A Policy We Believe In

Joe laughs with friends, Ashley Fox and Karli Krasnipol (Credit: Rob Gourley)

We have worked hard on crafting a platform that we feel encapsulates what the UNC Chapel Hill campus, as well as the state and country, need right now.

We want to open up Student Government and make it a platform for you to be heard. We want to make campus a more accessible place for all students — regardless of physical ability, race, religion, gender, or sexuality. We want to help you use this University to make the state, country and world a better place.

Below is a summary of our platform. We encourage you to read the whole thing — especially the parts about which you are passionate — tomorrow at our full website, joeforsbp.com.

I.​ ​Changing​ ​Student​ ​Government

1.​ ​​Re-Align​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Student​ ​Body​​ ​Far​ ​too​ ​many​ ​Carolina​ ​students​ ​have​ ​lost​ ​faith​ ​in​ ​Student​ ​Government’s​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​represent​ ​and argue​ ​for​ ​the​ ​student​ ​body’s​ ​values.​ ​We​ ​will​ ​draw​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​line​ ​between​ ​student​ ​government​ ​and​ ​the​ ​administration​ ​by​ ​amending the​ ​student​ ​code​ ​to​ ​clearly​ ​outline​ ​student​ ​government’s​ ​rights​ ​and​ ​responsibilities​ ​to​ ​represent​ ​students,​ ​and​ ​re-assert​ ​students’ right​ ​to​ ​self​ ​governance​ ​without​ ​pressure​ ​from​ ​the​ ​administration​ ​and​ ​elsewhere.

2.​ ​​Kickstart​ ​Robust​ ​Collaboration​.​ ​Student​ ​government​ ​repeatedly​ ​faces​ ​well​ ​founded​ ​criticism​ ​regarding​ ​being​ ​overly​ ​internalized, non-representative,​ ​and​ ​disconnected​ ​from​ ​the​ ​student​ ​body.​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​simply​ ​declaring​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​supporting​ ​student organizations,​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​push​ ​student​ ​government​ ​to​ ​actively​ ​support​ ​diverse​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​campus​ ​by​ ​collaborating​ ​to​ ​publicize​ ​and co-sponsor​ ​student​ ​events​ ​and​ ​develop​ ​productive​ ​forums​ ​between​ ​both​ ​student​ ​government​ ​and​ ​student​ ​organizations.​ ​We​ ​will work​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​student​ ​government​ ​accurately​ ​serves​ ​as​ ​advocates​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Carolina​ ​student​ ​body​ ​to​ ​university​ ​administration.

3.​ ​​Increase​ ​Transparency​ ​of​ ​Student​ ​Government​.​ ​​To​ ​increase​ ​practical​ ​access​ ​to​ ​student​ ​government,​ ​we​ ​will​ ​restructure​ ​the student​ ​government​ ​website​ ​to​ ​be​ ​user​ ​friendly​ ​and​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​navigate​ ​(in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​linking​ ​it​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Tar​ ​Heel​ ​Toolbox).​ ​We​ ​will also​ livestream cabinet and executive board meetings and ​open​ ​up​ ​channels​ ​of​ ​reliable​ ​communication​ ​by​ ​instituting​ ​student​ ​government​ ​ambassadors​ ​to​ ​student​ ​organizations.

4.​ ​​Empower​ ​the​ ​Student​ ​Voice​.​ ​​When​ ​university​ ​decisions​ ​are​ ​made​ ​that​ ​impact​ ​students,​ ​their​ ​voices​ ​must​ ​be​ ​represented​ ​in​ ​the decision​ ​making​ ​room.​ ​We​ ​will​ ​achieve​ ​this​ ​by​ ​utilizing​ ​the​ ​SBP’s​ ​membership​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Trustees​ ​to​ ​invite​ ​in​ ​student lobbyists​ ​to​ ​voice​ ​salient​ ​concerns,​ ​providing​ ​student​ ​seats​ ​on​ ​every​ ​task​ ​force​ ​and​ ​advisory​ ​board​ ​within​ ​UNC’s​ ​administration, and​ ​creating​ ​Vice​ ​Chancellor​ ​Student​ ​Advisory​ ​Committees​ ​to​ ​connect​ ​students​ ​to​ ​our​ ​administrators.

5​.​ ​​Achieve Diverse​ ​Representation​.​ ​​Student​ ​government​ ​should​ ​be​ ​an​ ​accurate​ ​portrait​ ​of​ ​the​ ​diverse​ ​and​ ​multifaceted​ ​student​ ​body.​ ​By establishing a Student Government work study program and engaging in intentional​ ​Student Government recruitment​ ​​from​ ​across​ ​various​ ​campus​ ​communities​,​ ​we​ ​hope​ ​to both knock​ ​down​ ​the​ ​current​ ​barriers​ ​for​ ​entry and foster​ ​an​ ​atmosphere​ ​of​ ​equitable​ ​representation​ ​for​ ​all​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Carolina community.

II.​ ​Changing​ ​UNC

1.​ ​​Push for Retention​ ​with​ ​Intention​ ​at​ ​UNC​.​​ ​The​ ​four-year​ ​graduation​ ​rate​ for African-American males remains approximately 20% lower than ​the​ ​UNC average.​ ​Moreover,​ ​we​ ​currently​ ​have​ ​no​ ​way​ ​to​ ​even​ ​track LGBT​​ ​student​ ​retention​ ​under​ ​the​ ​current​ ​system​ ​of​ ​self​ ​reported​ ​student​ ​demographics.​ ​We​ ​must​ ​support​ ​the​ ​success of​ ​​all​​ ​students​ ​in​ ​graduating​ ​and​ ​feeling​ ​supported​ ​at​ ​UNC.​ ​To do this, we​ ​will advocate for​ ​a​ ​Student Retention​ ​Advisory​ ​Board​ ​that​ ​works​ ​to​ ​monitor​ ​and​ ​strengthen​ ​minority​ ​retention​ ​rates, more comprehensive self reporting options regarding sexuality and gender identity, and ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​extending​ ​peer​ ​support​ ​through a​ ​mentoring​ ​system​ ​between​ ​upperclassmen​ ​and​ ​underclassmen.

2.​ Make​ ​Campus​ Accessible ​for​ ​All​ ​Students​.​​ ​Though​ ​UNC​ ​is​ ​supposed​ ​to​ ​cultivate​ ​a​ ​welcoming​ ​environment​ ​for​ ​everyone,​ ​many students​ ​with​ ​intellectual​ ​and​ ​developmental​ ​disabilities​ ​are​ ​often​ ​neglected.​ ​To​ ​combat​ ​this,​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​establish​ ​an​ ​adaptive athletics​ ​program​ ​at​ ​Carolina​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​making​ ​the​ ​Old​ ​Well,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​public​ ​spaces​ ​like​ ​the​ ​Pit,​ ​wheelchair​ ​accessible.​ ​We also​ ​want​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​the​ ​ARS​ ​notetaking​ ​system​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​equal​ ​learning​ ​opportunities​ ​for​ ​all​ ​students,​ ​regardless​ ​of​ ​ability.

3​.​ ​​Support​ Spaces of Representation​​ ​​For​ ​the​ ​past​ ​8​ ​years,​ ​Latinx​ ​students​ ​at​ ​UNC​ ​have​ ​been​ ​asking​ ​for​ ​representation, support​ ​from​ ​the​ ​administration,​ ​and​ ​input​ ​on​ ​the​ ​development​ ​of​ ​a​ ​Latinx​ ​Center​ ​at​ ​Carolina.​ ​Similarly,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​Mosque​ ​or Muslim​ ​center​ ​in​ ​Chapel​ ​Hill,​ ​and​ ​MSA​ ​is​ ​now​ ​seeking​ ​a​ ​Muslim​ ​Student​ ​Center​ ​at​ ​UNC.​ ​We​ ​will​ ​support​ ​and​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​these spaces​ ​on​ ​campus,​ ​thereby​ ​advocating​ ​for​ ​the​ ​representation​ ​that​ ​these​ ​students​ ​deserve.

4. Strengthen Mental Health Support In and Out of CAPS. CAPS provides vital support for students struggling with a host of problems. The system must be expanded and reformed to improve the quality of services offered and broaden the services provided. We hope to create a CAPS Advisory Board, provide transportation for off-campus referrals, increase the Student Health Fee, advocate for a CAPS Satellite location on central campus, and complete a comprehensive review of the CAPS referral system. There are also a number of strategies unrelated to CAPS that can still empower the student body and improve the overall mental health of students on campus. These solutions include bringing a private provider on-campus, using online mental well-being services like “The Big White Wall”, training Faculty First Responders, and establishing a Mental Health Ambassadors program comprising students to reach out to other students facing mental issues and to help them through the CAPS process.

5. Combat Sexual Assault, Centralize Resources, and Improve Reporting. In 2014, UNC’s campus saw 26 reported instances of rape. Campus groups have brought necessary attention to how sexual assault cases have been handled by the administration. We want to bolster efforts to bring free Uber rides to Carolina students, support the DTH lawsuit for the public records request to release campus sexual assault records, and increase accessibility of Title IX literature by centralizing it in the “Tar Heel Toolbox.” We will work to strengthen the Greek Talks series’ efforts of combating sexual assault while also advocating for all houses in the Greek community to include sexual assault response resources in all of their house bathroom facilities. UNC has a responsibility to encourage awareness across all parts of campus. Every organization, whether they know it or not, is harmed by the complacent culture of our campus. To fix that, we will provide preferred funding and office space for organizations that are certified in OneAct and Haven trainings. For new and incoming students, we will work to improve the existing sexual assault awareness and response training at New Student Orientation programming, especially in transfer student orientation programming. By advocating for reforms aiming to include sexual assault and interpersonal violence information in the LFIT curriculum, we hope to institutionalize a proactive and informed campus culture.

6. Establish Tar Heel Toolbox Currently, information regarding student rights and resources in regards to sexual assault, mental health, discrimination, and academic support are largely decentralized and difficult to access. By developing a student-wide site on Sakai that offers easy, centralized access to the resources which are vital to student success, we hope to improve support for all members of the Carolina community and inform students as much as possible.

7. Foster an Expressive Campus We want to increase student access to the arts and to empower student artists on campus. First, we’d like to develop a “Speak Your Truth” wall to give students the space to voice their needs and thoughts in a non-restrictive manner, as well as to encourage the sharing of ideas through a visual medium. Additionally, we want to sponsor locations on campus that would allow students to access art resources, instruction, and workshops. Without the pressure of an actual grade, students would be able to grow creatively and express themselves. Students will further be able to share their voices with administration through a summit during the year which would include a weekend for art collaboration across the university, engaging students, professors, student government representatives, and artists. Finally, steps will be taken to partner with student leaders in the arts in an effort to ensure that artists are able to affect the policies that impact them the most.

III. Changing North Carolina

1. Diversify Outreach to High School Students. In order to make UNC more accessible to students of color, LGBT students, and students from rural North Carolina, we want to increase intentional outreach to underrepresented communities, collaborate with the Minority Student Retention Committee to expand the efforts of Carolina College Advising Corps, integrate UNC’s high school outreach with relevant nonprofits, and create APPLES Alternative Fall Breaks to send UNC students to recruit underrepresented high school students.

2. Provide Tools for Civic Engagement. In a time when high barriers of entry into politics and government prevent student engagement, we want to equip students from all backgrounds with the tools and resources they need to engage with government. Through such efforts as helping students find policy related internships and offering workshops throughout the year, we can foster a culture of empowered, active citizenship on campus.

3. Ensure Socially Responsible Investing. Chancellor Folt spoke of UNC’s investment in North Carolina businesses as a responsibility not only to North Carolina, but “for Carolina”. As the state’s flagship university, UNC has the responsibility of ensuring that outside investment is socially responsible and reflects the Carolina student voice. In creating an Advisory Committee on Investment that holds UNC accountable for its investing, a collaborative team of appointed students, faculty, administration, and alumni will be tasked with keeping UNC a responsible investor in local and state economies.

4. Build an Environmental Coalition. Carolina has a multitude of campus organizations advocating for and acting upon environmental-related issues. Many of these organizations have goals that overlap in some form or fashion. Working together can increase the effectiveness of Carolina’s environmental movement. By developing such a coalition, organization networking and cross-communication would work to increase support for environmental activism on campus. The Three Zeros Initiative is a campaign launched in the fall of 2016 by Chancellor Folt to achieve net zero water, waste, and carbon. Incorporating an environmental responsibility workshop into all new student orientations can also ensure that the student body is transparently aware of the Three Zeros Initiative and its expectations. We will work to hold Carolina to the promises it has made regarding the move to renewables and advocating not only the environmental, but long-term economic benefits of making the switch feasible.

5. Collaborate with Local NGOs As a public university, students need not be confined to the bureaucracy and resources of the administration on campus. We want student government to serve an active role in connecting passionate students with local nonprofits that have similar interests and goals, thus strengthening ties with the community and empowering students to engage with issues and projects with resources beyond what can be offered on campus.

6. Build Coalition of Students with the Association of Student Governments . UNC Chapel Hill is one of 17 constituent campuses within ASG, meaning that we have the potential to create a strong coalition of students across North Carolina to lobby the BoG and General Assembly on a platform of common issues inflicting students across the state. By increasing this collaboration we can amplify student voices on issues regarding sexual assault, college access, disability advocacy, One State One Rate, and more.

7. Commit to Sustainable Sourcing. UNC has the responsibility of forming an ethical and sustainable global footprint. As the educational environment shifts to an increasingly popular online-based style, the Carolina campus relies more and more on developing technology, technology that can sometimes be sourced from exploitative practices. In collaboration with the Carolina Computing Initiative, we hope to strengthen UNC’s commitment to sustainably sourcing and purchasing conflict-free electronics for campus facilities and programs. While sustainable sourcing is currently a priority in many aspects of campus culture, we want to ensure that Carolina’s learning environment is being developed sustainably throughout all areas.