Some of them ask without words, sitting on benches along Franklin Street with small boxes at their feet.
Others are more direct, asking passers-by for spare change.
But no matter what method panhandlers employ, most UNC students say no.
In a report released by student government's homelessness task force, more than 70 percent of 356 students surveyed said they never or rarely give to panhandlers.
"We found that there isn't a large percentage of people that give money to panhandlers," said Chris Belhorn, co-chairman of the public service and advocacy committee, which created the task force. "But that's good, because that's the town's official stance."
The task force distributed surveys at different locations on campus during fall 2007 to get an idea of student attitudes toward panhandlers on Franklin Street.
Although most students decline to give money to panhandlers, almost 87 percent of the responders said they would be more likely to give if they knew where the money was going.
"It seems encouraging," said Chris Moran, executive director of the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service. "It shows that they're wanting to give their dollars to an organization or another purpose."
The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have initiated several programs aimed at alleviating homelessness by giving money to organizations instead of directly to panhandlers.
One of those programs, Real Change from Spare Change, raises money for an outreach program that helps address the needs of the homeless population.
"What we really want is to keep sustaining outreach workers," Moran said. "That way, people can work with them and gain their trust."
Research on homelessness is one of Student Body President Eve Carson's platform points. The survey marked the first time student government had pursued the issue.
"The goal was to increase student awareness about homelessness," Belhorn said.
"I definitely think students care about the issue. The problem is that they don't necessarily understand all of the causes."
Maggie West, co-chairwoman of the Campus Y Hunger and Homelessness Outreach Project poverty eradication committee, said the report benefits students, as well as the committee.
"I thought the findings of the report were interesting," West said. "We're planning poverty awareness week, so it gives us something (to work) towards as far as educating students go."
The report also stated that nearly 40 percent of those surveyed said they have felt threatened by a panhandler, with females being more likely than males to feel threatened.
"We concluded that it was a major reason for females not giving to panhandlers," Belhorn said.
But some students said those feelings exist because of misconceptions about homeless people.
"I go to Franklin Street a lot, and I've never felt threatened," said Rachel Craft, a junior Spanish and international studies major. "I think females are taught to be afraid all the time, especially college women."
Moran said stereotypes must be removed in order to erase fear and solve the problem of homeless people.
"We all have impressions of groups that we don't truly understand," he said. "Until we break down these boundaries, I don't think we're going to make a lot of progress."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
