TO THE EDITOR:
This letter responds to yesterday’s (Feb. 22) article: “Union renovation vote failure may not kill project.” Union leaders are quoted saying graduate and professional students were vocal; the other 40 percent of UNC needs more contacting.
Well, the Graduate/Professional Student Body Senate, which is composed of students from each graduate/professional school at UNC, is grateful to have heard a presentation in the Fall of 2010 on the proposed UCommons renovation and fee increase. We raised questions about graduate student involvement in developing the plan, the proposed elimination of the computer lab, the problem with increasing yet another fee for something unessential during a time when tuition will likely vault yearly, and the issue that the proposal would require 30 years to repay.
Should the failure of the Union proposal result in Union leaders pivoting from student group to student group to find new votes for next year? Or should the failure create a cause to change the plan to something we all can reach consensus on? Should the Union proposal create discord between undergraduate and graduate/professional students?
Or is this an opportunity to bring us all in this together for a change? I’m of the opinion that this failure is an opportunity for real change in the plan and campus culture.
Union leaders have a unique opportunity to bring together both undergraduates and graduate students to pursue collaboration and innovative ideas in a major way.
Melvin McDermott III
Vice President of External Affairs
GPSF
