BOG sees changes in board makeup

The 16 new members of the UNC-system Board of Governors were sworn in early this month and are ready to get to work — but some student groups are apprehensive.

The members were recently elected by the N.C. General Assembly, leading some critics to charge that the board is increasingly becoming an extension of the Republican-dominated state government.

Campus Pride, a Charlotte-based student advocacy group, is concerned the board, which is largely composed of white males, does not represent the diverse system population and makes decisions based on political ideology.

“It is a board of people with only one viewpoint,” said Romeo Jackson, a member of Campus Pride. “It is creating a culture of student voices being shut out.”

Hannah Gage, emeritus member of the board and former chairwoman, said although the current board may seem homogenous, minority members are not afraid to speak out.

“I would prefer a more diverse board with more females and minorities than we have,” she said. “That being said, we do have women and we do have African-Americans — and they are not shy people.”

Champ Mitchell, a new board member, said it is unusual to have so many new members at one time, and he expects the board to begin taking the initiative more often.

“My experience with (the new members) is that these are people who want to roll up their sleeves and address these issues,” he said.

Mitchell said one of the big issues is in-state undergraduate tuition, which he said is too high and the board should look in to reducing it.

Marty Kotis, another new board member, said the new members have a fresh perspective as many have business backgrounds.

But other university groups, including the North Carolina Vision Coalition, still want more direct communication with the board.

The coalition was formed around concern about the lack of outside input during the creation of the five-year strategic plan, said Zach Bijesse, a member of the coalition at the time. The coalition wrote a petition to the board in April asking for additional seating and a public comment section at board meetings for system students and employees.

The system Association of Student Government’s president, a nonvoting member of the board, represents students, said Joni Worthington, spokeswoman for the system.

Gage said the system hosts open meetings on campuses, but students are often unaware or don’t pay attention to what is going on, and only contribute to important issues when they are winding down to a close.

“It’s really hard because campuses were making various decision meetings that were important without (students),” she said.

Robert Nunnery, president of ASG, said the board has always been receptive to student opinion.

“Some board members even look to me because I am the only student on the board,” Nunnery said.

Gage said the board’s decisions — while not always popular — have always been moderate.

“The reason the University is successful is that the sensible center is where we land … in everything we have done,” she said.

But Jackson said he believes the board is unbudgingly conservative.

“Whether it be gender-neutral housing, the tuition or athletics, the BOG will feel a backlash and it will not be good for the University as a whole,” he said.

Brad Wilson, who served as chairman of the board from 2002-06, said students should hold their opinions because the new members on the board have only met once.

“Let’s give everyone an opportunity to demonstrate how they are going to operate and not rush to any judgment,” Wilson said.

Kotis said he thinks the new members will be more vocal.

“We’re new, and we’re wanting to learn a lot about the University, and we’re asking questions and questioning why a lot of times — rather than just accepting things, we want to understand why,” Kotis said.

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