Raynor wants ASG to reform

Despite limited involvement in a statewide student leader organization UNC-Chapel Hill Student Body President J.J. Raynor plans to implement reforms.

However others in the association are reluctant to embrace recommendations from a school they don't think has made a full commitment to the organization.

UNC-CH's participation in the UNC-system Association of Student Governments made up of student delegations from every UNC-system school has been sporadic and Raynor has appointed a permanent delegate in her place.

The reforms are needed to address prevalent underperformance in the association" she said.

""If we're going to be a part of ASG" we might as well make it work. And if it's not going to work well" it's back to the drawing board.""

Raynor and her permanent delegate" Logan Liles have been working on their reform agenda since Liles' appointment at the beginning of the school year.

ASG President Greg Doucette has backed off of his initial promises of reform Raynor said and she hopes to get them rolling with support from other student body presidents. Unilateral efforts have failed in the past" she said.

""It has only been really after the last couple of meetings that we realized we would have to push that ourselves" she said.

Doucette said that Raynor hasn't presented her ideas to him and that there is other work to be done.

There are certain pressing issues like tuition which the (Board of Governors) has asked us to address" he said.

I'm not going to shove the important policy issues of the day in order to address the whim of someone who doesn't even attend my meetings.""

Tim Ernst" UNC-Charlotte student body president" said neither Liles nor Raynor have approached him with their plans.

""I'd be interested to see what kind of reforms she would want to impose"" he said. I haven't seen her at any of the meetings.""

If ASG doesn't make changes" UNC-CH might withdraw Raynor said" adding that some association members have made it difficult for UNC-CH to participate effectively.

""We're hopeful that once ASG gets over the fact that we're sending an official delegate" we can get back to conversations about how to make it more effective" she said.

It has been really hard for Chapel Hill to take part in the meetings with the atmosphere what it is right now.""

ASG might find UNC-CH's withdrawal a relief"" Ernst said.

""I think it would be good riddance" he said. Given UNC-CH's limited participation" any drastic action by them wouldn't be taken seriously.""

Additionally" ASG is trying to reform itself Doucette said. It hired a consultant this summer to analyze its weaknesses.

UNC-CH student Jonathan Tugman a former Daily Tar Heel associate opinion editor also offered consulting services to Doucette as part of a business class project.

Tugman one of Raynor's executive assistants decided Monday to scrap the project" which was unrelated to his student government duties.

Appalachian State University Student Body President David Mofford said Raynor's fixes might not go over well in the association.

""I don't see them approving someone that just swoops in who we haven't seen since July"" he said. For her to send (Liles) and say this is what I want to do … it would mean a lot more if she came herself.""

And a UNC-CH withdrawal won't have much of an impact"" Mofford said.

""In all honesty"" it's like they've already withdrawn. … We're going to be OK if they pull out.""



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