New ASG leader raises voice

Following a year steeped with criticism, the UNC-system Association of Student Governments hopes to turn itself around with new leadership and new ambitions.

After tuition was raised throughout the system by 8.8 percent per a new two-year plan, ASG leaders hope to take advantage of a year with less significant tuition increases to improve the association’s priorities and efficiency.

“Financial aid is the closest to heart, but I don’t think it will be the most relevant all year,” said ASG President Cameron Carswell, who is from Appalachian State University.

At the UNC-system Board of Governors’ August meeting, members discussed a proposal to cap tuition revenue devoted to financial aid at 25 percent, but they haven’t voted yet.

Carswell spoke several times during the meeting — a sharp contrast from previous ASG president Atul Bhula, who was criticized for remaining silent.

“I’m going to speak every time I feel so led,” she said. “Arguably the room got quieter when I spoke up. They’re not used to hearing students.”

The ASG president is a non-voting member of the board, and the association, which is funded by a $1 annual fee from every student in the system, has tried beto attain a vote for its president.

Carswell said she will raise the issue again, but the vote is ultimately not that important.

“A lot of students advocate for the vote, when one vote doesn’t matter as much as all the side conversations.”

UNC-CH Student Body President Will Leimenstoll said he won’t take on a leadership role within ASG, but he is excited to be involved.

“I think they’re really working on being a more efficient organization,” he said. “Last year, a lot of issues came to light about how ASG works.”

In a spring referendum, UNC-CH students chose to stay in the association by a relatively close vote.
After the vote, UNC-CH Student Congress formed a committee to make recommendations to the organization.

Sophomore Peter McClelland, chairman of the committee, said it will have suggestions ready for ASG’s September meeting.

He said he saw “obvious inefficiencies” at his first ASG meeting in April, when officers voted to raise stipends.

“They were complaining they had too much money,” McClelland said. “I don’t think any UNC-CH student who was there would have appreciated how they were dealing with their money.

“If ASG will be the organization we want it to be, it needs to be drastically reformed.”

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