ASG Prepares for Student Day at the Capitol

The Students' Day at the Capitol will gather students from across the UNC system to meet with state legislators and attempt to build support for three issues -- a student vote on the Board of Governors, full funding of the $37 million need-based financial aid package and an increase in faculty salaries.

Charles Lawley, who is helping to organize the event, said one of the event's goals was to develop ties between state politicians and students.

"Even though we're focusing on these three issues, the main thing is to build relations with the legislators to get things done in the future," Lawley said.

He said the ASG planned an outdoor rally with a stage, balloons and banners for the opening of their event.

"We definitely will have over a thousand people," Lawley said. "(This) week the motto is 'Students, students, students.'"

He said the students also planned a luncheon and an ice cream social with several state legislators.

The budget of the Students' Day at the Capitol totals $7,000 -- N.C. State University provided $5,000 and ASG funded $2,000.

"N.C. State has the largest budget out of any of the schools," Lawley said. "N.C. State thought that was one of the things that was going to affect students the most."

As the ASG seeks support for their issues, they already have some legislators behind them.

Rep. Alma Adams, D-Guilford, who attended the meeting, said she supported more student involvement in state government.

"If you want to be properly represented, then you've got to take the power into your own hands," Adams said.

She said legislators would make important decisions without student input if students were not involved in the decision-making process.

"Those of us who are elected to serve you are people just like you," Adams said. "If we don't hear from you, we assume that you're not interested and we do what we think is right to do."

She urged student involvement in Students' Day at the Capitol. "Your members of the House and Senate can not ignore your presence."

She also said she supported a student vote on the Board of Governors. "A voice without a vote is not a voice at all," Adams said.

The students also attended a lobbying workshop at the ASG meeting.

Reyna Walters, a legislative assistant for Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Beaufort, and former UNC-Chapel Hill student body president, prepared the students for their trip to the Capitol.

Walters stressed the importance of student lobbying participation.

"If you don't present your views, nobody's going to know them," she said.

Walters gave a number of pointers for how students should act in Raleigh.

She taught ASG members how to develop the issues and talked about student limitations on lobbying.

"Everyone has to know the issues and they have to know them like the back of their hand," Walters said. "Don't be intimidated by the fact that your issues are different from the issues of other people.

"You are students and those people are not."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.