“The VP education didn’t make it a priority last year and it was the president who had to step up, so we didn’t get to do as much as we should have,” said current vice-president education Rebecca Rose, referring to last year’s infighting.

With only a few months left in the year, pressure to finalize negotiations mounts, as the TTC’s offer to freeze the $60 price tag until 2010 expires in January, when the price will climb to $65.

“I’m surprised it’s taken this long,” said Mike Anders, TTC market and research director. “We’ve been working on this for an extended period of time, to have this settled.”

But even with a $5 price increase, Rose is firm that the union should bide its time.

“The TTC obviously wants to hold a referendum sooner rather than later, but they do have to appreciate that we need to educate our members, as they’re our first priority and need to be fully informed when they cast their ballot,” she said.

After a similar referendum failed to pass at the University of Toronto last spring, many universities across the GTA aren’t confident to rush ahead.

“It illustrated why we need to make sure we do the groundwork, because a lot of students felt like it was sprung on them,” said Rose.

But before Ryerson’s campus is smattered with posters and littered with pamphlets, the finer details of the pass must be negotiated, Rose said.

“The logistics of offering a universal pass are quite staggering,” she said, referring to the features of the card. It must be determined if the card will be swiped or have a photo, if parking will be included and how and when it will be purchased and distributed. Another important consideration is if an opt-out option can be offered.

The low price of the U-Pass, which gives students the option of unlimited TTC or York Region travel, or a $60 credit towards a monthly GO Transit pass, relies on it being compulsory for all students.

With 71 per cent of Ryerson students already using the TTC and an additional 9 per cent using a combination of the TTC or GO Transit and a vehicle, a significant number of students will benefit.

Sheldon Levy, president of Ryerson University, acknowledges that the plan has many complications, but he is still a “huge supporter” of the U-Pass because of what it offers to students and the campus.

“It’s absolutely consistent with the Master Plan that says we have to do something about cars on campus,” he said. But for it to be a success, he added, “the TTC has to be more flexible than they have been.”

The RSU will be looking to Ryerson’s administration to open its coffers, as the cash-strapped TTC can’t offer an opt-out arrangement without the price of the U-Pass in-

creasing as well.

Because universities across Toronto have chosen representatives to work as a single committee during negotiations, they will continue to pressure the TTC into extending the $60 pass into the spring.