A referendum on mandatory bus passes has been rejected by University of Regina students. (CBC)

It's been a hot topic on campus and now University of Regina students have spoken — they've rejected a proposal calling for mandatory city bus passes.

Students voted Wednesday and Thursday on a referendum that, if it had passed, would have meant bus passes for all students, meaning they would have to pay an extra $69 per semester. Students who live out of the city would have been exempt.

The issue captured the attention of students, with vigorous yes and no campaigns running throughout the week, but when all the votes were counted it wasn't even close: out of 2,666 votes, 1,887 said no and 779 said yes.

"I wasn't hugely surprised," U of R students union president Jessica Sinclair said. "I think a lot of people were offended about being taxed for a service they felt the city should have been providing anyway."

University of Regina Students union president Jessica Sinclair said there was a lively debate on campus about the bus pass referendum. (CBC)

Sinclair noted that the yes side had argued the environmental benefits of using buses. There was also concern that the city's express bus service to the university would be dropped if the bus-pass proposal failed.

Some on the no side pointed out that they already pay a premium to rent housing within walking distance of the university, she said.

There are also many students with cars who felt they don't need a bus pass, she said.

The result runs counter to that of a similar vote at the University of Saskatchewan several years ago. Then, students at the Saskatoon university voted in favour of universal bus passes.