TO THE EDITOR:
The article “UNC’s Student Television studio division draws criticism” painted a skewed picture of the general sentiment regarding the division of the Union multipurpose room. So far, the negative criticism regarding the decision has solely come from a
small group of individuals with direct ties to STV itself.
The rationale behind the previous renovations of the multipurpose room by STV (e.g. lighting, wiring) seems to have lacked foresight.
Why would an organization spend a large sum of money (i.e. $30,000 in student fees) to renovate a space that is not exclusively for its use? For a reason that is unclear, Article 1, Section 4, H(3) of the Student Code Constitution sets aside at least $1.95 per UNC student for STV. And unlike most student groups, its unspent funds are not reverted back to the General Reserve.
Like any organization that automatically receives funding from each student, STV should cater to the needs and pertinent issues of the entire student body.
The vast majority of students are unaware of its existence. Perhaps STV could benefit from promotional services provided by the Union’s Marketing and Design department. Marketing and Design, which has not had a permanent home since its founding in 2007, offers Student Affairs, University departments and student organizations signage at a low price and high quality.
Since 2007, they have employed 14 students and contributed $252,000 to the Union’s income.
Overall, the unanimous decision made by the Union Board appears to benefit the student body as a whole.
Kim Niver
Shawn Griffin
Pharmacy students
