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UNC-system Association of Student Governments lobbying efforts may have fallen short

Members of the UNC-system Association of Student Governments ended the academic year with a promise to lobby legislators throughout the summer to keep cuts as low as possible.

But after the state legislature cut 15.6 percent in funding for the UNC system, reactions regarding the success of the association’s efforts are mixed.

“I think we had a better showing and presence at the General Assembly last year,” said ASG President Atul Bhula.

Members of the association traveled to the N.C. General Assembly occasionally this summer to communicate to legislators the effects of the budget cuts on students.

Bhula, who is serving his second term, said a decrease in student involvement hindered lobbying efforts.

ASG is composed of delegates from all 17 UNC-system campuses and is funded by $1 in student fees from all students in the system.

Members meet monthly at different locations in the state.
Bhula said ASG’s main accomplishment of the summer was a “student’s day” at the legislature in late May. Between 50 and 70 students showed up to lobby that day.

“We really encouraged student body presidents to get their students involved,” he said. “Chapel Hill was one of the leaders of that.”
Mary Cooper, UNC student body president, was appointed co-vice chairwoman of ASG’s council of student body presidents in July, but she said most of the lobbying she did this summer was for UNC rather than for ASG.

Former president of the association, Greg Doucette, said ASG’s lack of unity this past year has been its downfall.

“The general consensus is that this group is in disarray,” he said.
Doucette, now the president of student government at N.C. Central University’s law school, went to the legislature throughout the summer to lobby.

“During the times I was down there, I never really got the sense that ASG was being as zealous as they were said to be,” he said.

While the association has faced strong criticism of its effectiveness in the past, Bhula said he plans to increase the association’s advocacy at both the state and federal level during the upcoming year.

“Moving forward, we’re looking at moving to the national level.”

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