TO THE EDITOR:
The Daily Tar Heel article “Congress rejects plan for Union renovation” (Jan. 19) did not fully reflect many Congress members’ concerns in regard to the proposed Union renovation fee increase. Much of the discussion at Tuesday’s meeting focused on representatives’ skepticism of the institutionalized “UCommons” PR campaign. The Union has spent more than $1,000 of students’ money on a campaign to convince students to increase their own fees. While campus election candidates are allocated specific amounts of money for their campaigns based on the positions they run for, students are unable to obtain similar funding from the University to conduct campaigns for or against referenda. The Department of Housing and Residential Education has also prohibited students from dorm-storming to raise awareness about the increase this election season, although candidates for some elected offices are allowed to solicit for votes in residence halls.
As it is, the only publicity surrounding the fee increase is positive publicity because students have not been given the appropriate resources to campaign. The University’s decision to allocate at least $1,300 worth of funding for glossy brochures, buttons and even a spotlight on the Union floor for the UCommons campaign is at best unfair and at worst completely unethical.
In voting against the fee increase referendum Tuesday, Congress members expressed a desire for students to be allowed the exact same resources the institution has used freely to sway our votes. We deserve an even playing field to make our voices heard when discussing the allocation of our own student fees.
Rep. Leah Josephson
District 6, Student Congress
