The UNC student body could be voting for the second time in two years on whether to remain a part of the UNC-system Association of Student Governments.
UNC Student Congress’s Rules & Judiciary Committee approved a resolution Tuesday that would put a referendum on the Nov. 8 homecoming ballot asking UNC students to vote yes or no on staying in the association, which is funded by a $1 annual student fee. That ballot will also include voting for Mr. and Miss UNC.
The resolution will go before full Student Congress next week.
The student body’s vote alone would not remove UNC from the association — but Connor Brady, speaker of Student Congress, said he wants to start conversations among students about ASG as soon as possible.
He said putting the referendum on an earlier ballot — in November, as opposed to the February student body president election — would give student leaders time to work with UNC’s Board of Trustees and the system Board of Governors on removing the $1 student fee next year, if students vote to leave ASG. Fees for 2014-15 will be approved in July.
The association is composed of student leaders from each of the UNC system’s 17 campuses. It meets monthly at various campuses to discuss plans for student advocacy and draft resolutions stating their stance on certain issues.
Brady voiced concerns at the meeting about where student money goes within the organization.
About 41 percent of ASG’s budget goes to fund stipends and professional staff, while about 10 percent is set aside for advocacy efforts. UNC students paid a total of $27,069 to help fund the association this year.
The association has been criticized for a lack of effectiveness for several years, and Peter McClelland, vice chair of the Rules & Judiciary committee and chairman of UNC College Republicans, said he has not seen evidence of any reform at recent meetings.
