Students are taking matters into their own hands next month in an attempt to stop the General Assembly’s assault on higher education.

The North Carolina Student Power Union, a group founded by college students across the state, will lead a protest on May 1st criticizing Pat McCrory’s proposed budget, which recommends over $140 million in cuts to the UNC System, among other measures.

The NCPSU, alongside other groups, will also be protesting proposed legislature, like a bill that would require student voters (who are claimed as dependents by their parents) to return to their home county in order to vote. 

Otherwise their parents will forego their tax benefits, meaning this law would effectively limit student voting.

Hannah Allison, a graduate student in social work and NCPSU member, says unity and student representation are major themes of the demonstration.

“For me, it’s about folks coming together to fight for a North Carolina that we want to live in — a state that provides for its people,” Allison said. 

However, Taylor McLamb, chair of the College Republicans until the end of the semester and senior in political science at N.C. State, supports McCrory’s budget, while her views don’t necessarily support other CR members’ opinions.

“Education still remains a big part of the budget. Yes there were cuts that were made, but NC is a broke state,” McLamb said. “Obviously I’m a student as well, I’m in liberal arts classes, I’m in that realm and I definitely get where people are coming from.”

The demonstration will start at the Bell Tower at 1:30 p.m. 

The protesters plan on marching to the Civitas institute, a conservative think tank, for a mini-rally, then meet with other May Day protesters at Moore Square before arriving at the General Assembly.