Low Turnout for Anti-Tuition Rally Frustrates Leaders

Student Body President Justin Young says only an estimated 200 people stopped by the Pit on Monday to listen to the tuition rally.

Student government leaders who organized a rally in the Pit on Monday to protest a proposed tuition increase said they were disappointed with a low student turnout.

The N.C. General Assembly is considering a proposal that would result in a $100 tuition increase for in-state undergraduates at UNC-Chapel Hill and about a $900 increase for out-of-state undergraduates.

Both additional charges would be applied retroactively during the fall 2001 semester.

The increases, which legislators have said they hope to finalize by the end of the week, would come on top of a $300 increase approved last year and an increase of around $100 already charged to students this fall.

Despite the possibility of additional charges, rally organizers had difficulty enticing student involvement.

Student Body President Justin Young called on students through a bullhorn while other rallyists held signs reading "Don't Pay Twice" and "Care About Your Money."

"It's going to take everyone ... not just me talking on a microphone," Young said. "We need people to step up."

Students passing through the Pit were encouraged to e-mail their legislative representatives at a wireless Internet station set up for the event.

But organizers were met with a lukewarm response, and, although they'd planned to stay in the Pit until 2 p.m., packed up their things at about 1 p.m.

Journalism Professor Chuck Stone, who addressed the small crowd, encouraged students who passed by to support the protest. "Implement some sort of movement that shows legislators they made some sort of mistake," he said. "Your absence speaks louder than your presence."

Young said he wished more students had come out to show their support but that the nature of the budget writing process didn't allow enough time for many students to take action.

"It's a tough sell," he said. "You try to get people out there, you try to get them motivated. The way the budget decision is developing ... it happens so last minute."

Young said about 150 to 200 people briefly stopped to listen. "That's at least a start," he said.

The protest did pique the interest of a few students who were out and about on campus Monday.

"I happened to be in the area," said junior religious studies major Caleb Pineo. "I'm not really following the issue too well," he said. "From what I see I don't really oppose a tuition increase. ... The budget has to come from somewhere."

But student government members eagerly made their way to the e-mail stations to do their part.

"(The tuition increase) is going to put a strain on families," said Assistant Student Body Secretary Graham Long. "Families have to plan for this type of thing. Doing this in the middle of the semester when families have already set their budgets is ridiculous."

Frances Ferris, external relations chairwoman for student government, was optimistic that the rally's second goal -- to introduce the Carolina Lobby Corps to students -- went more smoothly.

Ferris said student government recently formed the CLC to create a more efficient means of getting students' voices out to legislators. The group aims to train students on pressing issues and teach them lobbying skills.

"Our goal is to have a group of students who know the issues before it's too late," Ferris said. "My hope is that we can form the Carolina Lobby Corps and gain respect."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.