as required by legislation, the university council conducted a student referendum in 1999 on whether membership in ausa should be voluntary or compulsory. the majority of students supported voluntary membership and this was enacted. referendums on the same issue were held in 2001 and 2003, and in each case, the majority of students voted for voluntary association. (the request for a referendum is in the form of a petition to the university council, which any student may call, and thus must be conducted, provided no two referendums are less than two years apart.)