Lame-Duck Status Doesn't Decrease Young's Power

But officials say they are not worried that Young's leadership on issues such as tuition, parking and the possible reorganization of certain advisory committees will be compromised by the election of a new student body president.

Young said he is looking forward to working with Student Body President-elect Jen Daum and that he will work to ensure the that transition goes smoothly.

But Young said he will not stop trying to accomplish his goals just because his successor has been chosen. "These problems aren't going to go away," he said. "But I feel like we've opened the door for whoever's next to make progress."

Parking

Cheryl Stout, assistant director of parking services, said Young's main task in the next month will be to help the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee create a recommendation for the Department of Public Safety's budget.

Stout said that once next year's parking policies are set, she will work with Young to identify their impact for students -- including reallocating spaces lost to construction and refining the details of hardship parking.

TPAC Chairman Bob Knight said once the budget recommendation is sent to Chancellor James Moeser, Young will focus on long-term issues like parking changes resulting from construction.

Stout said she does not anticipate that Young will have any difficulties because of his lame-duck status. "It's the spirit of working with the student body," Stout said. "As long as they are in office, they represent the students to us."

Tuition

Provost Robert Shelton said Young will have to focus on the tuition increase proposal the UNC-system Board of Governors is expected to consider March 6. The BOG is considering two systemwide proposals -- a 4.8 percent increase or a 10 percent increase -- and multiple campus-initiated proposals, including a $400, one-year proposal from the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, Shelton said.

Andrew Payne, president of the UNC-system Association of Student Governments, said it is likely that the tuition hikes will be higher at UNC-CH and at N.C. State University than at the other schools in the UNC system.

Young will need to advocate for the students to the BOG and the N.C. General Assembly and inform students about where the raise is going and how it will affect them, Payne said.

Despite the election of a new student body president, Payne said, Young's effectiveness on tuition is not compromised. "If you're a student advocate, you're always a student advocate."

Committee Restructuring

On Monday, Young met with Nancy Suttenfield, vice chancellor for finance and administration, to suggest that TPAC be totally restructured next fall.

But Faculty Council Chairwoman Sue Estroff said she is skeptical that TPAC will be altered, regardless of Young's efforts in the coming months.

She said because TPAC is solely an advisory committee, Moeser will make the final call on all parking-related issues -- therefore, even if Young's suggestions are adopted, they will not change any transportation or parking-related decisions.

Another committee Young wants to leave a lasting impression on before stepping down is the Commencement speaker selection committee.

Despite some concern about the balance of student and faculty voice on the committee, Estroff said it does not need to be restructured.

But there will be some changes to make the process more predictable and equitable, Estroff said.

Estroff said she does not think Daum's election will stop administrators from listening to Young's recommendations. "People respect (Young) as a person and not just because of his office."

Senior Class President Ben Singer also said he is not concerned about Young's leadership in the coming months as they work together to restructure the Commencement committee.

"I don't think it has anything to do with titles," Singer said. "I think it has to do with working toward a cause."

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