TO THE EDITOR:
The Facebook event created encouraging students to vote “No” to staying in the UNC-system Association of Student Governments states, “There are better ways to advocate for students, so let’s create one together.”
I may have missed it, but nowhere have I seen an outline of this “better way.”
How are UNC students planning on creating this better system? On getting buy-in from other constituent universities? On convincing the Board of Governors that they truly represent students from across North Carolina?
ASG is not perfect, and its budget needs revisiting. But just as students from across North Carolina came together last Friday, those travel funds pay for student leaders to meet their peers and colleagues in person and together advocate for their students.
I speak as a former delegate and officer: this face-to-face interaction builds vital relationships.
Voting to leave ASG, however, would be selfish since it ignores the fact that we are arguably in the best position to help reform ASG from within.
It was former UNC Student Body President Jasmin Jones who led the push to decrease ASG officer stipends two years ago, and current Student Body President Mary Cooper who mobilized student body presidents to come to Chapel Hill last week.
Small schools may not take the risk in joining a new organization, and now more than ever, UNC-system students need to speak together.
ASG is a vehicle to strengthen student voices from across the state. If it’s broken, fix it. We don’t have the time or the resources to buy a whole new car.
Hetali Lodaya ’14
Chemistry and public policy
Former ASG delegate
