UNC-system students plan ‘Cuts Hurt’ video project

Students at Western Carolina University are using multimedia to depict the effects of budget cuts on students — and the trend is catching on throughout the state.

Organizers of the multimedia initiative — called “Cuts Hurt” — plan to present a video to state legislators that shares statistics and personal stories from students, said Alecia Page, vice president of WCU’s student government, in an email.

Page, who started the project, said the video initiative is still in the planning stages.

“I am the mother hen of this project,” she said. “At this point, I’m organizing groups to help me get ‘Cuts Hurt’ off the ground.”

Page’s plan is to host forums and distribute handouts educating students about budget cuts at WCU.

The project does not need funding because students will use resources available on campus, including cameras from the library, she said.

But the campaign will use a few hundred dollars —allotted by the university’s student government association — to help pay for the handouts and advertising, she said.

“I’m doing my best to find the time to share this with other campuses,” she said.

Students at Appalachian State University are also working on the campaign.

Lauren Estes, student body president at ASU, said the initiative is an effective way for campuses to reach out to members of the N.C. General Assembly.

“It’s an easy way for the schools that aren’t in the middle of Raleigh to have a voice in Raleigh,” she said.

The UNC-system Association of Student Governments discussed the Cuts Hurt campaign Saturday at its monthly meeting.

About 9,000 course selections have been dropped because of budget cuts, Atul Bhula, president of ASG, said at the meeting.

“Personal stories are something we’re trying to get more of,” he said.

Page said putting faces with the numbers would present a stronger statement to legislators.

“Words on paper didn’t seem powerful enough,” she said. “There is nothing more powerful than a voice — a person with a face, a life, a story to tell.

UNC-CH Student Body President Mary Cooper said the University is not likely to adopt the Cuts Hurt campaign until it finishes its own video project that explains the budget process to students.

She said UNC-CH students have more opportunity to interact with legislators than students from other universities located farther from Raleigh.

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