Executive branch report card

More than halfway through its term, we have determined that the executivebranch of UNC’s student government collectively deserves a “B” for its work to date.

In assessing the work of elected officials, it must be understood that campaign promises and policy goals rarely line up. At the level of student government, this difference tends to be magnified by a lack of information available to candidates about what is and is not feasible within the constraints offered by a one-year term and frequent opposition from the Board of Governors and the General Assembly. It can be difficult to discern where the executive branch has acted ineffectively or simply been rendered ineffective by forces outside of its control. But we applaud the Powell administration for its good-faith efforts to follow through on its most visible campaign promise. The University is taking serious steps to implement and evaluate flipped classrooms. Still, Powell has been hesitant to provide strong stances on hot-button issues, and we call upon his administration to be as active in driving difficult conversations as it has been in facilitating them. We appreciate the Powell administration’s commitment to taking the long view in its efforts to further involve students in the University administration’s decision-making process. If these reforms are institutionalized and improved upon by future administrations, they will strengthen UNC. To this point, this executive branch’s work has been solidly efficient. We ask them to step out and take bolder action during this most difficult time.

Campus Safety: B-

The executive branch’s statement in its October report that “UNC leads the nation in sexual assault prevention and response” is demonstrably false. The Powell administration’s reluctance to engage with the issue on a policy level is understandable, but it has so far remained disappointingly mum as a survivor advocate. For the spring, the executive branch committed to supporting Heels Unite — a program that will rally student-athletes, Greek organizations and other campus groups around sexual assault prevention. Student government has the potential to be the mobilizing force behind a large-scale cultural change on this campus. The executive branch is also seeking institutional, long-term funding for One Act. Members of student government have done what they can to bolster community awareness of this growing issue, including its support for an exclusively Greek One Act program with a focus on empowering bystanders of sexual assault.

Advocacy: A-

The executive branch has made especially lively efforts to make itself heard in Raleigh. During the summer, its members made close to 35 visits to the General Assembly and contacted nearly every legislator’s office to explain the Powell administration’s priorities. They found themselves somewhat blindsided by the Board of Governors’ action on need-based aid but have, for the most part, responded as well as could have been expected of them.

We had concerns early on about Wilson Parker’s dual roles as Young Democrats president and director of external affairs, but he claims to be well-received in Raleigh, and we don’t yet have reason to doubt him.

We’d still like to see a push for a student vote on the BOG, but we remain generally pleased with successes in putting student stories before people in power.

 The executive branch’s nonpartisan efforts to encourage student participation in the midterm elections also ought to be commended.

Transparency and Accountability: A

The Powell administration deserves praise for its commitment to reform and accountability to the student body. Its response to the need-based aid debacle included encouraging participation in a campus-wide forum with Chancellor Carol Folt, an important step toward alleviating students’ concerns. In the aftermath of the release of the Wainstein report, the administration put on another successful student forum. The executive branch has worked to make itself more accessible and reachable by re-designing its website and increasing its presence on social media. 

Its members have been especially proactive in reaching out to members of this editorial board. We are also pleased with the executive branch’s commitment to public self-examination in the form of monthly reports. We trust the Powell administration will maintain its commitment to transparency and outreach as we continue to trust the executive branch to work on our behalf. 

Diversity: B-

The October report outlined the administration’s proclaimed commitment to raising LGBTQ awareness, specifically with regard to transgender issues. Still, little has been seen in the way of follow-through. 

Following up a larger discussion about need-based aid with an event focused on students’ stories allowed students to share their experiences with paying for school. The executive branch also planned to publish these stories on a website to share with the public, but have yet to make it happen. Its support of UNC’s “I Have a Dream” campaign helps to provide visibility for the diversity of students. 

The administration supported Academic Affairs by planning for flipped classroom growth on campus. It also provided resources for CHispA’s Hispanic Heritage Month. These are projects that were primarily planned by other organizations — student government could be more proactive in organizing its own events to promote and celebrate UNC’s diversity.

Wainstein Response: C

The Powell administration’s response to the Wainstein report has been a mixed bag. It has done well by promoting serious conversation about the implications of the Wainstein report for the University, hosting a panel on the issue and seeking out a diverse group of student voices. It has made sure to fight against unconstructive narratives that marginalize student-athletes. Powell’s diplomatic manner has served the University well in this respect.

But his administration has declined to take clear leadership against the institutional pressures that led to the athletic-academic scandal, instead largely aligning with narratives promoted by the University and backing only modest reforms. Obviously, Powell’s administration does not have the power to fundamentally change structures as large and complex as college athletics, but as the most prominent representatives of student voices on campus, a stronger stance is needed in the face of one of the most serious scandals in the University’s history.

Environmental Affairs: B

Efforts by the executive branch to enhance campus sustainability have been generally successful. Current initiatives, such as waste reduction, have come in the form of practical and effective zero-waste games. To further reduce students’ trash output, Environmental Affairs has secured funding for collection bins for plastic bags and film.

Powell was a strong voice of support for the Sierra Student Coalition’s sustainable investment resolution at the Board of Trustees. During his campaign, Powell wrote an open letter to Chancellor Folt with fellow candidates in support of divestment, which he is expected to continue advocating.

It is concerning, however, that the administration’s pursuit of a sustainability graduation requirement was discontinued. If the University is not soon considering changes to the curriculum requirements, the committee should present evidence to the administration that future changes would benefit the student body.

Special Projects: A-

Powell’s most original campaign ideas were to reshape how the executive branch operated and to improve how the University taught courses. He has made some progress on each goal. 

His administration has incorporated classroom redesign projects into UNC’s long-range academic planning and has created an Active Learning Laboratory that helps professors incorporate beneficial technology into their classes. We are particularly excited by the egalitarian potential of blended learning. Preliminary data suggest that course redesigns can eliminate the achievement gap between students of different socioeconomic statuses. 

It is difficult to assess the efficacy of his reorganization of the executive branch’s Cabinet, but it seems to have encouraged a productive collaborative approach. Currently stalled efforts to build a stronger student government alumni network should pay dividends down the road.

Town Relations: B-

Powell’s opposition to night parking fees is a gesture of good faith toward the greater Chapel Hill community, which would have been even more restricted in its ability to visit and park on campus by the policy. 

The administration’s relationship with the Town Council remains somewhat strained on the heels of an effort late last semester to challenge Chapel Hill’s four-person occupancy limit. But the Powell administration has placed a student on the town’s housing board and has said it is attempting to institutionalize its commitment on that front by securing spots on other town boards for future administrations. For the most part, though, executive branch efforts have been focused on restoring its relationship with the council. 

This means the Powell administration has yet to do much in the way of programming or policy meant to bring together the University and town communities or foster shared understanding, especially in places where students and families share streets and neighborhoods.