In light of the proposed $135 million budget cuts to the UNC System, the N.C. Student Power Union, an advocacy group for North Carolina college students, is organizing two protests and an informative session about the ramifications of such drastic cuts.
The budget cuts, which will most likely be approved by the Republican super-majority in the North Carolina General Assembly, have been a trend in recent years.
Two years ago, N.C. State’s budget was cut by 15 percent due to budget cuts to the UNC System’s budget. In 2011, the system lost more than $400 million in funding.
Students and organizers at N.C. State have a history of protesting to let our politicians know that great cuts to the university system will not happen without a fight.
Andrew Payne, a graduate of N.C. State and former president of the Association of Student Governments, commented on his recollections of student opposition to budget cuts while he was president.
In 2001, the university system was facing a proposed $125 million worth of cuts. Within 10 days of this news, Payne sent out a mass email to all N.C. State students, visited UNC System campuses and organized 5,000 person march down Hillsborough Street.
The student body president at the time, Derryl Willie, was at the march. “The University doesn’t get behind much, but when we combine, faculty, staff and students there is no limit to what we can do. This isn’t Student Government; this is students,” Willie said.
According to Payne, at the time ASG had hardly any money yet was able to get things like this done, today on the other hand, N.C. State pays about $34,000 to ASG and doesn’t get anything done.
“Its a terrible shame,” said Payne about ASG’s lack of vigor.
Moreover, in 2001 when University officials attempted to reduce library hours, Willie organized a 500 person sit in at the D.H. Hill Library and a march to the chancellor’s residence. Technician reported that the protest woke up the chancellor, who responded along the lines, “OK, you can have your library hours,” according to Payne.
The N.C. Student Power Union is working to continue this legacy.
The organization will host protests on April 15 and May 1 and an informative session about the effects of the cuts this Thursday in 214 Daniels at 6 p.m. The informative session includes free food.
Molly McDonough, freshman in women’s and gender studies and organizer in the N.C. Student Power Union, expressed that it is important for students to understand the effects of the budgets and to take decisive action in preventing them.
She pointed out that the upcoming increases — 5.1 percent for in-state undergrad and 3.1 percent out-of-state undergrads at NCSU next school year — are directly affected by budget cuts and that certain programs programs, such as gender and African-American studies, may face a disproportionate amount of cuts.
McDonough, like Payne and others, said she is appalled by these sort of cuts. She said her organization would “do everything [it] can to make sure these [cuts] don’t get passed.”
Drastic cuts like these are as illogical as they are without legal precedent in North Carolina, Payne said.
“The constitution says education should be as free as practicable. We put that in the state constitution for a reason,” said Payne. “If we put it in the constitution, we can’t go outside through the legislative process and not fund the university system because you are not upholding the values you have set forth.”
Who: N.C. Student Power Union, all students in the UNC System, community members and those interested in public education affairs in the state.
What: Demonstrations against cutting a proposed $135 million from the UNC System.
When: April 15, May 1
Where: N.C. State Bell Tower to the North Carolina General Assembly
Sign NCSPU’s petition: http://goo.gl/Ty1Vd
