Students Negotiate, Not Rally

But at Thursday's meeting, a new, less confrontational strategy paid off for student leaders as the BOT voted 6-5 to send the administration's proposal for a parking plan back for revision.

The decision to send the parking plan back to South Building was the first time in recent memory that the board has rejected an administrative recommendation.

But Trustee Richard Stevens, who moved to reject the night parking portion of the plan, downplayed the significance of the decision.

"The decision was issue-specific," Stevens said. "The board is generally supportive of the administration, but on this issue, we just disagreed."

This time, it was easier for trustees to agree with the students, Stevens said, because of better communication tactics used by students.

Stevens said he noticed a difference in how students handled the tuition and parking cases, saying the board was more responsive to discussion than protests.

"I think when you have a deliberative body like the BOT ... it is better to have meaningful dialogue than rhetoric," he said.

Student Body President Justin Young said the new strategy that student leaders used to lobby the board for a specific outcome is more important than the decision itself.

In the past, student leaders have focused on amassing a student presence at BOT meetings to demonstrate students' disapproval for various proposals.

In January, student leaders tried to organize a more traditional protest against a proposed tuition increase, bringing about 40 students into the BOT meeting room to draw the attention of many of the trustees. But Young said that this time they tried a less intrusive approach.

"This time around, the efforts were focused on communication and bringing (information) to each of the trustees," he said.

Both Young and Student Body President-elect Jen Daum talked individually with trustees the week before Thursday's meeting about the issues surrounding night parking.

"A lot of times when people lobby to the administration, they impress their views upon them," Young said.

"I think we showed them how it would affect us and had an open, honest discussion."

Young said he hopes the success of students' efforts on the night parking proposal will teach future student leaders a lesson about lobbying the trustees.

"I think you are seeing a change in the way the student body voices dissent," Young said. "Investing energy in getting 20 people to the meeting isn't effective. Being a student advocate and representative is a lot more than mobilizing the student body."

In addition to student leaders lobbying trustees, Daum said she urged students to contact the BOT members personally by telephone and e-mail.

"It's great to have 50 students file into the (BOT meeting), but it is better to have 50 students contact the BOT the week before," she said.

Young said he thinks that as a result of the strategy, student voice is starting to regain strength.

"I think student voices are somewhat more respected," he said. "It is a small victory in the way of night parking but a more important victory for the student voice."

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